Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1883-09-07

ness, paralysis, and even insani-
ty. they affirmed, had in many
well known instances been caus.
ed by the thunder; and that
whole herds and all The herders
were often stricken by the electric fluid
and mingled and mixed in an inds-
tingushable mass. Directly Caddo
Henry, in sad aud 'sorrowful voice,
spoke of the hapless fate offs late pard
of his, q boss known and lauded far
and wide for his pleasant vices. 1t
seems that while hunting for strayed
stock upon the unpeopled plains ofthe
Panhandle, the earth was for weeks
enveloped in dense fogs, and the DAYS
were as night. Guided only by guess
es, they wandered farther and farther
from the right direction. All game
Disappeared their supply consumed,
and hunger gnawed them. Hope fled
and life was almost gone. The pain
became unbearable, and in sheer neces-
sity, the hands tearfully sacrificed their
boss, broltd and ate him, and decent
~ Inferred his bones. All of our party
joined in lamenting the poor fellows
unfortunate set unavoidable fate; and
with unanimity that shows how
fondly Texans are attached to valua-
BILE animals. they expressed regret that
the high prices being paid ut that time
for,trained cOw-ponies had rendered the
killing of one of them, instead of the
boss, an impossibility.
AT last completely exhausted, |
dropped into an uneasy doze, and
dreamed that the revised edition of the
bible of our fathers was fearful mis-
take and that had at length realized
in my own proper person that the
name and the locality and the deep
significance of the familiar word
displaced by "Hsdesp were actual,
palpablc facts, and not merely puzzling
plrablcs. | awoke and sprang to my
ieet wild with terror-to have my
fight increased to frenzy by finding
myself deserted by my comrades and
surrounded by hundreds of frantic,
stampeded cattle. Raising my eyes in
mute appeal TO heaven, saw an an
swer to my prayer in stunted oak
that grew by me. Another moment,
and / was trembling among It's
branches. The Others, mounting in
| hot haste the instant the alarm was
given, had darted to the front. With
only few yards intervening between
them and the numbering beasts, with
| their reins frightened and their spurs
dripping blood, they flew ut full speed
acr, IS The head of the column and es-
sayed the perious task of turning the
leaders from their course. Their yells
and curses sounded clear and high
above the din of all things else: and at
! short intervals the sharp crack of their
revolvers would he heard and their
bright flashes would CLEAN amid the
darkness.
Day dawned and revealed to sight
me still up the tree, and my wearied
companions circling around but frac-
ton OF the many cattle that had been
in their power the day before.
Having in the course of two or three
days, recollected the scattered stock,
we drove them to Point de Boeuf and
delivered them to our employer.
They were sold, and we were paid the
few dollars we had so hardly earned.
Then with ponies rested, revolvers
oiled, fresh cartridges inserted, and n
little money in our pockets, we turned
our faces homeward. En- route we
came to the prosperous village of Por-
terville. We dismounted and strolled
through it. A saloon was entered
Drink after drink was ordered. Caddo
Henry noticed that l restricted
my rotations to lemonade. He com
manded me to take u toddy. | plead
in excuse for my refusal my pledge
to the United Friends of Temperance
He declined to accept it, and, when
again rejected the glass he proilered
he dashed it and its contents into my
face. Then, before | could see clearly
through my tingling eyes, the burly
brute knocked me down; and | have
not the slightest doubt that he woult
have killed me hadn't had presence
of mind enough to pacify him by al
ample apology and the LAST ten dollar,
had. Reflection had convinced hin
that he had taken an unfair advantage
of his superior strength, and being just
aud honorable enough to wish TO make
amends for the wrong done me- he ad
mitted that his anger had made him
perhaps, act too hastily, and generous
ly offered to "shoot it OUT Never be-
fore was | so tempted, never before
did SO strongly feel mans depraved
natural inclination to shed blood. just
AS was on the point of accepting his
pleasant proposal, my retentive memo.
nv reminded me, fortunately for him
Of the serious obligations my venera
bile sponsors had assumed at the font
in my name and behalf and, for their
sake, | declined to tread on his coat
tails.
The carouse continued. Glasses and
; bottles were thrown crashing to the
floor Songs We're shouted, not sung
: Passers-by were greeted with icers
aud profanity. A policeman appeared
and attempted to make an arrest. a
fight tollowed-and | left. But the
policeman remained, and if life and
memory We're left in his bruised body
and broken head, feel sure that his
conduct during similar affrays in the
future will show that the experience
: he acquired on this occasion has made
, him wiser and n warier man. Leav
ing their victim PROSTATE and insensi
/, BILE, they sailed forth, mounted THEN
horses, and proceeded to organize &
: little hell of their own" Up anG
: down the principal streets they gallop
ed, bowling devils on horseback
: shooting into houses, riding into stores
| insulting and maltreating all whom
they met, and begging, with maudlir
tears, for an introduction to one OIL
/; n dozen minons of the law
1 Their request was soon grant
: ed Officers and their posse en-
! countered them, bullets were eX
! changed without II parley, men wer,
: killed, horses wounded, and the COW
/, boys that We're still unhurt took to til,
woods and lodged their way back {,
the western wilds. Caddo Henry
shot repeatedly, was caught, triet