The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1886-12-03

majesty stepped out on the dry land
and with whoop of proud defiance
old Crum, for it was no other. bounded
away towards the south. where der
bend in the swamp brought it neare
to me than the other hunters. ytl &
loudly three times. and put spurs to
my horse and joined chase.
The signal was caught up by the
nearest hunter and passed to the others
and the pursuit became exciting. In
few bounds my horse was doing his
best, and could SEE that was gaining
on the bull but could not bring my
gun to bear on him. for on this rough
and uneven grnnnd it took my best TO
keep the Saddle. We had covered
nearly half the distance. whom suddenly
the bull stopped and Gazed for a mo-
ment straight ahead. then facing about
he came charging down upon me- l
reigned my horse up short and when
he was within about thirty yards of
me l aimed direct at his shaggy hea
and fired. Ere the smoke had cleared
away, was being borne along at
fearful speed by my fleeing horse. the
wild roars of the old savage reso,nding
in my wake. / could hear the cheers
of the other hunters as they rode to the
rescue. and the deep baying Of the old
cow dogs. as Jake simpson rode with
them to cut off old Crum's retreat
when he should have grown tired of
chasing me.
had one barrel remaining but had
not time to think Of using it. Urging
my horse to the utmost, hoped to gain
q level sufficient to enable me to wheel
and shoot the enemy in the flank. when
suddenly my horse made a false step,
Numbered heavily, and losing my bal
ance l was thrown somersault into a
bunch of palmetto. The bull passed
by me and made lunge at my horse,
but the latter had recovered sufficiently
to keep safe distance between himself
and his maddened antagonist, and just
then the wild clamor of the dogs told
that they had come up. I jumped TO
my feet, and from high log that lay
near by 1 watched the close of the
fight. The cries of the dogs aud the
believing of the old bull as he stood ut
bay were fearful, now hanging ut one.
now lowering his shaggy head and
chasing another, while the yells of the
approaching hunters added to the
hveliness of the scene.
Don't shoot the dogs" cried Jake,
as Capt. Sterne levelled his gun. That
caused me to remember my gun and
ran to where it fell. picked it.up. and
started for my log, when " Bang, bang"
went both barrels of the Captains gun,
and the bull, sorely wounded. staggered
for a moment, and then came tearing
away towards the place where stood.
" Bang! bang! bang!" went three other
reports, but they failed to check the
career Of the bull who came right on.
and seeing that l must do something 1
brought my gun to my shoulder, and
taking a careful aim, waited until he
was within dozen yards and fired.
A long agonizing roar, a plunge for
ward and the old monarch of the range
lay dead before me, the bloodthirsty
dogs gnawing at his bleeding throat.
"lIooray! Bully for you," shouted
Capt. Sterne, as he galloped up. I
thought shore he'd git you, an tell
you l trimbled fur you when saw i'm
a comm" The others gathered around,
and each one had some tale of ferocity
or cunning to relate regarding old
Crum's past career, but felt more as
if had been guilty of murder than
ever before. With our ingenious
methods we had condemned and slaugh-
tered the brave old outlaw, whose prin-
cipal sin was love of freedom, which
caused him to despise the calm and in
sipid lot of his more tractablc COM
panions, victims of the whip-lash and
brand-iron. For years he had lorded
over every living thing that came to
share the solitude of his haunts, and a
pang of regret embittered my tri-
umphant feelings as l watched his
glazing eye as the little rill of rich,