Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-06-17


hogs. We could hcar them crashing
and pattering through the under.
growth behind. Yes, sirs, that mule
threw me-something that no horse
has done since was ten years old.
"Therc was q rift in the trees few
rods ahead, and away we went toward
il for our lives, hoping that it might DO
the clearing around settlement 1t
was merely u level piece of turf. in the
center Of which was a huge bowlder.
The bowlder's TOP was smooth. but
slanting ut an anglo of about twenty
degrees. IL was lying upon one end,
tho other end projecting so far over the
centnr that apParontlya q touch would
disturb the equilibrium, send the high
er end down, the lower up. like n see
saw, the center OF the stone being the
fulcrum upon which itwould turn.
Tho brutes were close at our heels.
/ could smell the peculiar odor which
like the domcsticatcd hog-thcy give
off when in numbers, and could hear
the champing of their tusks. With my
right hand rs a Stirrup, Dolly vaultcd
onto the rocks slanting top. and with
out two seconds TO spare l followed.
scrambling up with moro haste than
grace. We were both much more ex-
cited than | care TO think of. and in
stinctivcly-instinctivcly, mind-Dolly
drew nearer to my side and my arm
went round her waist
"The savage brutes pressed close to
the rock. leaping up at us and snap
ping their jaws like hungry wolves,
They filled the open space around us
for many yards. the rear guard press.
ing those in the front rank so closely
rs TO almost crush them against the
stone. They were more savage than
wolves. They looked and acted like
hyenaS
"Thcy crowded under the projecting
end of the bowlder. As we moved
forward upon it, the center of gravity
was overcome, the pondcrous mass
slowly swung upon its axis, the top
for the hundrcdth part OF minute was
level. and then the end which had been
down rose into the air, while the other
fell smoothly. without q jar, on the
grass, imprisoniug a number of the
hogs beneath it. II was the smoothcSt
and most astounding transformation
that have ever seen.
"The sudden disappearance of tho
crushed victims seemed 20 disconcert
the drove. Possibly their leader
without whom, Us the Don told me
later. they lose half their fcrocity-
was among the missing. For an in.
stant they stopped lcaping, stopped
champing their tusks and stared fixed
~ ut the bowldcr that had proven it.
self so dangerous. Then we heard
the rafting of hoofs upon a road close
by. and the party whom we had left
an hour before came riding into the
open space before us. 1t was too
much for the hogs. They gallopcd in
to the woods on the opposite side of
the clearing, disappearing as quickly
Us they had come.
".Madrc dc Dios" cried Don Fran.
cisco. holding up his hands in amaze
ment. The Rocking Stone has saved
YOU. Thank Heaven you did not fall
into their jaws. They many and many
time kill 4 tiger
Then Madame Calhoun's shocked
voice came in. 'Dolly!' she cried, what
fright YOU are! Come down ut once"
"And suddenly Miss Dolly remcm-
bcrod that my arm was still about her
waist. She blushed to the roots OF her
yellow hair, and was not more than
five seconds in finding her way down
TO the grass. But il will be more than
five years, you may rclyupon it, before
she or will forget that little advent
ure. ."-Dctroh Free Press.