The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-10-06

heifers, and MS they felt the sharp
goad in their tender flesh it occurred to |
them that being yoked up was not as
much fun as they had supposed.
All Mt once there was tossing Of
hornless heads, u low below, a backing
and fidgeting, an angry switching Of
tails and then the heifers started off on
q swift run, frightened and ungovern-
able
Bruce and Jerry looked into each
others faces with fear and astonish-
ment The old cart jerked and bumped
over the ground, and faster and faster
ran the unruly heifers,
The course was across the unfenced
meadow field toward the corn, In less
than minute the calves were going at
a reckless pace, believing madly at
every jump, their heels and tails flying
in the air. s..Ms
Whoa, Nancy! Whoa, Bell" yelled
Bruce, desperately OF course the COM
mand served only TO frighten the ami
mails the more The cart wss in danger
OF being turned over and wrecked at any
instant Any sudden turn of the rum
away team would upset it, and the boys
might be crippled or killed
For the little cripple the situation was
especially serious A fall meant to him
a terrible INJURY perhaps He chung to
the seat with all his strength, his face
white us wool. That other awful acci-
dent which had injured and panied him
80 was still strong in his memory, and
it increased his fear tenfold.
We've got to jump" Bruce declared,
regaining somewhat his presence Of
mind He sprang to his feet. 81 can do
it all right but you, Jerry-let me-
Just what assistance he meant to lend
Jerry did not appear for ut that mo-
ment there was sudden lurch Of the
vehicle, and Bruce went flying into the
air He turned Il somersault and hit the
ground with violent shock
When he caught his breath and sat up
he saw the heifers dashing along by the
corn with Jerry still clinging to the
seat,
Truly the little cripple was in most
perilous position.
He did not dare to jump for fear the
strain on his back would kill him. The
fall-oh, he could never stand the fall
To suffer again that way-to know that
horrible pain for weeks and weeks, to
lie in one position day and night and
endure again that awful anguish-the
very thought Of it blanched his delicate
face and sent thrill Of dread and ter
ror to his heart,
The mad heifers did not halt nor
slacken their speed But presently they
, gave sharp turn and plunged into the
, corn
4 The sudden movement overturned the
wagon and Jerry was sent tumbling
, from his seat to the ground.
: He fell heavily and lay quite still
/ The overturning of the wagon threw
one Of the calves on its side, where it
' was pinned down by the tongue, and this
! performance brought an end to the run
away
n Bruce reached Jerry's side hatless and
r breathless, and his heart almost stopped
beating as he bent anxiously above the
white, inanimate figure of his brother
d "Oh, Jerryw he cried "0h, Jerry
d are you hurt? Oh, it's awful I'm afeard
he's killed! Oh, Jerry open your eyes
4 open your eyes, Jerry"
= Bruce was almost frantic. In few
I moments Jerry opened his eyes, other
" wise he did not move.
:. Are you hurt much, Jerry?" Bruce
asked again and again, Finally Jerry
IS answered;
d 81 reckon not.
:, Then Il strange thing happened. Jerry
o got up on his feet and stood straight---as
v straight MS he used to stand before h,
II was thrown from the horse straigh
}. like Brucel
The fall, instead Of injuring him anew
d had done a wonderful thing for him. |
y had somehow strained the cords of hi
D. back, or jerked them into their norma
position, and he was cripple no longer
!" weak and faint but a cripple no longer
y Bruce carried him on his back to tn
house, where he put him upon the bed
d and then went to the relief Of the calves
st One of them had scrambled to he
is feet, and the other lay fiat on her sid
d under the cart tongue, Both were ono
IN more in very meek mood, and Bruc
had little difficulty in releasing then
and leading them back to the COW pen.
le When their parents came home the,
a were told all about the dreadful event o
is the day, which, strangely enough, ha,
ly resulted happily instead Of fatally,
n, 80 you thought it would be goo
joke to break the heifers while your p