The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1889-05-03

we crowded to the yet dying horse.
roughly pushed Hale aside. and.
{ eagerly sucked the ebbing life's
! blood. bcliovc TO this day that moth
| ing has ever tasted better in mg
! life. Our existence was prolonged
| now for ut least short period, ana
our lips mored in grateful prayer
a wild, maniacal shout from Hale at
/ tractcd my attention. Great heavens,
| The madnan was mounted on one Of
the horses and tearing away. lie was
glancing back and pointing ahead and
! screaming at the top Of his lungs
Water Water" One of us must
be left behind. One horse was dead
and three persons could not ride upon,
the two animals, who were now very
; weak. ! looked ia the direction OF
Hale, and. sure enough. what appeared
10 be water was soen in the distance I
! hastened to acqu0int my companions
of the joyful discovery. Hale kept
galloping madly on, looking neither
way but furiously lashinG his horse
steep precipicc loomcd before the
rider, but he needed it not and
spurrcd his exhausted animal
to stiu greater speed. The poor
horse attempted TO swcrve from.
its course and avoid the yawning
chasm. but Hale noticed nothing but
the fascinating dance Of water on the
horizon. They were now but few
rods from the prccipice. Still dhc
horse was spurrcd on. He neighcd
pitcously, plunged forward, and Just
at its brink stopped stock-still and the
rider flew over his head into the bot
tomless pit. To say that we were
| Mortified would DO putting il rather
mild. We hastened TO the scene OF the
catastrophe. The horse stood on the
! edge, trembling in terror from head to
foot. l carefully approached the brink
and peered into the black pit. Moth
! ing could be discerned; all WAS pitchv
! darkness. / seized u large rock and
| hurled it to the bottom. Presently |
| heard 4 faint sound-dcep, deep, down
| into the very bowels OF tho earth.
/ Poor Halo's death camo very easy.
| though terribly unexpected, and no
! human being could make that descent
without death ensuing halfway down.
With heavy hearts we once more
| saddled Our tired horses and followed
| the anuring lako. An hour passed.
| but it seemed as if we were Just rs far
| away as on the start. Another hour.
| another and another, and still the
waters kept dancing and glisteuiug in
| tho sunlight an apparently short Dis
tancc ahead. We continued the tedious
l trip, and happening to look up We dis
| covered TO our dismay that the sup
posed lake had entirely vanished. But
II more welcome sight greeted us. Not
| many miles to the east the city from
! which we started loomcd up. An,
something strange about this. We
| could sec the streets, familiar build
! ings, and even recognize men walking
! up and down-litcrally photographed
! before our startled vision. We Travelled
and Travelled, but 1t was impossible To
approach the town. Then, ~ il by
! magic, the whole scene disappeared
! from view. We were mystihcd beyond
! comprehension and unable to solve the
! problem Tho tired, faithful steeds
! refused to bulge an inch and lay down.
| and we rolled of and sank by their
| sides exhausted
The pangs of hunger knew no bounds.
so Iresolved to slay another horse. Igot
mp and to my horror tho animals had
strayed away, probably In search OF
fodder. My companions groancd
fccbly, but we were all too weak ~
follow them. Deaths awful presence.
WAS ROW almost felt and with n prayer
upon our lips we reclcd to the ground
and hoped that the grim destroyer
would soon come nnd relieve us.
Well, he did not come, or / would
never have written this sketch While
in comatose condition l was shaken
gently and friendly hands applied
cooling flask TO my heated lips. This
same Office was also administered TO
my suffering companions. Our good
samaritan, who proved to be "a farmer,
took us in his wagon and bundled US
off to his house, where we were closely
confined FOR two long weeks.
As | write | can not help thinking
OF poor Hale's manglcd remains re
posing in the depths of that awful
abyss. | afterward learned That our
course when lost on the prairie was
one continued circle. / tremble for
the uciIlcss traveller who follows =
prairie mirage. Il. Miller, in chi
cdQO Times.