The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1892-07-30

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Hsr Horss 4.
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Aimest sIirsea la - o., q o
Drawsradss a.sl vvosass. NJ,
Many years eco I w. 81 eya,v,tns ss
10 an accident which hefdll the emnress
u Austria, and which was 90 terrible
that her escare from death seems TO me
even now 3 miracle.
Elizabeth Of Austria, az she liked 10
| call herself, was at that time not only
the most daring but also the best rider
in the world. No man or woman ever
knew better how to take an obstacle
AaA this most charming Of ali cro.j,;ts2z;;iF
women> Though her majesty wkE ihan
,---a'dmother, on horseback
she could give odds to 49,. best Hun
garian and English riders. The party.
at the event of which / am writing con-
sisted of the empress and large num-
Der of Austrian and foreign gentlemen
riders, who seemed to have gathered to-
gether from all parts Of Europe. Most
of them were known as prominent
horsemen. This was not surprising con-
sidering that the empress would never
take the field in company Of poor riders.
On this occasion the empress rode q
very spirited young horse, which she
had obtained in Lancashire when on a
visit to England, and to the training of
which she had personally attended for
nearly Q year. Everything went we'll
after the start until we crossed high
way leading to a small Hungarian
country town q short distance of. Pass.
ing q white painted milestone the en-
press horse SHE'D, and suddenly be.
coming uncomfortable It dashed down
the road in the direction Of the town
From appearance IL WIS evident that
the animal had succeeded III taking the
bit between his teeth and that no earth
" power could stop it on tts haad run
away,
Although we all followed the empress,
none 81 US seemed to gain upon her.
Flying We passed through the little
town, mach to the amazement and the
terror Of the few people In the streets.
"A short distance beyond the town was
shipping canal, srd to our horror we
saw that the drawbTidge spanning the
canal was open 50 as to permit the pas
sage OF some boat. In q moment we
realized that the empress was running
straight into the jaws Of certain death.
Faster and faster we went on in pur-
suit, but faster and faster also seemed
the empress horse to fly. Now it had
reached the open bridge. Would It
stops Before wo had time to think we
saw the animal .sh up the incline Of
the open bridge like u flash OF lightning.
For q moment We could not but close
our eyes and u shudder convu1sed every
man in the cavSlcade.y It was q, terrible
moment--s moment during which fear
and horror alternately kept Us merci-.
lessly in their pangs.. When we opened
our eyes again. still riding as fast as our
horses could go. the fair rider and her
runaway had disappeared. fi'' a
We hsd no doubt that the Inevitable
had happened and that Elizabeth of
Austria was drowned in the alow and
turbid WateTs Of the canal
fTha idea was q terrible one. My pen
L. too weak to describe the confusion
among ns and the agony Of suspense
that followed and seemed to make each
rider CULVER in his saddle. Almost I'M!
consciously we had stopped our horses
just before reaching the incline to the
open draw. AZ a matter Of fact our ex-
element was 80 great that we did not
even notice that one Of our number,
Count Szepany. If remember well, was
also missing All our faculties natural
ly had followed the empress only.
There we were, hating before that
terrible bridge like a pack Of towards.
with nobody among Us plucky enough
to ride into death with an empress.
A few seconds later the inclines of the
bridge were lowered again. but nobody
OF our company seemed to even attempt
to pass it.
From the pangs Of fear and horror we
had passed into those of amazement.
Several hundred yards beyond the bridge
we beheld riding toward as q lady on a
foaming steed. It was the empress. and
at her side the only gallant man of the
crowd. Count Szepany. Her majesty
firmly sat her horse. and appeared as
cool and collected as if nothing had hap
pened.
Smilingly did she make fun of us and
our anxiety. Her fine raillery was just
as much justified as it was inoffensive
when she saw the pitiable figure we cut
in her exalted presence.
The empress horse was very lame.
and closer examination showed that 1t
had dislocated it's right hind tetlock. In
jumping the open draw between the
wings OF the bridge the hind feet of the
empress horse had caught one of the
iron rails at the edge and torn of one Of