Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1888-08-30

OF my pursuers quickened their pace
into a slow trot, an example followed
by those behind, till, like a wave, a
movement had communicated itself to
those furthest In the rear. And
now the trot, which had been gradual
ly quickening, broke into an awkward
gallop, and the whole herd charged
down upon me!
For moments | saw the semi
circle of converging columns, saw the
long horns sweeping the ground, like
marsh reeds before November gale,
saw the plunging shoulders and heav-
ing backs surging through the clouds
Of white dust which rolled up before
them-I gave myself up for a doomed
man. Then, abandoning all further
effort at caution, / turned and ran for
my life.
The ground behind me trembled
under the tread of their myriad feet;
and the muffled thunder of their plung-
ing hoofs, mingled with the low, fitful
believing which filled the air, sounded
like the roar of an advancing tornado.
Gun and game were too much to carry
in a race where so much was at stake.
/ dropped them both as | sped for.
ward.
The ground was as level as floor;
and flew over it, taking the stunted
sage-brushes in my stride, till | reached
the arroyo. Then over the bank, and
down, at one flying leap, | went; and
now, noticing, to my right, detached
mass of rocks, piled up in pyramidal
form, turned sharply, gained them,
and, clambering upward, stood in a
place of safety.
1t was only about three feet across,
but dearer to me, just then, than all
the broad acres of my fathers farm at
home!
From this, my "coign Of vantage"
now marked the surging mob of cattle
come crowding to the brink of the
arroyo; and then, as the hundreds il
the rear pressed forward, | saw the
front ranks, by the dozen, pushed of
into the gully, slipping, sliding, plung
ing one after the other, till the ravint
seemed half-flled with them, and the
white dust rose like mist from the pi
of a vast cataract
All around that little crag upor
which | half-sat, halliday, like an ex
hausted swimmer just escaped from
hungry sea, heaved and billowed th,
tempestuous bovine maelstrom with
"a roar
Like Ocean on it's wintry Shore,
their white norns flashing like tn
foam on tho breakers. The sight o
me, perched up there, seemed to mad
den them. The foremost, impelled b,
the weight of the swaying thousand
behind, were forced close against tn
rocks. while those in the rear gorei
viciously with their horns at those i
front. Everywhere about me was
tumultuous throng of clashing horns
tossing heads and writhing bodies, see
fitfully through clouds of dust.
/ was safe for the time being, and i
no great physical discomfort; yet
could but wonder what the outcome {
it all would be, or how / should ult
, mately escape.
But suddenly, above the dull roar {
the surging, believing throng, hear
the sound of yelling voices down tn
arroyo. The cowboys were coming
and in few minutes Little, Bob
Charlie" and ''Kid" came in sigh
, riding at full speed, their long cattl,
, whips cracking like pistol-shots as the
, charged upon my besiegers, Will
, they whooped in true cowboy poly
glot:
, eli! hir' "Vaca! vacar 'Wo-haw!
, "Git! "Vamos pi-a-a-ar "Br-r-r-r!
"See-ah! See-ah" "G'lang there!
"Hoop-la-a-a-ar'
\ At the sound of the voices and Il
cracking whips, at the sight of tt
: charging vaqueros, the cattle on Il
, outskirts of the crowding herd BEGAN
panic-stricken turned, and scampere
! up the arroyo, or climbed the shelvir
! banks, and dashed away across the va
= ley.
The fright soon communicated itsC
( to the rest, and in few moments 9
a this thronging mob of stock had meltt
away and were coursing off in all d
n rections across the plain = formir
n what is known in cattle parlance
Q a "blazing STAR"
The siege being thus raised | d
: scended from my little natural citad
n and looked up my gun, which had be-
i fairly trampled into the earth and h,
( both cocks broken short off. My bun,
Q of game had Jared still worse; an
Q rather ingloriously, | mounted behil
o Charlie and rode down to the CORA
fully resolved to follow his advice, |
: though, as he put it, it had strol
n flavor of an Irish bull.
Said he: 1.-The next time you 60 o
. shooting here afoot, you'd better ha
v boss under e."-U. p Uford,
Youths Companion.
, Wise Savings Well Said.