The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-03-26
a STAMPEDE.
How Polly Checked Mad Steers with
Her Little Umbrella.

hastily up to where Polly Danvers sat
watching the restless cattle. There's
going to be a stampede sure, and you'll
be in danger. Ride back to the ranch as
fast as you can go, won't you? Give the
word there. III need help with thist'
The cowboy dashed away again as fast
rs possible, and Polly prepared to obey,
but not so promptly as her trusty friend
expected. Just for Il moment she could
not leave the fascination of that expected
stampede. 1t would be delightful to see
the whole performance, for it babe fair
to be the most interesting thing that had
happened aiisce the beginning Of her visit
to her fathers great cattle ranch on the
plains.
But she must go. She had promised
her father, when he reluctantly gave his
consent to this her first visit to the herd,
that she would do exactly what Dick
Mayhem said.
Well, at least she would have tho wild
delight of a free gallop across the prai-
RE alone. There wal rapture in that for
a girl whose ifteen years had all been
spent In an eastern city. She had learned
to ride like an Indian since coming out
here and had become almost as fearless
and self reliant as the cowboys.
sDick will need help, sure enough
said Polly, looking after the cowboy. 'If
it only weren't for that promise to father
I'd stay and help him myself. | would,
indeed.'
Her blood danced at the thought, but
with much firmness she put it to side
and prepared 70 depart. She made sure
that her equipments were all right, even
to the umbrella her thoughtful father had
slung to the saddle in case of sudden ne
cessity, and reluctantly gave her horse
the long delayed signal to go.
The animal obeyed the signal and went;
but the manner of his going took his rid
er's breath away. The horse had grown
old in the cattle business, and it now be-
came evident that his interest in that
business amounted to enthusiasm.
Under protest he had stood tolerably
still until now, Notwithstanding things
were going on which demanded his ac-
tive attention. But when he was re-
quired to turn and gallop away from a
stampeding herd of cattle, he simply re-
fused to obey such a preposterous COM
mand. So, instead of going in the direc-
ton suggested to him, he boited and
dashed after Dick Mayhcw in fine style.
Polly had her wish in spite Of herself,
but she felt more dismay than exultasion
in the fact. This was a very different
thing from sitting at a safe distance and
wishing she could join in the chase. But
she had no time for vain regrets now.
The terrible predicament into which she
was forced demanded all her thoughts
and would require all her courage and
self possession.
1t was a terrible predicament, indeed,
and if she managed to keep her seat in
the saddle and to keep safely out of the
way OF all those tossing horns and thun-
dering hoofs. she would have something
to be thankful for SO long as she might
live.
The crisis had developed with wonder
full rapidity. When Dicks warning was
given the herd had been restless and I'M
rulv; when Polly's horse bolted with her
he raced after a great crowd of panic
stricken creatures sweeping like a tor
nado across the plain. The stampede had
fairly begun. And, as is always the cast
in cattle stampedes, there was no appar-
ent reason whatever for the commotion.
If Polly could have remained quietly
in her original position and watched the
affair at leisure, she would have enjoyed
such an exhibition as she had never
dreamed of. All the cattle of the great
herd had become solidly massed together
and were rushing at headlong speed over
the level ground.
From a distance a great dark stream
would have been seen pouring onward
with the swift undulations Of a rapid
river. From the nearer point of view
that Polly was forced to accept. more de-
tails We're visible, and some of them were
not pleasant to look upon.
Everywhere throughout the mass ter
rible white horns tossed and rippled like
the froth of the angry current. Here
and there, as one head after another was
reared upward, the red CLEAN Of mad
dened eyes was visible. Tongues that
dripped with foam began to appear.
If a beast was crowded from it's feet it
never knew what it was to take another
step. III an instant it was oyerthrown,
trampled upon by hundreds of hoofs and
left dead upon the ground.
And the noise Of the living torrent
was fearful. The thunder of the galIop-
ing hoofs sounded necessarily; there was
a perpetual roar from the believing
throats; the rattling clash Of horns us
the tossing heads struck together was
like the beating of hail and the painting
/ of the hurrying brutes sounded like the
rush of wind.
And close upon the edge OF this horned
army-so close it seemed sometimes that
a pair Of waving horns must catch IN
her habit skirt--the frightened city girl
was being hurled along by her unman-
ageable horse.
But though frightened now in good
earnest Polly kept her wits about her.
With one hand she held her flying skirt
away from those threatening horns and
the steady firmncss Of her hold on the
bride kept the horse from c%rowding into
actual contact with the outside cattle.
1t was a fearful race. None of the
maddened creatures paid the slightest
attention to horse or rider. But the stu
alton was bad enough without that. AT
any moment her horse might dash into