The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-04-01
KATE BAYARD.
How an Unfortunate Man Was Rescued
from Q Life of Misery by a HEROIC Girl.

How an Unfortunate Man Was Rescued
from Life of Misery by a Heroic Girl.
A letter from Delaware tells me
pretty story of Kate Bayard, the beauti-
full daughter whom death tooS SO lately
from our secretary of state, writes cor
respondent of the New York Times Six
or seven years ago her phaeton was a
familiar sight in Wilmington and on the
roadways thereabout; she was already
known among her friends as a daring
rider, and there were stories abundant
OF heroic exploits and dangers braved
in the saddle. The horse that she used
for her phaeton was spirited, but no
body ever worried for the fair drivers
safety; she had too often shown her
power to license a thought of danger.
The horse seemed to know her; vicious
ness that was shown when others ap-
preached melted into gentleness at once
when she took up the reins; people who
believed in the intelligence Of brute
creation pointed out this horses actions
as proof of their correct faith.
One summer evening as Miss Bayard
was driving alone on the outskirts of
West Wilmington her attention was at
tracted toward lively group of boys at
the side of the roadway. In their center
was man most forlorn in appearance,
his face the picture of misery, his
clothes all tatters. The boys in their
silly thoughtlessness were prosecuting
him The girls sympathies were en-
listed at once. Her carriage came to a
standstill, and her voice rebuked the
boys, who, staring one moment agape
with establishment. fell back little,
but they did not cease their taunts The
poor man against the roadside looked
up, as much amazed as had been his
prosecutors. 1t wasn't an inviting
countenance, and yet there was some
thing in it not wholly bad. Pebbles
were fired at him by the retreating lads,
and then as he tried to move he revealed
to the good Samaritan who had come to
his rescue that he was cripple. This
brought her from her phaeton in a
trice. A word to her horse, a pat upon
its neck, and she left it to 90 within
touching distance of the poor hopeless
fellow, despairing in this by street of a
town suburb. What was the matter?"
"Why was he therep" How had he
fallen into such a plight?" These were
questions that she asked in quick sue
cession. And the reply that came was:
Il am only tramp" She didn't draw
back. That wasn't the way of Kate
Bayard. "But you are a man." she
said. He looked as if he were half
afraid to assert that he could claim even
this, and he drew back with a visible
shudder as the brave girl said: "You
must have somebody to care for you.
Let me take you to the hospital He
smiled half thankfully, half doubtfully,
do ,,<fa 4 =
eyes, taking on a new light, seemed to
sparkle out: "You mock me-" He did
not know Kate Bayard any better than
the world knows many another woman
who, for her own hearts sake, does
good deeds in secret. She bent and
helped him to rise. One leg would not
bear his body's weight, and he had hard
work to mutle the groan that half
escaped him in the pain of moving; but
heroieally, his ragged coat sleeve run
ming through the arm of as lovely girl
as ever lived, he hobbled step by step to
the pkaeton's side and was lifted-vir-
tually lifted as mother tenderly would
lift her infant-in through the wheels to
the carriage seat.
Then came an exciting experience.
She was half between the vehicles
wheels when the horse, that bad been
standing quietly enough while he could
watch his mistress, became angry. The
boys, who had scattered, had not drawn
out of sight, and their sport was being
continued by showers of missiles thrown
promiscuously in the carriages direc-
ton. and they were hooting and crying
more loudly than ever This it was that
had unstrung the horses nerves, and he
pranced and reared, though he did not
start to run. The wheels of the carriage
caught the girl in their clasp and hug
ged her tiercely one moment and then
released her only for second, when she
rushed forward to the frightened horses
bride. The alarm of the animal was
intensified. Now he dashed away on Q
full run, whirling the light phaeton
hither and thither over the roadway in
a manner that boded speedy destruc-
ton. The hoodlums parted as the rum
away cut through their ranks, but not
one was big enough or brave enough to
try to stop the wild beast. On and on
he plunged, but all the time the brave
hearted Kate Bayard clung to the
bridle-rein, and she swung through the
air like a bird at the flying animals
sluc. NOE OIu BIC lOSc ucE Scll-COu-
sciousness- She called her horse by
name, and her tone was as affectionate
and calm as though he were standing
still for caresses. A long time he paid
no attention to this, and dangers on
dangers were encountered and passed
through, till finally, half exhausted, per-
haps, the stalwart creature turned his
head, neighed, and quickly came to
standstill. Nobody had been hurt, the
carriage was whole, some harness had
been strained and ripped, the man in
the phaeton had fainted-his sufferings
and excitement had conquered him.
That man was tenderly cared for by
Kate Bayard and her friends, and
eventually he went out into the world a
well man and in a mind wholly differ
mt from that which had possessed him
N the day he was found a helpless
victim of idle boys in public roadway.
No, there is no record of any heroic act
by which this rescued man subsequently
served her who saved him. Nor was
there any need for any such act to add
color to this good thing that Thomas F.
Bayard's daughter did.
He whom she lifted up was ever after
ward a changed man. He had history
that had something of good in it. The
wild son of New York farmer, he had
left college to go south as a soldier early
in the war, and had fallen there into
bad habits. That, briefly, was his
story. Now he is a clergyman of the
Methodist church.