Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1894-12-05
.ushed close behind Mary's mare.

rushed close behind Mary's mare.
The mare reared madly, and with
that peculiar up-thrown head, which
indicates fright, sprang off, and in
two seconds was tearing down the
steep hill. Mary was a good horse
woman, and had kept her seat,
though the animal was evidently
beyond her control. Of course, my
first impulse was to swing myself
into the saddle and start in pursuit.
Graylock stood firm as the mountain
| named him after, until he felt me
in the saddle, and then, at my first
word, was off like thunderbolt. /
hardly heard the terrified exclama-
tions from the carriage, or saw the
almost unmanageable bays as we
dashed past.
The hill dropped sharply down
before me, and Mary was out of
sight around the turn of the road.
knew that horse blind with fright
was a dangerous one to ride down
hill, and trembled lest the mare
should fall and dash her rider to
the earth. Mary, however, proved
equal to the occasion, and had guided
the mare sufficiently to keep in the
road. l could hear the ring Of the
hoofs in advance, and the stones
were still rolling down a gully at
the roadside as | swept round the
curve and saw the mare and her
rider hundred and fifty yards
ahead, going like the wind.
gave Graylock his head, and his
ears pricked forward, he went like an
avalanche down the steep, stony
road. Fast as he went, fear lent
speed to the mare, and all the way
down the hill she gained on us. |
drew my breath freer as l saw the
straight turnpike, and felt Graylock
swing out confidently into that tire
less gallop which / knew so we'll.
We now had our work fairly be-
fore us, and | soon perceived that
the distance between Mary and me
was slowly decreasing. Mary kept
her seat firmly and managed to guide
the mare in the middle of the road,
and knowing the nature Of the an
imal under me, / felt sure that the
result was only a question of time.
How we did 90! Trees and houses
few dimly by us. The inhabitants
of wayside farmhouses heard the
noise, and hardly had time to ex-
claim and run to the windows, be-
fore the mare was out of sight,
and the thunder of Graylock's hoofs
was passing, gone. Vehicles which
we met were decretely turned aside
to let us pass. One man, with hat
in hand and arms extended, tried to
frighten the mare into stopping,
but she hurled him senseless to the
roadside, taking no notice. Alittle
further on brave young fellow at
tempted to seize the relns, but failed,
narrowly escapinginjury. Present.
ly we came to a slight depression,
where brook crossed the road
The gully was spanned by wooden
bridge. As ! reached the top Of the
slope, saw a gang Of men at work
repairing the bridge.
They had laid some boards Oh the
string-pieces to accommodate pass
ing teams. The men scattered like
a covey Of quail before the mare,
whose rebounding hoofs sent the
loose boards flying from their places,
and left them in all sorts Of confu-
sion.
For a moment / hesitated, but
fortunately did not tighten my reins.
l knew that if anything could make
a horse distrustful, loose timber
over black water would do it.
Luckily for Mary and me, in the
excitement of the moment, / right
ly trusted to my horse. All l heard
was a smothered cry of horror from
the workmen, and then Graylock
brought his huge hams well under
him, and took the fifteen feet of
chasm in flying leap, and away
we went up the opposite slope fast
er than ever.
All this while ] had been gaining
steadily, and by the time the COW