The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1889-05-03

his feet. On through the rain, the
darkness Of the dismal forest, with
outstretched neck, quivering nos
trils, limbs trembling with fear.
Out Of the woods into the open
road again, and Paul drew sigh of
relief. Before him were the twink
ling lights of village. Up the
hill he came and down the long,
narrow street, The iron boots strik-
ing fire from the stony pavement.
The shop windows looked like
patches of light in the darkness,
and he could see the clerks run TO
the door to see who the mad rider
was.
AS he left the village behind
and traiIed out into the country
again, Paul heard the town clock
slowly Ginning seven. He had
ridden ten miles in The last halt
hour.
Sill the mad pace was kept up
as the horse flew by fields OF corn,
through low pasture lands and by
farm houses, perched on rocky
hills, over rustic bridges that
creaked beneath the beating hOofs,
up muddy hills and down in low
valleys through ankle-deep water
that splashed horse and rider from
head TO foot.
He must have been riding at
least half an hour longer, when al
turn of a road Paul caught sight OF
man on horseback.
Ii was the picket of the Union
cavalrymen, who were resting and
eating supper in a small cabin a
few feet from The roadside.
"Halt p cried the soldier, as Paul
came galloping up. But lhe horse
and rider dashed by without heed
ing the command. The picket
raised his pistol, there was a crack,
and bullet whizzed BY the boys
ear.
The soldier started IN pursuit
and the rest of the men ran TO
their horses and darted away after
him. Paul heard them coming,
heard the heavy splash OF their
galloping horses on the muddy
road. But the pursuerS were soon
left behind, and Paul sped on alone
through the night.
just as he crossed the railroad
track he heard the heavy rumbllng
of the approaching express, and
the bright headlight burst in view
around the curve. With bound
the horse cleared the track and
sped onward.
1t was five minutes OF eight,
Paul knew, for at that hour the
train was due. In a few minutes
more he was at the station, which
was eighteen miles from home.
As he left behind him the long
line of light from the car windows
the horse began to slacken his pace,
and the rider could hear the heavy
breathing that was the first sign OF
exhaustion. He galloped still, but
ii was in a labored way, and Paul
could see that his strength would
would not last much longer, so he
pulled in the reins a little. The
horse relapsed into a swinging trot,
and Paul sat upright in the saddle.
The storm was now past ana he
/ dark clouds drifted by rapidly be-
fore the rising wind, leaving the
drenched landscape flood with sill
very moonlight. Paul could see
the corn lying PROSTATE in the
flooded fields, the meadows CLEAN
ing in the watery light, with the
overfowIng brooks that washed
over them, and now and then a
fallen tree or an overturned fence.
The horses trot grew slower and
slower. Paul could feel the trem-
bling limbs totter as they staggered
onward. The heavy breathing
grew shorter and quicker, the
smoking flanks were covered with
foam, and from the distended nos
trils trickled a Tiny stream Of
blood.
One mile, two miles, they crept
on. The trOt relapsed into a walk
The walk into a stagger Then
with a loud hali-neigh, halt groan
the exhausted amin al fell TO thu
ground dead.
Paul sprang off the hnrse rolled
over aud set out down the road a
arun. Up and down hill, splash
ing through streams, he hurried
with but one thought in his mind
to deliver the dispatches in time
For more than a mile he ran, bu
his exeitiOns began to tell on hin
and hls legs began to weary. One
he slipped and fell, then sat for
moment breathless, bu. he sprani
up and hastened forward.
His strength was beginning L
. fail him when before him he saw
. light twinkling in a farm house
, With the energy of desperation b
ran forward aud opening lhe doc
| fell PROSTATE in the room.
A woman who was knitting nea
a crib screamed at the sight of III
: boy drenched to the skin, spatteI
ed with mud aud sprinkled wit
: blood, lying on the floor, but sol
dIrr IN the uniform Of a ConiedeT
3 ate Colonel sprang up from th
chair in which he sat smoking, an
lifting up the helpless form, laid
r tenderly on sofa.
? aOh, sir" gasped Paul, jerkin
: the dispatches from his p0cke'
: stake these, take these quick {
/, Col Raynor. HIS courier was kil
Z ed and IL brought lhem.T
r,f Rawnnr for "a rpaz ho- onoI