The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-04-10
House Wrappers.

A contingent promptly went out from
our front to meet them, Koor Ali leading
There was to be no play this time, no
circling and wheeling no retiring and ad
vancing for picturesque display. Lance TO
lance, body to body, the issue would be
decided, and the fittest would survive.
Abou Kuram bit his lip with anger at
being forced To remain in charge of a cow
ard in the rear and watched the momen.
tous events in which he could not partici-
pate.
The enemy's cavalry came on at n round
gallop, their pennons streaming, their faces
well forward on their horses necks. The
leader however, sat his great black horse
erect. and held his sword at what / believe
British dragons call the slope There was
something in his appearance that marked
him out from his fellows, and am free tc
confess that, with Amood Sims whining
in my ears, a thrill of surersttious awe
passed through me at the thought that b
might not be mortal
AS soon as the level plain was gained h
waved his sword quickly in the air, and tn
great black warhorse broke from the gal
lop TO the charge. We could see his fierce
leap and the responsive bound of those that
followed hard behind. Before half a dozen
our ears n resounding double peal of Tech.
bir, techOilV' for our men, too, were riding
at the charge, and even from our distance
We saw how every rider, setting himself "A
little forward. hugged his lance close un.
der his right arm. l watched the mutual
swoop with straining eyes and humping
heart, with cold tremors at the pit of the
stomach and hot whirl of the brain that
was as the madness of much wine. There
were fear and headlong audacity in the feel
ing-a fear that could easily have made me
turn and fly, an audacity that almost i'm
PEELED me To rush forward and share the
delirious ecstacy of that onset.
Nearer and nearer swept the opposing
columns, like two flights of ostriches,
darkening the sky with dust, the horses
skimming the ground as if fury lent them
wings, the riders alert with a tigersh i'm
tentness of purpose. No man could have
said which side sped the more furiously or
shouted the louder; None whether Koor Ali
or the man on the black horse led with the
more determined valor.
There is no resisting the magnetism OF a
desperate exploit enacted under your eyes,
and the main bodies paused fascinated by
the fearful spectacle. On both sides the
men drew in knee TO knee in order TO have
the greater driving and resisting power,
and Crouched lower upon their straining
horses. The last hundred yards we're COW
cred as it were at a bound, and then with a
cry Of vengeance from a Thousand nhroats.
q dazzling flash OF steel shock ~ OF
clashing thunderbolts, came the collision.
There was a vibrating sensation ne 81 an
earthquake, and a rumble of groanings and
cursings reached us as the fighters rolled
fnf b.tr In, la,s1 aQ xy
two swift sea currents meet.
My vision was suddenly blurred, and in
voluntarily my eyes closed. When ! opened
them, the combatants werc through each
other and wheeling for another charge. Up
went the fierce warcry again, and again
came a tremendous shock and tunult,
shattering the close packed lines. But re-
forming with prodgious Guickness they
dashed at each other again and yet again,
with an ever increasing heap of slain and
wounded weltering on the ground.
"By my fathers sword, IL Is TO be utter
anniblation" said Abou kuram, breath
ing thick and fast. They mean TO Kill
each other out"
But almost as he spoke the enemy, burst
ing once more through our lines, were across
the intervening space and headlong upon
our main body the man on the black horse
slashing and hcwing IN front I'm way that
fairly justified the tales of his satanic char
acter. Az the same time Yumen Yusel's
camelmcn, rending the air with yells.
rushed. lurching and swaying, To the aid of
the cavalry.
From that moment, so far as could see,
all order vanished. TheTe Is n theory that
in properly planned battles things 20 by
method and Encouragement. The idea Is
a pretty one for drawing room warriors.
but if there were the least truth In IL no
battle should ever be lost or won. There
would be no Marathon, no Thermopyln, no
Waterloo, no Alma,no Lucknow, to shed
luster and glory on the human race and
give an interest 60 desperate hazards. Take
my word for n that "A fight between two