The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1886-03-11
KATE RAYARD.
How an Unfortunate Man Was RescueS
from q Life Of Misery by Heroic Girl.


KATE BAYARD.
How An IJnSortanate Man YVES Rescued
from Life Of Misery by "a Heroic Girl.
A letter from Delaware tells me a
nretty story OF Kate Bayari, the beauti-
Eul daughter whom death took so lately
from our secretary of state, writes cor
of the New York Times. Six
or seven wears ago her phaeton was n
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 brayed
in the saddle. The horse that she used
for her phaeton was spirited, but no
body ever worried for tlie fair drivers
safety; she had too often shown her
power to license a thought of danOsr. -
The horse seemed 90 ldD-s.ss hsars e--tcIoIlS-
ness that was shown when others APP
preached melted into gentleness at once
when she took up the reinsi 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 a little,
but they did not cease their taunts. The
poor man against the roadside looked
up, as much amazed as had been his
prosecutors. II 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 a cripple. This
brought her from her phaeton in a
trice. A word to her horse, a pat upon
its neck, and she left it 10 90 within
touching distance of the poor hopeless
fellow, despairing in this by street of Il
town suburb. What was the natter?n
s'Why was he thereP" How had he
fallen into such plightP" These were
questions that she asked in qnick sue
eession. 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 I man, she
said. He looked as if he We're half
| afraid to assert that lac could claim even
| this, and he drew back with II visible
shudder us the brave girl said: You
must have somebody to care for you.
Let me take YOU TO the hospital He
smiled half Thankfully, half doubfully,
and, though no words were uttered, his
eyes. taking ON a new light, seemed TO
sparkle out: You mock me" lie did
not know Kate Bty;srd 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 bard
work to muille the groan that half
escaped him in the pain of moving; but
heroically. his ragged coat sleeve run
ming through the arm of rs lovely girl
as ever lived, he hobblod step by step to
the phaeton's side and was lifted-yir-
tually lifted as a mother tenderly would
lift her infant-in through the wheels To
the carriage seat
Then came i'm exciting experience.
She was half between the vehicles
wheels when the horse, that had 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
] ton. and they were hooting and crying
more loudly than ever. This il w:is that
i had unstrIng 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 iiercely one moment and then
| released her only for a second, when she
rushed forward to the frightened horses
bride. The alarm of the animal was
intensified. Now be dashed away on u
full run, whirling the light phaeton
hither and thither over the roadway in
manner that BODIED speedy dcslrlic-
ton. The hoodlunls parted rs the run
away cut through their ranks. but not
one was big enough or brave enough 10
try to stop the wild beast. On aud ON
he plunged, but all the time the brave
hearted Kate Bayard elung to the
bridle-rein, and she swung through the
air like a bird at the flying animals
side. Nor did she lose her seIf-con-
sciousness She called her horse by
name, and her tone was as aflectionate
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 stafwart creature turned his
head. Weighed, and quickly came to a
standstill Nobody had been hurt, the
carriage was whole, some harness had
been strained and ripped. the man in
the phaeton had fainted-lis sufierfnos
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
ent from that which had possessed him
on the day he was found helpless
victim OF idle boys in public roadway.
No, there is no record OF any heroic act
by which this rescued man s6bseqsscntly
served her who saved him. Nor was
there any need for any such act to add
color to this good thing that Thomas +.
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 clergyman of the
Methodist church