The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-02-01

finger, like infants, or by head aud |
tail, like the school-boysi Both ways
were impractiosble. Our hands i'm
prudently stretched out over the heads
of our frightened horses, might cause
them to give fatal start. Should we
toss up piece of coin, the night was
too dark to distinguish which side fell
upwards. The colonel bethought him
of an expedient, of which / never
should have dreamed.
"Listen TO me, captain" said the
colonel, to whom l had communicated
my perplexiiies; 81 have another way.
The terror which our horses feel
makes them draw every moment a
burning breath. Thr first of US two
whose horse shall neigh"
"Wins!" hastily exclaimed.
mot so--shsll be the loser. know
that you are countrymau, and such
as you can do whatever you please
with your horse. As TO myself, who
but last year wore the gown of theo-
logical student, ! fear your equestrian
prowess. You may be able to make
your horse neigh to hinder him from
doing go is very different matter"
We waited in deep and anxious 81
lence until the voice of one of our
horses should break forth. This 81
lence lasted for minute-for an age!
1t was my horse who neighed the first.
The colonel gave no external manifes-
tation of his Joy, but no doubt he
thanked God to the very bottom of his
soul.
"You will allow me minute to
make my peace with Heaven?' said
to the colonel, with failing voice.
"Will five minutes be sufficient"
at will" l replied. The colonel
drew out his watch. l addressed to-
wards the heavens, brilliant with stars,
which thought l was looking up to
for the last time, an intense and a
burning prayer.
at is time," said the colonel.
answered nothing, and with inirm
hand gathered up the bride of my
horse, and drew it within my fingers,
which were agitated by a nervous tre-
NOR.
"Yet one moment more," said to
the colonel, ''tor l have need of my
GOODNESS to carry into execution the
fearful maneuvre which l am about
to commence"
"Granted," replied Garduno.
My education, as / have told you,
had been in the country. My child
hood, and part of my earliest youth
had almost been passed upon horse
back. l may say, without Aattering
myself, that if there was anyone in the
world capable of executing this eques.
trian feet, it was myself l rallied
myself with almost supernatural effort,
and succeeded in recovering my self
, possession in the very face of death.
Take it at the worst, had already
braved it too often to be any longer
| alarmed at it. From that instant, l
dared to hope afresh.
As soon as my horse felt, for the
first since my encounter with ihe col.
. onel, the bit COMPRISING his mouth, ]
l perceived that he trembled beneath
me. strengthened myself firmly Oh
b, my stirrups, to make the terrified ami
NAL understand that his master nc
} longer trembled. held him up with
+ the bride and the hams, as every good
I horseman does in dangerous passage
: and, with the bride, the body, and
3 the spur together, succeeded in back
] ing him few PAGES. His head was al
b. a greater distance from that of the
= horse of the colonel, who encouraged
n me with his voice. This done, l lie
+ the poor, trembling brute, who obeyet
J. me in spite of his terror, repose him
e self for few moments-and then re
J. commenced the same maneuvre. AL
g on sudden l felt his hind legs Civ,
! way under me. A horrible shudde
b ran through my whole frame. / clos
s ed my eyes as if about to roll to tn
IS bottom of the abyss, and gave to m,
g body violent impulse on the sid
e next the hacienda, the surface of whicl
q IF red not single projection, not
l single turf of weeds TO check my de
y scent. This sudden movement, joine,
n to the desperate struggles of my horse
it was the salvation of my life. He ha
sprung up again on his legs, whic
J. seemed ready to fall from unde' him
It so desperately did feel them trem
n BILE.
g. / had succeeded in reaching, be
tween the brink of the precipice an,
y the wall of the building, a spot som
i few inches broader A few NOR
would have enabled me to have turne
!" him round, but to attempt it her
J. would have been fatal, aud l dare,
!, not venture. sought to resume IN
e backward progress. step by step
d Twice the horse threw himself on hi
a hind legs and fell down upon the sam
re spot. 1t was in vain to urge him anew
y either with voice, bride or spur; tn
e animal obstinately refused to take
single step IN the rear. Nevertheless
N | did not feel my courage yet exhaust
u ed, for | had no desire to die. On
10 last and solitary chance OF safety sud
denly appeared to me like a flash O
ir light, and / resolved to employ il
l. Through the fastening of my boot, an
y in reach of my hand, was passed
sharp and keen knife, which | Dire,
10 from its sheath, With my left han
1t l began caressing the name of m
le horse, all the while letting him hea
II my voice. The poor animal replied t
r my caresses by plaintive neghine
o then, not to alarm him abruptly, m
hand followed by little and little tn
FL curve of his nervous neck. ard 6nall
5. rested upon the spot where the las
J. vertebre unites with the Uranium. Th
% horse trembled, but | calmed him wit
d my voice. When felt his very lif,
e 30 to speak, palpitate in his brain DC
1t meath my fingers, l leaned over towar
e the wall, my feet slipped from the stil
l. rups, and with one vigorous stroke
buried the pointed blad, OF my knit
Il in the seat of the vital principa
The animal fell as if thunderstrucI
# without a single motion; and for my
Q self, with my knees almost as high a
. nv chin. found myself on horsshac