The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1888-02-23

youth comes from ignorance. We 90 DOT
value life, therefore We risk III weI
rush into danger because We can see nei
iher ils length nor its breadth.
When excitement 10 less allurins' and
We learn TO count the cost. we shudder 10
Anticipation Of the crippled life or the
useless death. ss the beggar who has
found diamond trembles lest be meet
his comrade. the robber.
Bus though experienced no physical
fear, my thoughts we're tinged With mel.
ancholy. iel. that Was alone 10 the
world. having cut the last tie OF kindred
left me. l had the confidence OF youth ss
to the future, but saw it only asa pill
grim sees fair gardens. when be smells the
flowers and hears the fountains splash on
the wrong side Of . blank. hopeless wall
began to forebode that some hard eI
perieuces we're before me. Vas also
forced 70 iortiiy nysslf Agsisst aundryl
qualms as to the past. and -ths manner Of
my flight. by the most violent inward ex
ecrstions Of every body at CorrAitos ex
cept my aunt.
Gradually the monotouous dog-trot in
to which had fallen, the absolute still
ness, and my abstraoted thoughts, luiied
me into sort OF doze; II sleep is possible
under such circumstances should say
that | slept From this state ! was SLOW
| ly awakened by = strange. booming sound
at which paused and listened with puz
zled uuconcern, more wondering that
afraid.
| twas then about three in the morning;
the moon shone brightly, and nothing
higher than buncb-grass grew by the
road for two or three miles; yet | stood
still quite two minutes. blinking my near
sighted eyes. before l discovered some
thing dark extending beyond the road on
both sides and moving rapidly toward me.
Almost another minute passed wheh'
with a sudden throb of terror grasped
the truth - it was drove OF Spanish
cattle
From an unreasoning impulse OF de
Tending myself, did the most insane act
possible. swung my gun to my shout
der and discharged both barrels, with
horrible distinctness the shots pealed out
on the still night air, and the fierce drove,
which a moment before had been intent
on water or pssturage, now rushed Tor
ward with roar u rage that almost par
alyzed me.
II was terrible situation. q moment OF
despair, glance iuto the face OF a fright
fnl death. There seemed to be no refuge;
neither tree that could climb, nor bush
where could hide, only the telegraph
pole. beside which stood, reared itself
above me. threw down my gun and be-
gan to climb; few knotty protuoersnces
at the base favored me. and though l had
little skill in exercise OF this sort, some
strange power seemed to give me intelli'
cence and address far beyond my nature.
Great drops of sweat stood ell over me. l
felt ringing in my ears, as though a
thousand gongs we're beating; time no
longer existed for me; every thought,
breath, sensation was crushed into an
agony OF effort, until at last reached the
top Of my frail refuge and clutched the
wire in my hand.
tried to steady my nerves amid the
horrible uproar, and at length forced my
self to look down. Through cloud OF
dust saw sea wide. branching horns.
heads tossing, tails lashing, huge bulks
bending and rearing.
/ had hoped that when they saw that !
was out of their reach they would move
on, instead OF which their auger seemed
each moment to increase, and they fairly
foamed with rage.
could see them look up at me with
Qlaring eyes as they paved the earth,
believing with bafliad fury.
Tue telegraph pole was stout and we'll
set, but il shook so with their blows and
| iostlinQ that feared each moment that it
would fall.
Fifteen or twenty minutes had passed
before it occurred to me that my red
blanket, plsinly visible in the moonlight.
was the exciting cause Of their animosity
1t was no easy matter to upfasten 1T with
one hand, but at length ! succeeded, and
allowed it to drop TO the ground. / would
have thrown il some distance among the
herd, but IN my insecure position that
was impossible.
They plunged at it and tossed it with
horrible ferocity. aud iu few moments
1t was bitten, torn aud trampled into in
dislinguisbable fragments.
And still they did not move on.
They became somewhat quieter after
time many OF them wandered from the
road aud made short bites at the brown
grass; but the majority stood wedged
about the pole, looking up st me with re
ltntltbs untfcu, hs Pop'bt 10 !" '"''
the limit OF human suffering, and were
content to wait. being sure OF their victim
lived years Of torture 10 each hour
that crept by; the thin wire cut into ny
hands until they we're torn and bleeding
from the wrist to the fingers; to relieve
them occasionally rested my elbows on
the top OF the pole. for there was DO cross
piece, helping the strain on my arms by
pressing my knees against the wood. until
every muscle in my body Was wrencbed to
the utmost: the pains in my back, espec'
tally. we're slmos, insupportable.
AT first was coYscious only OF terror
and OF suffering, but ~ time dragged
slovIv on my mind began 10 wander