Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1890-07-24
GALENA GEORGES HORSE

hills. several miles from his nearest
neighbor, reached home about dusk
from an extended prospecting tour
worn out and sick. He removed the
saddle and bride from his horse and
turned him loose to Craze, and, entering
his cabin, threw himself upon his cot
and awoke late in the night with a rag
ing fever.
Morning came, and he was unable to
leave his bed. His horse could be
heard near by. evidently waiting for his
coming.
All day long the animal remained
within hearing. and during the hours oil
the second night could be heard moving
about reckless, as though conscious that
some misfortune had befallen his mas
ter.
Daylight appeared, and the sick man
made TN effort to speak. The horse,
hearing the voice, went to the door of
the cabin, and, pushing it open, thrust
his head into the sick man S presence,
ut the same time giving low whinny,
to which there was no response save a
moan of distress.
For moment or two the horse seem.
ed bewlldered, then quickly withdrew,
and in few moments galloped rapidly
away.
The nearest ncigkbor was ranch
man whose home was on the river about
six miles distant. Once in awhile this
ncighbor rode over to the miners camp
for a short visit but these trips were
irregular.
The ranchman had finished his
breakfast and was just coming out OF
his house, when his attention was
attracted to horse coming down the
mountain road at IL gallop.
The horse did not slacken his speed
until he reached the inclosurc, year the
house. lie Was lleckcd with foam,
showing that he had come from dis
lance aud at unusual speed.
The ranchman, knowing the horse,
spoke to him gently, which the animal
acknowledged by u loud whinny, at the
same time running up and down the
road by the corral. The ranchman APP
preached the horse, which would not
suffer itself to be captured, but ga!loped
off toward its home, stopping at a short
distance and looking back with evident
anxiety.
The ranchman returned to the corral,
when the horse again came down the
road and moved uneaslly about rs if
determined to attract attention, Whin-
nying and occasionally giving loud
snort, as though frightened.
Another attempt to capture the horse
which usually was very gentle crea-
ture, succeeded no better. The horse
ran up the road again, and called to the
man to follow by every dumb sign,
almost as plainly as though he was
possessed Of the power of speech.
These unusual proceedings so I'M
pressed the ranchman That he felt that
something was wrong. Could it be that
Galena George-as the miner and owner
OF the horse was calleu-had met with
some mishap? Maybe he had been
murdered in his lonely cabin, or had
accidentally fallen into the shaft Of his
mine.
The strange conduct of the horse in
Dictated something unusual, and the
ranchman called one Of his assistants.
The mer quickly saddlcl two Of the
best horses Oh the place, and taking
their revolvers to guard against danger
and providing some medicines and
stimulants, rode rapidly away IN the
direction of Galena Georges house.
Georges horse, seeing this movement,
manifested great pleasure, and started
on gallop toward home. The horse
men followed at lively pace, but the
free horse kept we'll to the front, now
and then looking back as if to be sure
that the chase had not been abandoned.
In about 10 minutes from the time of
starting, the men reached the cabin.
They dismounted, and entering found
George upon his couch, apparently
dead. At the door stood the faithful
horse, patiently waiting. The sad sight
was so touching us to force tears to the
eyes Of the men.
One OF the men set about prepare
lions for the relief of the sick man, the
other remounted his horse and galloped
away for a physician, the nearest Of
whom lived some twenty miles away.
Before SHUTDOWN Of that day the doc
tor reached the miners cabin. Within
n fortnight he was able to walk about.
When told Of the remark able conduct
of his horse he wcpt like a child. He