The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-04-15
A BRAVE BEAUTY.
Kate Bayard's Womanly sympathy
and Her Nerve.

A letter from Delaware tells me
pretty story of Kate Bayard, the beauti-
full daughter whom death took SO late.
ly from our Secretary of State. Six OF
seven years ago her phaeton was
familiar sight in Wilmington and on the
roadways thereabout; she was already
known among her friends as 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 thought of danger.
The horse seemed to know her; vicious
ness that was shown when others APP
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 ap-
pearance, his face the picture of misery,
his clothes all in tatters. The boys in
their silly thoughtlessness were perse.
cutting him.
THE GIRLS SYMPATHIEs
were enlisted at once. Her carriage
came to a stand-still. and her voice re-
buked the boys, who, staring one mo-
nsch, foil
back little, but they did not cease
their taunts. The poor man against
the roadside looked up as much amaz-
ed as had been his prosecutors. 1t
wasn't an inviting countenance, and
yet there was something in it not Who'll
ly bad. Pebbles were fired at him by
the retreating lads, and then as he tried
to move he revealed to the good Samari-
tan 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 towns suburb. .'What
was the matter?'' "Why was he
there?" "How had he fallen into such
a plight?" These were questions that
she asked in quick succession. 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 mani" she said. He
looked as if he were half afraid to as
sert that he could claim even this, and
he drew back with 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, and, though
no words were uttered, his eyes, taking
on a new light, seemed to sparkle out
.sYou 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
MUFFLE THE GROAN
that half escaped him in the pain of NOV
ing; but heroically, his ragged coat
sleeve running through the arm of as
lovely a girl that ever lived, he hobbled
step by step to the phaeton's side and
was lifted-virtually 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 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
promisciously 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 car
riage caught the girl in their clasp and
hugged her fercely for one moment,
and then released her only for second,
when she rushed forward to the fright
ened horses bride. The alarm of the
animal was intensified. Now he dash
ed away on a full run, whirling the
light phaeton hither and thither over
the roadway in a manner that boded
speedy destruction. The hoodlums part
ed as the runaway cut through their
ranks, but not one was big enough or
brave enough to try to stop the wild
horse. 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
bird at the flying ANNALS side. Nor
| did she lose her self-consciousnesS. She
| called her horse by name, and her tone
was as affectionate and calm as though
he was standing still for caresses. A
long time he paid no attention to this,
and dangers on dangers We're encounter
ed and passed through. till finally, half
exhausted perhaps, the stalwart crea-
ture turned his head, neighed, and
| quickly came to a standstill. Nobody
had been hurt. the carriage was whole,
some harness had been strained and rip
ped, the man in the phaeton had tainted
his suffering and excitement had con-
quered him.
That man was tenderly cared for by
Kate Bayard and her friends, and
eventually he went out into the world a
we'll man and in wholly different
mind from that which had possessed
him on the day he was found helpless
victim of idle boys in public roadway.
No, there was no record of any heroic
act by which this rescued man subse-
quently served her who saved him. Nol
was there any need for any such act to
add any color to this good thing that
Thomas F. Bayard's daughter did.
He whom she lifted up was ever after.
ward changed man. He had history
that had something good in it. The
wild son of a 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. h.-NeW YORK; Tribune