Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1894-05-31

Of me and her raised both hands to
gether. that ! might see Just bow much
the left one was swollen. To my amaze
ment the right n was Jus. rs large as
the left, and not only that. there
seemed to be several D airs Of hands; in
fact the air was full OF them, and all
badly snake bitten II suddenly oc-
CURED to me that | was very drunk.
and at the same time realized that
I could not be badly poisoned or the
brandy would not have taken effect SO
soOn. Thinking the matter over for a
moment. I remembered how hard Il was
10 make a man drunk who had been
bitten BY a r~attlesnake. while had got
very drunk without the slightest di,-
aculty and In short order.
When II fully dawned on mv be-
numbed brain that I was no, bitten. I
gave one wild, Joyous whooP and then
broke out into a series Of Indian yells.
| lea ned forward. or rather fell. on my
horses neck and began TO laugh, and
reared in a drunken way until I was
almost exhausted. as the reaction from,
a. I supposed, almost immediate death
10 life on the Prairies. and horseback.
was almost too mu eh happiness for my
shattered nerve
| very = on got into an argument
with myself seemed TO be two fel-
lows The sober lIeuten ant was say
ing 70 the Lieutenant who was drunk
,omething to this effect; You are a
pretty fellow. you are; scared &c death
because pieees Of the stone broke of
Z r~N.z 80. 49, 3d.. -g-f.-s - - A..
ground. struck your hand. and made
the blood come. bu. you ought to be
CONCENTRATED for dice;'' and L
suppose you think you oug ht to have e
brcvet for this days work Pretty soon
you will fall OF your horse lose
your Ia ir."
As the effect Of the brandy began to
die out a feeling OF pathOs crept over
me I wanted to weep. and fels re-
ligious IL had had a friendly breast
on which 10 lay my head. I think l
could have sobbed with pleasure. But
my horse would allow no fooling of
that kind about his neck. consequently
I vas forced 10 sit up and did not
enjoy myself a. much As one who had
suffered 50 greatly ought 10 have done.
A few miles farther brought me close
to some ponds within sve or six miles
Of the post and I discovered there was
a small flock OF wild geese on them 1
thought perhaps was meas enough TO
my normal condition to get the better
of n goose. 50 | rode of TO the right
west Of the road. dismounted with
some difficulty and made my horse
fast 70 some volczuie rocks. but | had
not gone far towards the geese before
discovered that h. seemed very much
excited and was dAshing about from
side to side and ~straining harl at the
lariRt kn~w there was some unusual
cAus- FOR this. - I turaei about and
watched In a few minutes three or
four men On ponies. q half-mile away
10 the west. showed themselves for a
second and ghen disappeared The sur
face OF the ground between me and
these men was rough. and although
there was no timber. a party. with
care, could have approached me with
out attracting attention under ordi-
nary circumstances; but fortunately /
loOk-,i In their direction Just In time.
for. when the nature OF the ground
compelled them u show themselves
again. they were much nearer. and on
their thiri appearance were still
nearer. and evidently trying TO get be-
tween me and my horse.
waited for no further Developments
but returned to my impatient and
frightened horse a. rapidly a. possible.
I knew the men were either Nexicans
or Indians aud from their manner of
riding ! thought they were Indians. Il
~, | should be on hOrssback. as | could
then dght or run away. whichever
should prove 70 be best
I lost no time in uufasteniuy mt
horse aud putting mp the lariat and
making an attempt 10 mount For some
minutes Il was only an attempt for
Just a. soon a. | raised my foot - put
il in the stirrup he would I'VE n plunge
and try - be OF /. however. gath
cred the reins up short and tight in thu
left hand. aud A. the same time sra.ue,l
a portion of the name with the same
hand. threw my right hand (which
held the rifle and arm we'll over the
saddle, quickly placed my left foot IN
the stirrup, aud made q quick spring
and threw nv right leg over the cantle.
but failed to take an upright position.
As the horse gave . bound forward At
the same time | made the spring n
mount, which left me hanging on his
side like u monkey who WAS trying 70
dodge the whip of the ring-mastsr
on the other Side With me hanging in
this ungraeeful position nv horse went
laundering across the plain TO the east.
In the direction of the road. as IL Old
Nick was after him. and Il WAS q run
of nearly 4 quarter " a mile before I
got into the saddle. 10 had been IN a
. circus ring and had performed such a
feat Of riding on my horses side.
would have brought down the house. :
As soon as I got well into the saddle
l regained control OF the horse aud
brought him down ~ a walk. and a..
most Immediately vas in the road lead.
| ing 10 the post Looking back. I saw
! the men occupying the position / had
Just left
had had what one might call n faIl
day had ridden over thirty miles.
: been bitten Is | supposed. By a rattle
snake. got drunk and sober, was at the
point 0fdeath and had recovered. an
all this within twelve hours OF the same
, day.
! rode quietly to my quarters dis.
mounted. sent my horse n the stable,
and went ID bed feeling thankful that
had 4 back and a comfortable place
70 put it-CnIted Service Magaxias
Goot Easash for tn. PIG
A well-NnOwR physician. hIzself an
I Irishman. relates the following. which.