Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-02-08
a WILD RIDE.
How james johnson Carried the Mail OF
the Back of a Bull,

How James johnson Carried the Mail on
the Back of Bull.
There is a prosperous merchant in a
western city who was in his younger
days mail carrier between Batesville
and Dry Fork in the hills of southwest
ern Kentucky. That was long before
the ''wah," and Batesville was then a
country town. The railroad that was
built north of the town after the war
gave the village it's death-blow, and
only few rotten, rickety buildings
mark the site of the once thriving town.
James Johnson is not the name of the
wealthy merchant, and it is chiefly for
that reason that the writer will call
him by that name. James was a bright
seven teen-year-old boy, the son of a
backswood Kentucky farmer. He had
a thrilling experience while he was
in the primitive mail service of that
time that he will remember to the
end of his days. He was riding along
late one afternoon upon the old gray
horse with only the heavy mail-sacl1
for saddle. They were slowly near
ing the village of Batesville, when far
across the fields in the door of modest
log farmhouse there futtered white
handkerchief. James saw it in mo-
ment. 1t was his blue-eyed sweetheart
waving to him. He drew his red ban
dana from his pocket and waved it
violently above his head Unfortu-
nately for James, young bull had
escaped from a pasture near by and was
IN the woods but a short distance away.
The bull saw the red rag, and true to
the nature of the beast he lowered his
head, and with a wild below gave
chase to the lone horseman.
The old gray horse discovered their
da>ger first and broke away up the
lane towards Batesville at full speed.
The old gray horse had in days gone
by been, in the language of the NJ
tives, ga little spry," but that was long
before. 1t was but short time until
the bull was close upon them. With
another below the enraged animal
lowered his head and struck the
horse from behind. The horse lunged
forward and the rider and the
mail sack slid back on the bulls neck.
The boy chung desperately to the long
hair on the bulls neck. The animal,
unaccustomed to the weight on his back,
broke away down the lane at break
neck speed. Faster and faster sped the
bull onward, but the little mail-carrier
chung bravely to his back The old
gray horse was left far behind The
long lane led to the main street of
Batesville, and down the street thun-
dered the bull to the utter amazement
of the natives.
Men yelled, women screamed, chill
dren shouted, dogs parked and pande-
monium reigned supreme.
The bull was perfectly wild and con-
tinued on and on in his wild race
When they reached the post Office the
mail slipped out from underneath the
rider and fell down upon the ground
before the astonished loungers at the
post office corner.
The bull turned the next corner
abruptly. throwing the mail-carrier far
ahead. The boy landed against the
stomach of an innocent fat man who
had run out to see what all the racket
was about.
The fat man was the most seriously
hurt, but he, too, became well in time.
While it is not part of this true mar
rative it may interest the reader to
know that the blue-eyed maiden who
waved her handkerchief at James John
ston late one afternoon long, long ago,
now presides over his elegant home in
a western city. They were married
many years ago.-Chicago Globe.
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