Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-08-19
A FEARFUL RIDE.
Little Henry Alden Dragged Head
long Half a Mile.


Little Henry Alden, the eight-year-old son
Of Mr.. H. H. Alden of the sixth auditors
office, had a horseback ride week before
last such as few human beings ever had
and none would ever desire. With his
mother and brother and sister, he is spend
ing the summer on the farm Of T. J. Tav-
enner. on the edge of the pretty village of
Philomont in Loudoun county. A week
ago Tuesday he was permitted. together
with Johnnie Tower. son of Mr.. E. B. II.
Tower of the pension office, to take home
to the farm of Owen Tavenner, near by, a
horse which Henry's older brother and SIS
ter had been using during the morning.
The morse was saddled and bridled. and
Henry was helped UP into the saddle, and
put his feet in the stirrup straps above the
stirrups-always a dangerous practice, and
one invariably followed by small boys
whose legs are too short to reach the stir
rups. Johnnie Tower was boosted up be-
hind Henry, and was to ride bareback.
The horse was not used to the idea of a
double burden. and resented the situation.
He began to jump and plunge about, and
was soon beyond control by the little boy
in the saddle
The Tower boy said that he couldn't stay
on, ard proposed to Henry that both jump
of. but Henry said; No, I'm going to take
this horse home" With that Johnnie lost
hold and fell off. getting an ugly scratch
on the face. Henry sung out, Tell mamma
I'm all right" and the horse set off on a
mad run, with the small boy trying to hold
him in. They soon entered thickly grown
woods, and it is supposed low projecting
limb knocked Henry off.
He fell headlong, one foot being caught
in the stirrup strap. There he hung help
less, the horse going on wild run and the
boy swinging and humping along. Emery
ing from the woods the horse made for a
place in rail fence, where a few rails
were off, and jumped with his sidelong
burden swinging in the air. Here the ami
NAL was in wheat Stubblefleld and there
were no stones or trees against which the
now unconscious and half-dead boy could
strike. As the horse jumped the fence the
boys body luckily swung up SO as to clear
1t. Had his head struck the rails it would
Undoubtedly have killed him. Half way
across the wheat field and half mile from
the starting place. probably 100 rods from
where the little boy was knocked out of the
saddle, the girth broke and saddle and
boy fell to the ground.
People from houses near by picked the
little fellow up, and he was taken to Mr.
Tavenner's. DR.. Chamblin of Philomont
vas called, and everything that could be
was done to save the boys life. For
a week he was unconscious, and was kept
alive with anaemas. The father went up
from Washington, taking a surgeon with
him. It was found that there was no frac-
ture of bones, but the terrible conclusion
of the brain reduced the chances of re-
cevery to minimum. Saturday word
came to Mr.. Alden that Henry could eat
tnd could understand what was said to
him, although he could say but little. But
for the fact that the horse was a tall
ranging hunter, and the boy was short
passed through would scarcely fall to
have been fatal. In nine cases out of ten
such accidents result in death before the
horse has gone many rods.