The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-01-31

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it, returned the other with some hes
itation.
Sturges then stepped aside with thu
other keeper and after consulting witt
him few moments sent forward auG
announced to the company the bel
offered by the prisoner and his owr
intention of accepting it and INDUCING
the fellow in a trial if they thought
best and would assist in measures, &c
prevent the possibility Of his escape.
The proposal was received with shouts
Of laughter by the tories; and eager
for tho fun they expected to see in sc
queer contest they agreed to be
answerahle for the prisoners safety and
urged on the performance.
The two keepers now calling in
Others to take charge of the prisoner
while they made their preparations pro-
ceeded to arrange tho company on both
sides of the road placing men at short
intervals along the whole line of the
course commencing back about two
hundred yards south of the tavern and
extending to the sign post which stand
ing on the edge of the beaten path in
front of the house had been agreed on
as the goal. And not satisfied with
this precaution they then procured
four long heavy spruce poles and ex.
tending them from fence to fence
across the enclosed road leading from
the tavern yard northward formed a
barricade five or six feet high which,
with the strong high fences on each
side of the whole course except at the
starting point where no danger was
apprehended seemed to cut off the pris-
oner even without being guarded from
all possible chance to escape on horse
back as it was most feared he would
do after being allowed control of the
reins.
"Thcre Bixby' exclaimed Sturges
exultingly turning to his fellow keeper
as they completed the barricade across
the road beyond the goal--"there |
would defy the devil to jump over this
barrier, or any of the fences on the
way, as TO that matter. So the little
rebel will hardly escape US by running
his horse from the ground | fancy.
But we must look out that he don't
jump off at the end of the race or be-
fore and cut into the fields. You may
therefore station yourself somewhere
between this and the sign post and
If he attempts 10 leap from his horse
and run as we fetch up here shoot him
down as you would dog and charge
the blame to me Or Fitch either of us
will bear it. -
| Having thus arranged everything
to his satisfaction, Sturges, ordering
the pony we have described. and the
horse he had selected for himself, 10
be brought Oh, then took charge of his
! prisoner and rival and conducted him.
with great show of mock dignity, and
amidst a noisy and ieering troop Of at
PENDANTS, 10 the ground marked off for
the place Of starting, now designated
by the close line of men that had been
stationed across the road to guard
against the prisoners escape in that
direction. But, in the meantime,
seemed perfectly Indifferent to all these
precautions of the tories, as we'll as
the gibes and laughter which con
stantly greeted him on the way, and.
on reaching the prescribed limit,
quietly dropped down ON the grass
among the company, and awaited the
coming of tho horses with the greatest
unconcern. The latter soon made their
appearance on the ground, and We're
Immediately led up and presented to
their respective riders.
"Lightfoot' exclaimed Bart, spring
ing up to receis his chosen pony do
you know mt, ,rise l,sQot?'' i
The animal .se a up her ears, and
responded by sort of low, chuckling
whinny, by rubbing her nose against
his arm, and by other demonstrations
of recognition and pleasure, which
plainly showed the two to have been
old acquaintance and friends. Bart. |
then, stripping off the saddle and |,
hanaing it to Il boy to be carried back |
to the tavern, again went to the head |
of the pony, and. after patting her on
the neck, repeated certain words in !
her ear, which seemed TO produce the
instant effect of arousing her spirit. |
and making her restless and impatient !
for start. After going through these
and other ceremonies of the kind, |
which seemed greatly to amuse the |
company, he moutned, refined up and |
announced himself ready for the signal. |
After another delay, to indulge the !
company in the renewed shouts Of !
laughter which were called forth by |
the ludicrous contrast now presented |
in the appearance of the oddly matched |
competitors. as the diminutivc and
shabby looking prisoner sat awkwardly |
mounted on his no less diminutiyc and |
shabby pony by the side of the portly |
Sturges AMI his large and finely built |
horse the signal was given, and the
parties set forth amidst the encourag
ing hurrahs of the crowd. Their prog
ress, for while was nearly equal and
the pony, though very unskillfully
managed by her seemingly raw and
timid rider, continued to maintain her
place by the side the horse so fully, |
as to render the result Of the contest
extremely doubtful. But as they drew
near the end of the course, and the
horse, by the renewed incentives of his
rider begn to gam on her, she sudden
~ f1ounced, broke into Il gallop, shot
by the horse. giving him staggering
kick in the chops as she passed, and,
in spite of the apparent efforts Of her
rider, to bring her up at the goal,
plunged on directly towards the fence
that had been thrown across the road.
whoa! whoa!'' cried Bart, in
tones of distress and alright still
appearing TO strain every nerve to hold
in the ungoyernable animal" whoa
whoa help, or | shall be thrown!"
Help him there! stop her seize
her by the bits shouted Sturges,
now riding up to the goal to claim the
bet.
But the perverse pony, veering about
among those approaching on either
side to seize, or head her, with sundry
kicks thrown out sidewise
towards them as she went, the next
moment reached, and, with a tremen-
5ouc laan cleared the harricade and