Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-01-29
Tates and Sketthes.
A GALLOP FOR LIFE.
Continued from yesterday. J

| firm in my seat. turned my Tartar's head
toward the point where could see the
white windmill cleaning through the
twilight on the Cheshire shore.
felt that had not a moment to spare.
The sand, so firm in the morning. sounded
damp under nv horses stride the little
stacnant pools filled visibly. and joining
formed shallow lakes, through which we
dashed in shower of spray and every
now and then we leaped over or plunged
into deep holes. At first tried to choose
a path, but as it rapidly grew darker, |
sat back in my saddle. and with my eyes
fixed on the tower of the windmill, held
nv horse firmly into a hand gallop, and
kept straight line. He was a famous
deep-chested, long-stridng little fellow.
and bounded along as fresh as when
started. By degrees my spirits began to
rise though the danger past; felt con-
fidence in myself and horse. and shouted
to him in encouraging triumph. Already
| was, in Imagination, landed and relating
nv DAYS adventures to Laura, wbenwith a
heavy plunge down on his head. right over
went the brown stallion, and away flew as
wouldletme Blindedwithwets sand, startled.
shaken, confused, by sort of instinct |
scrambled to my feet almost as soon as
my horse. which had fallen over set OF
salmon-net stakes. Even in the instant OF
my fall all the horror of my situation was
mentally visible to me. In moment |
lived years. felt that was dead man !;
| wondered if my body would be found !;
I thought of what my friends would say !;
| thou ht of letters in my desk | wished
burned. thought of relatives to whom
my Journey to Parkgate was unknown, of
debts | wished paid. of parties with whom
| had quarrelled, and wished | had been
reconciled. | wondered whether Laura
would mourn tor me, whether she really
| loved me. In fact, the most serious and
| ridiculous thoughts were iumbled all to-
gether, while muttered. once or twice, a
hasty prayer; and yet did not lose mo-
ment in remounting. This time my horse
made noresistance, but stood over hooks in
pool of salt water, and trembled and
snorted-not fercely, but in fear. There
was no time to lose. | looked round for
the dark line of the shore; it had sunk in
the twilight. l looked again for the
white tower; it had disappeared. The
fall and the rolling. and turning of the
horse in rising. had confused all my no.
tons of the points of the compass.
could not tell whether it was the dark
clouds from the sea. or the dizzy whirling
of my brain; but it seemed to have be-
come black night in moment.
The water seemed to flow in all direc-
tons round and round. tried. but could
not tell which was the sea, and which the
river side. The wind. toe, seemed to shift
| I i IL Al,
Then, ''softly." | said to myself: "be
calm; you are confused by terror; be a
man; )" and pride came to my rescue.
closed my eyes for a moment, and whis-
pered, ''Oh Lord. save me-" Then with
an effort, calmer, as though had gulped
down something, opened my eyes, stood
up in my stirrups and peered into the
darkness. As far as | could see, were
patches of water eating up the dry bits OF
sand AS far as could hear rushing tide
was on all sides. Four times, in different
directions, pushed on, and stopped when
found the water rising over the should.
ers of my horse.
drew up on a sort of island of sand
which was every minute growing less land
gathering al! the strength of my lungs,
shouted again and again land then listened
but there came no answering shout. Sud.
denly, a sound of music came floating
past me. could distinguish the air; i,
was the military band playing "Home,
sweet Home" tried to gather from what
quarter the sound came, but each time
the wind instruments brayed out loudly the
sounds seemed to come to ne from every
direction at once. "Ahr" | thought, 81
shall see home no more" | could have
wept, but had no time my eyes were
staring through the darkness. and my
horse. plunging and rearing, gave me no
rest for weeping. ] gave him his head
once having heard that horses, from ships
sunk at sea, have reached land distant
ten miles, by instinct; but the alienation
of land and shallow and deep water con
fused his senses, and destroyed the calm
power which might have developed in the
mere act of swimming.
At length, after series of vain efforts,
| grew calm and resigned. made up
my mind to die. took my handkerchief
from my neck, and tied my pocket-book
to the DIS of the saddle | pulled nv
rings off my fingers, aud put them in my
pocket had heard of wreckers cutting
off the fingers of drowned men-and then
was on the point of dashng forward al
random, when some inner feeling made
me cast another steady glance all round
AT that moment, just behind me, some.
thing sparkled twice and disappeared and
then, reappearing, shone family, but so
steadily, that there could be no doubt
it was a light on the Cheshire
shore. In an instant my horses
head was Turned round. | had gathered
HIM together, dug in the spurs, and crying
from the bottom of my heart, THANK
God ~ in the same moment, not profanely
but with hor.eman's instinct, shouted
encouragingly, and dashed away toward
the light. 1t was hard fight, the grounc
seemed melting from under us-now
struggling through soft sand. now splash
ing over hard; now swimming (that wa:
easy), and now and again leaping and hal
falling. but never losing hold of my horse
or sight of the beacon; we forced through
every obstacle, until at length the water
grew shallower and shallower; we reach
ed the sand, and passing the sand, rattlec
over the shingle of high water MARYLAND
| was saved But | did not, could not
stop; up the loose shingles | pressed or
to the light that had saved me. coulc
not rest one instant, even for thanksgiv
ing. until l knew to what providentia
circumstances | owed my safety.
drew up at fishe-man's hut of the hum
blest kind, built on the highest part of the
shore, full two miles from Parkgate;