Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1891-12-31

went on toiling, day after day, week
after week, two good years over that
miserable mine. Nothing came Of it. /
was growing poorer with every ton we
dug, poorer with every pound we crush
ed. In few months more should have
spent my last dollar and have gone to
lay labor. | saw, of course, that some
thing must be done. What, did not
know | was in that state when one
needs an influence without himself to
take him by the hand gently, by the
shoulder forcibly, by the hair roughly,
or even by the nose insultingly, and drag
him off into new region.
The influence came Bad news reach
I'd me. My only sister, a widow, my
only near relative, died, leaving two
young children to my care. 1t was
strange how this sorrow made the an
noyance and WEAKNESS of my life naugntl
How this responsibility cheered mel My
4 life seemed no longer lonely and pur-
poseless. Point was given to all my in
tentionsa at once | must return home to
New York. Further plans when | am
therel But now for homel If any one
wanted my quartz mine he might have
it. | could not pack it in my saddle
bags to present to college cabinet of
mineralogy.
| determined, as time did not abso-
lutely press, to ride home across the
plains 1t is a grand journey. Two
thousand miles or so on horseback.
Mountains, deserts, prairies, rivers, Nor
mons, Indians, buffalo-adventures with
out number in prospect. A hearty cam
paign and no carpet knighthood about it.
It was late August. I began my prep
arations at once.
1t happened that on a journey early
in the same summer, some twenty miles
from my mine, had come upon a band
Of horses feeding on the prairie. They
cantered off as | went riding down the
/ yellow slope, and then, halting just out
of lasso reach, stopped to reconnoiter me.
One horse, however, among them, had
more courage, or more curiosity, or more
faith. He withdrew from the gregarious
commonalty-the naughty aristocrat!-
and approached me, circling about as if
he felt certain centripetal influence
as if he knew himself higher being
than his mustang comrades-nearer to
man and willing to offer him his friend
hip He and divided the attention Of
The herd. He seemed to be, not their
leader, but rather one who disdained
leadership. Facile princeps He was
too far above the noblest of the herd to
care for their unexciting society.
Islipped quietly down from my little
Mexican caballo, and, lettering him to
bush with the lariat, stood watching
the splendid motions of this free steed Of
the prairie.
He was an American horse-so they
distinguish in California one brought
from the old states-a superb young
stallion, perfectly black, without mark
1t was magnificent to see him as he cir
cled about me, fire in his eye. pride in
his nostrils tail flying like banner,
power and grace from tip to tip No
one would ever mount him or ride him,
unless It was his royal pleasure He was
conscious of his representative position,
and showed his PAGES handsomely. 1t is
the business of all beautiful things to ex-
hibit
Imagine the scene A little hollow in
the prairie, forming perfect amphithe-
ater; the yellow grass and wild oats
grazed short; herd of horses staring
from the slope, myself standing in the
middle, like the ringmaster in a circus,
and this wonderful horse performing at
his own free will He trotted powerful
iy, he galloped gracefully, he thundered
at full speed, he lifted his fore legs to
Welcome, he flung out his hind legs to
iepel, he leaped as if he were springing
over bayonets, he pranced and curyeted
as if he were the pretty plaything of a
girl; finally, when he had amused him
self and delighted me sufficiently, he
trotted up and snuffed about me, just
out Of reach.