The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-09-03
HAUNTED BY A HORSE.

|; seems tn odd ,h.uz ,o >4y and scty likel> ye, Wtil i,at hei,e.e :; hu, ,hcsc NJ, d tIMc IT 1y lie aiIcn MS iiI.s,,:5.ts. bY l hat,c. fa>l ,s ttai1 an Irc9 >.jh.s t~ ckei 4 Risit he'd >Iaaet 4t.l> h., a4ied b. Ic- mafNe and hi. ie m mad, me,tas 4 good dcai fa1tc 'httft -tt.f :" i.uHse,. hy :, sha>J L.. dou. het.esc :. sH5s5#>. ind ,iY heHe,c in leiaa.~e. i5f have fell II a1d been iiag''.r4 Ha ]. tafseii tsd that. nai 1ar ny seo sfs.u sH, e.thci
 My father W.ts i incts illHi n aHc af -.HT great Wr>ieta ,ltlt- U -asd honuIAp.c man. bE.i. withtl stem tud all9lt te h.> children in l., ,nae41afs ia guate them % ..lts hi.=======
 The f,,uli at ;h5- uaeeI>e f5lc se-t> ~..s | n might haze been ant Irticd puo oi In> bfuthcts f.tf of n >ti. ,:t sit''t' ned on hi, fif>, voyage: another enlisted iu the army: and l. at,cr 4 yolcn, quarrel with 'ns father. tuned my bark ou my home. i, heiiclcd. .iulcltr.
 wd> the yot.'I@c>; ~g'a. .,nd, if.cr eer mother, ,, death, had uei wlta mere naal- sence ihan 4ly brother. b3t there 8eic ume> when the tim, IL m4 father $ dlspo- siilen and ,}e s,cc! n minc c.tnc ma violent contact.
 And >o Ii came about that Ia hot headed youth ot tWentf. iust honc from college. ,he proud wu8cr ei hard won pr.lc> went cut into the world io seek my fortune.
 l chanccd to have sSo in my poo kc,. and ,hts >nm ,utiiecd h carry me ih,. sfe-l.qr p..i.=at ,AeYA-A- Inc pom had tlNcd upon the scene of the ilrst aot in the drama oi my future fortunes
 There were no railroads in those days aefeN, ihe great western praIries: they had 'e he crossed on horseback ef m wagons, and to dc either required money more money than possessed. hy ftr
 And so my march came la. sudden h,lt an ike verge 'oi ;Ie srca, plains. .ind was iefeed to lrak eis. vhfir ttt,tn .ii- ter cagaH an ot eager seeker, after selsl rolled "l.t ot the hiilc town. where m1 a.,t dollar had stranded ne.
 Gold-svet.ers iel ;he California .,,c, was ii its height and hundred, and thousands et men. ree klc>e and desperate as MAS myself. were rushing to the gold field, Milh all possible speed
 Weafy and hearl,ick. Wllh achin. head anu dragging tmb>. 1 W4udcgc,l oul bc- yond the town. |, wa> d cloudy d.,x. with cold WIud. clustering wlnd ,hat told oi snow'lakcs near at hand bu, pajd ne heed ,e the weather the inner storn, eel ipsed the outer.
 Hello. -" l thought. here comes som, pnc Tn ! tearing hurry Clear the road m, bot, or look ou, for knook-down lr. gumcni.
 stepped to one side as hossc a, iul speed came dAshlns by l had enlv tiu, for bret glance al rider and s;ced. bur that one glance was enough
 Such horse and such d rilci.
 Coal black. with shining coat. ar,hed neck. flowing manc and tail and slender limbs. with long. gentle spring. that would scarcely have stirred a child m the saddle. had always been fond If horse and had prded myself on owning fine animals. but never before had seen a horse that 80 took my heart by storm.
 And Its rider. too "a beautiful girl o no, more than eighteen summers. with flowing rnglcts. rosy cheeks and bright eyes tha, seemed to read me through ant through. as she turned them on me 1T passing.
 lnvoluntarily l removed my ha, anc stood gazing after the well matched pan as the horse made a Sudden ,un ane halted with his rider !; the door ef Il larc, house close by
 The latter leapcd to the ground ana entered the dwelling while the hors, walked quietly ;o a ac.; stable. openin. on the road.
 stood motionless till both had disap peared. then drew long breath. like on, awakening from sleep. and returned |, the town where a few quie, inquiries fur nished me with the information tha, ih. animal so much admired belonged ', the chief magistrate of the li,,le town. il, rider being his only child.
 All through the res, of the day tn, figure of that beautiful horse haunted me l could not throw i, of. lay down |, sleep and dreamed tha, was mounte. on its back, speeding across the w;d