The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-11-22

she sun. and the wind ~as sharp and cut
ting. Gradually the cold penetrated layer
after layer Of my apparel. and when Il
reached me IL didn't stop there, but went
right on into my very bones. My feet were
perfectly numb, my fingers were entirely
out of the jurisdiction of my will. shiv-
cred and shook constantly, and my face
all that was visible of twas probably
ultramarine blue But kept on. There
was certain bend In the river which
was anxious To see and describe and 1t
would take good work to get there and
back in "a day.
l passed few houses, and these were
mostly one stored affairs roughly built Of
the native white stone and tenanted by a
low class Of immigrants, known, or rather
unknown, to fame as ''Rooshians.
II was about IL O'Clock when my refrig-
Grated self descended the steep bluff which
borders the Smoky Hill river. The point
was aiming for was a couple of miles to
the eastward, down the stream. Turning
of the road, passed through one of those
inventions of satan, wire gate, drove
swiftly over the crisp buffalo grass along
the level river bottom and In 10 minutes
more was just at the desired point
skctched the bend In the river as carefully
as my benumbed condition would allow,
holding the pencil in my closed fist. One
break that entered the river on the other
side could not see to my satisfaction.
was too conscientious to guess at it, SO be-
gan looking for suitable place to cross.
Now, the Smoky at that point is not a
very formidable river. In summer it dries
up entirely, and In winter its depth aver
ages not over two or three feet The bed
is stretch of sand quarter Of a mile
wide, while of actual water there Is not
third of that width. 1t Is possible, with
care, to cross In safety at frequent points,
especially In pasture, where the cattle
keep the sand we'll packed down.
AS skirted the stream looking for
place where 1t was possible TO descend the
bank to the river bend itself, heard
sound rs of the rolling of distant thunder.
What could Ii be- / stopped and listened
Louder and louder Ii grew. roar and
rumble that seemed to shake the earth. A
little swell in the ground cut off any ex-
tended view in the direction from which
had come Waiting, L listened.
Suddenly on the crest of the swell out
lined against the sky, looking like n giant
of It's kind, appeared one Of those wild,
long horned Texas steers. Seeing me, he
gave n surprised snort, turned his males
tic head and uttered below of instruc-
ton to his followers, and then, as IL de-
cided that was not sufficient obstacle
to cause embarrassment, started on q run
down the slope straight toward me. Then
the whole herd came into view-one solid,
tossing mass of lowered heads and waving
tails plunging In the leader wake. There
must have been a thousand of them, but
to my excited imagination they seemed to
darken the whole horizon, and they were
coming with an impetus that apparently
nothing could withstand.
Certain death stared ms In the face. The
river was before me, and mt the point
where 1 stood a precipitous bank, four or
five feet high, said as plainly as a sign
board "No thoroughfare. Right in the
bend of the stream as l was, escape seemed
impossible The cattle were closing In as
in funnel Their sharp horns could
already see red with my blood and could
picture to- myself the mangled mass of
horse and man their mad stampede would
leave behind.
Chesapeake was by no means unaware
of the danger. With the open bride which
l always used he could SOC as much as /,
and he began TO rear and plunge, uncer-
tain as in what direction safety lay.
Could divide that living stream, caus-
ing Ii 10 pass me as an island? had heard
of such things in buffalo days Still in my
confined position on the seat OF the buck
board, fettered by my many garments and
swaddled in the blanket, and holding my
frightened horse with one hand, took off
my gloves with my teeth and drew my re-
volver from the little pocket In the dash
board where / always carried 1t, for l
sometimes amused myself popping at jack
rabbits. My fingers were so stiff with the
CNld, even this excitement not having
warmed me up, that 1 despaired of being
able To pull the trigger
The leader was almost upon me, his
horns lowered, his wicked, blazing eyes
taking in this intruding and unfamiliar
combination with most terrifying effect.
With supreme effort of will my numb
finger pressed the sensitive trigger.
Bang the report rang In my ears. Did
hit himS 1 never knew. Chesapeake,
nervous and excited already, leaped at the
sound of the pistol like an arrow from
over the bank with me and into the icy
water. The pistol was thrown from my
hand, and from the vehicle.
/ struck face first and went completely
under. My, but the water was cold 1t
went to my very marrow. But with grim
determination held on to the lines. Not
a moment did Chesapeake pause, but
plunged through the freezing river, drag
ging in his wake the front wheels and
myself, the remnant OF his disintegrated
load, until we reached the sandy shore OPP
posite. Then, for a wonder, he stopped.
Not such wonder either. for to drag by
the bit through that soft sand such dead
weight As 1 was enough to stop even Ches-
apeake 1. more dead than alive lay
stretched out a bedraggled, nerveless OBJ
ject.
The cattle didn't go into the river mt all.
Whether my pistol shot halted them or
whether the watery channel had turned
their course, could not say. But the fact
is that when 1 stood again on my feet
there they were, believing and tossing
their horns, on the bank, and as l watched
them by some unknown signal they turned
and started with one impulse back as they
had come, heads down and tails up, not
nearly so terrifying a sight, now that they
were going away as fast as they could run.
was naturally uncomfortable, but
didn't know just how to improve my stu
alton at once.