The San Francisco call., 1896-08-16
Il B0X'S
4DvENCDRE.
In Which He Flees From One
Danger to Rush Into Another.
BY cHRIsTIANA ROSS FRAME IN THE PH1LADEL-
PHIA TINES.
Continued from last Sunday. ]


Continued from last Sunday.
1t was "a much longer distance than it
looked, out to the fat where the pools
were, but 1 kept ON. qnite forgetting
about the little way had intended GO
ing.
When | reached the channel / found
that it was too broad and deep for me to
attempt crossing. l heard Mac say there
was but one place where it could be forded,
! and l skirted up and down looking for the
spot. So intent was I that had not heard
the far-away murmur of the approaching
tide. Suddenly long, hollow roar
| sounded up the channel; the air was
| filled with it, and the very ground seemed
to tremble. knew that there was not an
instant to lose; the tide was almost
upon me.
The black clouds overhanging the bay
had fallen lower; thunderstorm was
coming with the tide. Fear lent wings to
my heels. l turned and fairly few for the
shore. Once | stun bled into quicksand,
and with difficulty wrenched myself out.
But / was no match for the tide. / dared
not look behind, but by the deafening roar
| knew that It must be very near.
Just at that instant great foam-tipped
wave, the advance guard. swept round,
carrying me in its onward course like a
straw upon the surface. Painting and
struggling, 1 gained the foot of the cliffs,
and. dripping and terrified, gazed blankly
at the sheer height. Fortunately little
cleft, up which it was possible to climb,
was near. The tide was now beating
against the foot of the cliffs, and as 1
dragged my torn and bleeding feet up to
the back pasture toward the great maple
in the center, with a ferocious roar the
bull came charging towards me.
The tree was my only refuge, and by
clinging desperately with hands and feet,
l reached position OF safety, Just as the
savage animal came painting and roaring
underneath. Round and round the tree
he circled, tearing up the earth with his
hoofs, and snorting with baffied rage. At
every movement of mine, his wicked red
eyes were turned upward. His muzzle
was covered with foam. and now and then
short, sharp yap, like that of an angry
dog, sent feeling of sickening terror over
me.
I had heard Uncle John telling father
that the farmer in Clifton from whom he
had purchased the bull had been obliged
to shoot number of cattle suffering rom
hydrophobia on his farm. A mad dog
had been loose in the district. and there
was general feeling of uneasiness among
the Clifton farmers in regard to all cattle
that had been in open pasture at the time
of the dogs visit. Mr.. YuilI had written
to uncle to keep sharp watch over the
bull. Uncle had at that time again warned
me not to go near the pasture.
The hours of the afternoon crept slowly
away; the shower had been very slight,
and the sun came out again hot and
bright. From my perch | could see the
roof of our house above the orchard trees.
When smoke came curling up from the
chimney knew it was o'clock and that
Sara was bustling around preparing tea.
had seen Aunt Maria making chicken
salad and other delicacies in the forenoon,
preparatory 10 having company that even
ing. The hungrier L got the more wildly
did the tea-table stand forth in my minds
eve. Once / almost risked getting down.
but in an instant the bull stood waiting,
and I crept back.
The sun went down behind the Cobe-
quid Mountains. Away ON the distant
marshes, where the men 10 oked like bees
moving back and forth, the twilight
shadows were falling. The heavy hay
wagons passed slowly round the dixie and
disappeared behind the hill. 1t was milk
ing time now, and as / thought of the
humming sound of the milk on the bot
tom of the pals and then of the frotn-
covered fullness / grew thirstisr and
hungrier.
The sum mer evening was very still; no
wind rustled the trees; lost lamb bleated
mournfully in an adjoining pasture. The
air was filled with midsummer odors-
new-mown hay. wild roses and the pecu-
liar green summery smell of the rushes
by the brookside. Then the stars came
peeping out. BY this time must be
missed at home. I knew that inquiries
! would be made at neighboring houses be-