The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1888-08-30

have already salu. Inc tnou3h' s''"0A
me, too, that to run, or even to turn
my back upon them, might incito and
draw this curious, living avalanche
headlong upon me. Therefore stepped
backward as quickly as / could, still
facing the oncoming multitude.
Tho leaders of the advancing herd
werc NO moro than two or three hundred
yards in front of me, and I had retreat.
cd soma fifty yards. stepping quickly
backward, whom the foremost of my
pursuers quickened their pace into .
slow trot, an example followed by those
behind, till, like wave, movement
had communicated itself to those
furthest in the rear.
And now the trot, which had bcen
gradually quickening, broke into an
awkard gallop, and tho whole herd
charged down upon me.
For a moments saw the semi
circle of converglng colums, saw the
long horns sweeping the ground, like
march reeds before November gale,
saw the plunging shoulders and hcav-
ing backs surging through the clouds
of white dust which rolled up before
thcm--I gave myself up for doomed
man. Then, abandoning all further
effort at caution, I 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 tho air, sounded
like the roar of an advancing tornado.
Gun and gamo were too much to carry
in race whore so much was at stake.
I dropped them both as sped onward.
The ground was as level as a floor;
and flew over it, taking the stunted
sage bushes in my stride, till reached
tho arrayo. Then over the bank, and
down, at one flying leap, I went; and
now, noticing, to my right, detached
mass of rocks, piled up in pyramidal
form, l turned sharply, gained them,
and, clambering upward, stood in q
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 tho brink of the ar
royo and then, as the hundreds in thu
rear pressed forward, saw the from
ranks, by the dozen, pushed off int
the gully, slipping, sliding, plunging,
one after another, till the ravino seemed
half filed with them and tho white
dust rose like mist from tho pit of
vast cataract.
All around that little crag upon which
I half sat, half lay, like an exhausted
swimmer just escaped from hungr!
sea, heavcd and billowed the tempes
tuous bovine maelstrom with
IA roar
Like Ocean on its wintry Shore"
their white horns flashing like the foam
on the breakers. Tho sight Of me
perched up there, seemed to maddel
them. The foremost, impelled by th
weight of the swaying thousands be
hind, were forced close against tn
rocks, while those in tho rear gore'
viciously with their horns at those i
front. Everywhere about me was tu
multuous throng Of clashing horns, toss
ing heads and wrilhing bodies, seen fit
fully through clouds of dust.
I was safe for the time being, and j
no great physical discomfort; yet
could but wonder what the outcome G
it all would be, or how I should ult
matoly escape.
But suddenly, above the dull roar
the surging, believing throng, l hear
the sound of yelling voices down th
arroyo. The cowboys were coming
and in a 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, while the
whoopcd in true cowboy polyglot:
"Hi! hi" "Vacal vaca!' 'Wh,
9 hawr "Git!" 'vamos pi-a.a-a" .B
r-r-rp ''Sec-a ahl See-ahl' ''Glau
therel' ''Hoop-la-a-a-ap
. At the sound of the voices and I'll
; cracking whips, and at the sight Of IL
q charging vaqueros, the cattle on Il
outskirts of tho crowding herd becau
panic-stricken, turned and scampere
: up the arrayo, or climbed the shelvir
banks and dashed away across the va
ley.
The fright soon communicated itse
to the rest; and in few moments q
this thronging mob of stock had melte
: away and were coursing off in all dire
. tions across the plain-forming what
:" known in cattle parlance as "blazir
~ star"
. The siege being thus raised, d
scended from my little natural citad
: aud looked up my gun, which had be-
u fairly trampled into the earth and h,
i both cocks broken short off. My bun
'e of game had Jared still worse; an
u rather ingloriously, / mounted behil
le Charlie and rode down to the CORA
N fully resolved to follow his advice,
though, as he put it, it had strol
s. flavor of an Irish bull.
N Said he: "The next time you 60 0
'r shooting here afoot, you'd better ha
oi n hoss under ye,"-l Youths Compa