The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-04-03

had made no appreciable change in the
aspect of Upper Virginia, he thought.
The soil was as good-witness the crop
of weeds-the system of cultivation as
inadequate, and the general look of
things as peacefully thriftless as ever.
Had he been gifted with eyes IN the
back of his head and focus through
the opposite window his opinion would
have been fully borne out by the dilapi-
dation Of the buildings near the station,
the stretch of broomsedge and sassafras
covered Land around, and the joyous i'm
providence of a couple of negro boys
who, with apples to sell and trainful
of possible customers at hand, suffered
themselves to be seduced into inatten-
ton to business by a dog fight.
Declared from this additional evil
dence, there was still enough within the
sick mans range of vision to produce
feeling of Encouragement which, In
well man, fresh from different con-
ditions, might have developed into ex-
ASPIRATION.
Even the roads are as bad as ever"
ne unused, glancing along the track
which led across the low grounds to the
broad opening ON the willow fringed
bank of the river.
In an instant his attention was ar
rested by boat nearing the bank-a
long, unwieldy, fat bottomed affair,
presumably the ferryboat- and
propelled by couple of negroes with
long poles In the end of the boat near
est the shore sat a man on horseback.
His reins were gathered up, his body
bent slightly forward, and his knees
clanped the sides of his horse. Even
from distance there was an alertness,
an eager precipitation, perceptible in his
air and attitude.
THAT fellow wants to make the train,
quoth the passenger occupying the seat
just behind Dr. Royal He can't.
though-without wings. They must be
about tough watering. Great Scott!
what a jump! Standing jump, too.
I'll bet hat that's a fox hunter"
He'll get left"
''No, he WON'T"
'.Here be comes-pelting!"
''There goes the engine-confound it,"
the car, and every neck was craned for
better view.
As the boat neared the bank the horse
man had lifted his steed, touched him
with the whip, and cleared the remain
ing feet of water at bound. The horse
staggered and slipped, his hind legs
splashing into the water, but recovered
himself with the vigor and address of an
animal used to rough scrambling, and,
laying back his ears and stretching his
limbs, raced forward toward the sta
ton and the train. Excitement thrilled
through the car. All the windows on the
side next the river were open, and heads
were thrust out with the faces set in one
direction. Examinations, conjectures,
contradictions and offers of bets passed
freely; the passengers on the eventless
side stood in the aisle and bent forward,
striving TO peer over the shoulders of
their more fortunate companions. Fifty
yards-thirty-fif more effort,
and he would make it, In their eager
ness the men hung far out of the win
dows and prepared to.cheer.
The engine was getting up steam
vibrating and twitchiSg; the conductor,
unwilling of the excitement, waved his
hand to the engineer; the cars were in
motion-he had been left behind. ne had
missed it, after all!
By no means. There he stood on the
rear platform, swaying with the motion
of the train and gazing back TO where
his horse stood, like statue, in the mid
die of the track. How had he managed
it? Everybody questioned everybody
else, and man who stood with his face
fattened against the glass of the end
door supplied the information that it had
been "a regular circus
AS the train moved the horse had
bounded on the track close behind it,
the rider had thrown himself from the
saddle, caught the handrail, and, with
a swerve and spring worthy of his quad
rumanous ancestors, had landed himself
on the step of the platform. 1t had been
a reckless thing to. do, rash and fool
hardy; but the success Of the feat ap-
peared TO modify its risk in the minds of
the spectators and leave room for moth
ing but admiration of its agility. That
is, everybody applauded except the in
quisitive lady whose imagination had
been set working along accident lines
earlier in the day, who observed with
asperity that '.men might consider that
sort of thing fine and spirited, but it was
not. 1t was idiotic foolishness, and its
legitimate reward should be cell and
straight jacket"
The horse, satisfied with his inspec-
ton of the retreaHng train, whinnied
loudly, kicked up his heels as one who
exults in past proves, and trotted down
the embankment toward the stalk field,
oblivious alike of duty and the alluring
calls and whistles of the negro advanc-
ing toward him from the ferry. The
train rounded bend, and the gentle
man on the platform turned and tried
the handle Of the car door. It was
locked, as the passengers had discovered
to their annoyance quite early IN the ac-
ton, and by the time the conductor
came along and opened it matters had
relapsed into a normal condition In the
car, and the newcomer was allowed to
find himself seat without other COM
ment than curious glances.
He vx-oc n y,,1,ccr7Iar broad chor1 arad