San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-06-27

about through watering. Great Scott!
what a jump! Standing jump, too.
I'll bet hat that's fox hunter
He'll get leftr'
"No. he won'tr'
Here he comes-peltingr:
"There goes the engine-confound it,"
These AMI other comments flew about
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 a bound. The horse
staggered and slipped, his hind legs
splashfng 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. EXclamations, 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- 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 twitching; the conductor,
unwilling of the excitement, waved his
hand to the engineer; the cars were in
motion-he had been left behind! he 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 u statue, in the mid
die of the track. How had he managed
it? Everybody questioned everybody
else, and a man who stood with his face
flattened 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 APP
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 a
sti"l,ght jacket"
The horse, satisfied with his inspec-
ton of the retreating train, whinnied
loudly, kicked up his heels as one who
exults in past prowess, and trotted down
the embankment toward the stalk field,
oblivious alike of duty and the alluring
calls and whistles of the negro adyanc-
ing toward him from the ferry. The
train rounded a bend, and the gentle
man on the platform turned and tried
the handle of the car door. 1t was
locked, as the passengers had discovered
to their annoyance quite early in the &C
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 a seat without other com
ment than curious planceS
He was muscular, broad shouldered
man, with clean shaven face, blue
gray eyes, brown mustache and close
cut hair. His clothes were trim and set
to his figure, his linen was above re-
proach and his hat the regulation struct-
ure with which fashion had crowned the
male populace; but there was that about
him, whether in the capable look of the
hand and forearm, the alert glance and
decisive movements, or all taken to-
gether, which caused the beholder, in
voluntarily, to strip from him civilized
accessories, invest his sturdy frame with
flannel and corduroy, clap pistol in the
rear pocket Of his trousers, a horse be-
tween his knees, and set him on prai-
RE with a lariat ON the saddle peak,
storm growing along the horizon, and
$500 ---a--.--~ 80 $1,000 49,
an unruly bunch of cattle close at hand.
The mans whole atmosphere suggested
action and ability to cope with physical
forces.
The place he selected was directly be-
hind that occupied by DR.. Royal, and he
slipped out of his overcoat and threw it |
across the back of the seat with the gest-
ure of a man who considers the garment |
a superhuity. As he settled himself he |
oDened his window. letting n rush of |