The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1903-03-31
A HORSE IN BATTLE
HOW HE FEELS WHEN IN THE M.cSr
OF a FIERCE ONSLAUGHT.

A Writer of Horse stories Describes
the Experiences of nm Arab char
ger In the Ranks of stunrrs Cav
aIry-The Gnliop 60 battle.
Probably no one will ever know just
how a horse feels when going into bat
tie. There Is no way OF finding out.
SO II is likely that no one will dispute
the correctness of the description which
sewell Ford gives in Horses Nine"
published by Scrbners.
The horse in question Is Pasha, a
half blood Arab hunter that has been
pressed into service in Stuart's Black
Horse cavalry. The story runs:
Early the next morning Pasha was
awakened by the distant growl Of
heavy guns BY daylight he was on
the move, thousands of other horses
with him. Nearer and nearer they
rode to the place where the guns were
growing. Sometimes they were on
roads. sometimes they crossed fields,
and again they plunged into the woods
where the low branches struck ones
eyes and scratched ones flanks. At
last they broke clear OF the trees to
come suddenly upon such scene as
Pasha had never before witnessed.
Far across the open field he could
see troop on troop of horses coming to-
ward him. They seemed TO be pour
ing over the crest of low hill. as II
driven onward by some unseen force
behind. Instantly Pasha heard, rising
from the throats Of thousands of rid
ers on either side and behind him, that
fierce. wild yell which he had come TO
know meant the approach Of trouble.
High and shrill and menacing IL rang
as IL was taken up and repeated by
those In the rear. Next the bugles be-
gan TO sound, and In quick obedience
the horses formed In line just on the
edge OF the woods, line which stretch
ed and stretched ON either flank until
one could hardly see where II ended
From the distant line came no an
swering cry, but Pasha could hear the
bugles blowing, aud he could see the
fronts massing. Then came the order
TO charge at a gallop. This set Pasha
TO tugging eagerly at the bit. but for
what reason he did not know. He
knew only that he was part of a great
and solid line of men and horses sweep
ing furlously across field toward that
other line which he had seen pouring
over the hill crest.
He could scarcely see at all now.
The thousands of hoofs had raised a
cloud OF dust that not only enveloped
the on rushing line, but rolled before
It, Nor could Pasha hear anything
save the thunderous thud of many
feet. Even the shrleklng of the shells
was drowned. But for the restraining
bit Pasha would have leaped forward
and cleared the line. Never had he
been so stirred. The inherited mem.
CRY OF countless desert raids made by
his Arab ancestors was doing lis
work. For what seemed a long time
this continued, and then In the midst
OF the blind and frenzied race there
loomed out of the thick air, as If II haC
appeared by magic, the opposing line.
Pasha caught glimpse Of something
which seemed like n heaving wall o
tossing heads and of foam whiteneC
necks and shoulders. Here and there
cleaned red dlstended nostrils an'
strainlng eyes. Bending above was an
} other wall-a wall of dusty blue coats
OF grim faces and of dust powdered
hats. Bristllng above all was threat
ening crest of waving blades.
What would happen when the line
met? Almost before the query wa
thought there came the answer. Wit
an earth jarring crash they came to
gether The lines wavered back iron
the shock of impact, and then tn
whole struggle appeared TO Pasha t
center about him. OF course this wa
not so. But It was fact that the mos
conspicuous figure in either line ha'
been that OF the cream white charge
In the very center of the Black Hors
2 regiment.