The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1888-11-10

forward again l was all at once seized
with 9 hesitancy. / did not know
which way to go. ANY one who has
ever had that feeling will know what
bewildering, nightmare like sensa-
ton experienced.
| The twilight was still glowing in
the sky, as could SEQ between the
tree branches; out In the open 1t was
not yet dark; but the glimmer and
dusk where was were confusing.
| In the next five minutes l had an
intense realization of the fact that /
had been foolhariy and reckless In
coming this way. What If Aunt Ruth
had tainted me with her daughter
James superior ability to come
through the rulk-holeg What Ii that
aggravating Eli Shepard had hooted
at me that | should get lost1
Well, was loet. In two minutes
my pride had sunk 90 low that /
would thankfully have accepted guild
ance from Bill Shepard or Jane Ma
son. But neither was there to give 1t.
fionndered deiectedly ON for few
rods, not knowing which way was
going. knew that might traverse
the pulk- hole all night in this way.
With this thought came a vivid pic
&ure of what my state would be In the
morning, and / began to pity myself
as If were another person. Then
fell down again.
This time l did not rise 90 quickly
as befors, for two reasons: My mind
had lost a part of its alacrity; and,
just rs l had raised myself TO my hands
and knees, something rose up near me
and smelled of the back of my neck.
1t is q blood -curdling experience to
be struggling to ones feet In pulk-
hole, and to have an unknown animal
come up in the dark and put its nose
on the back of your neck. l screamed
fiercely, jumped to my feet and ran as
hard as l could, which was not very
hard.
knew that the thing was coming
after me, and my feet were like lead,
while my heart beat all over me, but
mostly, as 1t seemed to me, In my
throat and ears.
Being now wholly blinded and con-
fused by fear, l soon fell down again,
this time in q comparatively open
space where there was much more
light. The creature that was pnrsu-
ing me was visible. Even my fright
ened senses could not how help recog-
nizing the shapely, light-hued year.
ling, the fair Jersey Phillis, who had
greeted me when / started forth with
my "balmy Gilead.n
was so thankful to know her that
put my arms around her neck and
began to cry. l knew that IL was
Phtllis' custom to go home and spend
the night with the cows under the
big shed. Would she do so now? L
must keep near her. had by this
time not the slightest idea In what di-
rection the house lay.
After few minutes spent In stand
ing quite still and chewing her cud,
the calf began walking. l saw that
unless | could keep close to her !
should lose her In the darkness The
Jersey breed are proverb;slly gentle,
and Phiilis was particularly so. III
she had not been my playmate In
times past, might even now be In
that pulk-hole, instead Of compla-
Gently writing about dangers past.
| took hold OF the small horn next
me and chung while the calf walked,
with all cows calmnese, through bog
and briers and bushes, and I painted
and struggled along with her, scratch
Ing my hands and face. leaving piece
after piece of my dress skirt on differ
emit bushes, losing my hat In the down.
reaching arms Of huge barberry-
bush which was growing out horizon
tally from q ledge. know 1t was q
barberry which took It, for / found
the hat there the next day.
How breathless and tired / was
But could not stop. The calf still
went on. hung more and more heav-
lily to the horn. We did not come
out anywhere, and did not know but
Phillis was just going round and
round.
But finally we began to ascend and
knew we must be leaving the pulk-
hole. The trees were fewer; II was q
great deal lighter, but 1t was evening
now. There was new moon In the
west, perhaps an hour high.
tried to look about me. but Phil
lis would not stop. ! could only take
a hurried glimpse and see that all was
open pasture land, but In the distance
/ could see no houses. by companion
now chose TO trot and /, perforce,
must keep up with her. After five
minutes trot began TO feel, after all
had undergone In the bog, that, even
if never found my way home, / mnst
let 20 the horn and sit down to get
my breath.
All at once Philiis stopped in the
middle Of q plot of grass and begun
leisurely to nibble It.
| was 30 afraid that she wonld sud-