Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-01-13
CHAPTER XII.

II vas, indeed, tougher business than
we hsi yet known-a dash into the
enemys country, where my poor head
was n excellent demand. D'ri and I
were ID cross the lake with q band Of
raideis, troop of 40, under my COM
mand We were to rescue some pris-
oners In a lookup on the other side.
They we're to be shot in the morning,
and our mission therefore admitted Of
no ds,sy. Our horses had been put
aboata brig at midnight, and soon
after the noon mess we dropped down
the Ike, going into deep, wooded
cove south Of the Grenadier island.
There we lay waiting for nightfall. A
big Wind was bowling over the woods
at sunset, and the dark came on its
wings.ans hour ahead Of time. The
nightiEas black and the lake noisy
when we got under way, bound for a
flatboit ferry. Our skipper, 1t turned
out, hd little knowledge OF those wa
ters, he had shortened sail, and said
he wls not afraid of the weather. The
wind. out Of the southeast, came hard
er asit drove us on. Before we knew
1t, The whole kit and Doodle Of US were
in q devil of a shakeup there IN the
broad water. D'ri and were down
amorg tie horses and near being
trampled under in the roll. We tried
to put about then, but the great gusts
Of WIND made US lower sail and drop
anchr in a hurry. Soon the horses
were all in tumble and one on top
Of tie other. We had to jump from
back to back to save ourselves. 1t was
no pfetty business, I can tell you, to
get b the stairway. D'ri was stripped
OF beot-leg, and I was cut in the chin
by sfront hoof, going ten feet or SO
to tie upper deck. To the man who
was eever hit in the chin by a horses
hoot let me say there is no such
remsdy for a proud spirit Bullets are
mud easier. to put up with and keep
a evil tongue in ones head. That
lowsr deck was kind of horses hell.
We had TO let them alone. They got
astnddle of one another's necks, ana
wers cut from ear to fetlock-those
that lived, for some Of them, could
zee, we're being trampled to death.
Hcv many 1 never knew, for suddenly
we hIta reef there in the storm and the
blaek night. knew we had drifted to
the north shore, and as the sea began
to wash over us it was every man for
himself. The brig went up and down
like sledge-hammer, and at every
blow her sides were cracking and cav
Ing Shs keeled over suddenly, ana
was emptied of horse and man. A big
waye flung me far among the FOUNDER
Ing horses. My fingers caught in wet
mare; 1 clung desperately between
cIovding flanks. Then big wave went
over US. I hung on, coming up astrlde
my sapture. He swan vigorously, his
noss high, blowing like trumpet. l
thopght we were in for a time OF IT,
and had very little hope for any lano-
ing save in kingdom come. Every mln-
ute was head under in the wash, ana
the roaring filled me with that mlgnty
tenor of the windfall. But, on my
wGd, there is no captain like a gooa
hose in bad water. Suddenly feit
Lin hit the bottom and go forward on
hi knees. Then he reared up, and oe-
gaa to Jump in the sand. A big wave
wshed him down again. He fell Oh
hi side in a shallow, but rose and ran
werily over a soft beach. In the Dlach-
mes around me could see nothing. a
bnnch whipped me in the face' anu =. O..
dGked. I was not quick enough; IL
wis like fencing in the dark. A Dig
bNgh hit me, raking the withers Oh my
hbrse, and | rolled off headlong III q
lG of bushes. The horse went on, ou'
q hearing, but 1 was glad enough ~ =,
lh still for had begun to know OF my
tuises. In a few minutes TOOK Oh
~ boots and emptied them and Wruns
" blouse, and lay back, cursins my
y luck. .,
But that year Of 1918 had the KICK
| d III fortune in it for every mother
pr of us there in the north coun'fy.
/ have ever noticed that war goes IN q
tsves Of success or failure. IL we nat ua
lad Brown or Scott to lead us 'ns'