The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-05-13
WITH A LOAD
OF.
SPRING LAMBS.
By c. A. Stephens.

years ago, writes me most interesting
letters occasionally, telling me how he
is faring out there and what life is like
in the Golden State.
One of these long letters came only
a week ago, and among other things,
describes a somewhat startling adven-
ture which befell him while on the
of lambs.
Young Coburn's new place, as shall
have to explain, is up among the Sier-
ras, at no great distance off the stage
road which leads from Berendo and
Raymond over to the famous Yosemite
valley. At the old Coburn farm in
Maine the boys were trained to dairy
ing, sheep-raising and fruit-growing,
and Charley wished to follow these
lines of farming in California.
He therefore settled in one of the
elevated mountain valleys, where
sheep can be pastured and apple-trees
thrive.
For climatic reasons it is only in
these Sierra districts of California that
apples grow well. Here they flourish,
and Charley was able last season to
market 1000 bushel boxes of winter
fruit from his young orchards. With
the thrift of true son of the old Pine
Tree state, too, he is putting his saw
ings into sugar-pine timber lands up
in the mountains, which bid fair to
yield large profits in the not distant
future.
But my present story is of his ad-
venture on July 1st with crate of
spring lambs, while he was driving
down from his mountain farm to
the railroad.
There were 20 fat lambs in the large
crate on the double wagon, and the
distance which he had to drive was a
little more than 80 miles, over three
mountain ridges, much of the way be-
ing through pine growth.
He had made an early start, and ex-
pected to get down to the railroads.&c.
-uon by nightfall.
One Of his horses was taken sick
on the road, however, when only ten
miles out. He had to unhitch, and for
time expected to lose the animal. 1t
lay writhing about in great distress for
several hours. At last he rode the 9TH
er horse to the ranch and store of a
settler eight miles away for bottle
of ''colic cure"
Altogether the day was far advanced
before he was able to proceed on his
way, so far that, owing to the weak
ened condition of his horse, he was at
first minded to drive back home; but
rs the night was warm and not very
dark, he decided to go on. The lambs,
In fact, were required in Los Angeles
on the Sd.
He therefore drove on rather slow
iy, hoping to make the outward trip
during the night.
Meanwhile the lambs, huddled in the
hot crate, were getting hungry and
thirsty. AS yet, no really humane meth
cd of transporting such animals is
available In cases like this. Ere long,
as the horses descended through the
dark pine growth into the valley of
little creek, the lambs all began bleat-
ing plaintively.
Otherwise the night seemed abso-
lutely still. Through the dense black
boughs of the treetops few stars
shone dimly; but not breath of
breeze stirred the sultry air. and the
bleating of the lambs woke strange
cadences off in the silent depths of the
woods
1t touched the young farmers heart;
and as soon as they reached the creek
and had crossed, he stopped and be-
gan watering all the, lambs from a
bucket, dipping up one bucketful af-
ter another, passing it in to them at
the door in the rear end of the crate.
He was thus engaged when a crash
In the brushwood close at hand, fol-
lowed by a loud, harsh screech, broke
The stiffness.
Well he knew what it was! but one
henizen of the forest ever gives vent
to that blood-curdling screech-the
mountain lion, or panther; and that he
had one of these ugly brutes to deal
with there alone in the night was far
from adding to the pleasure of that be-
lated trip! There was little time for
considering the matter, however Both
horses started violently and sprang
forward.
Without stopping even to shut the
crate door, Coburn jumped to get hold
Of the reins, crying. Whoa, Jim!
Whoa, Topsy!"
He heard splash in the creek be-
hind him. but leaDed forward beside
the wagon, and with a quick bound,
regained the drivers place. only to find
that the reins had been pulled off the
dashboard under the horses feet.
They were now running.
It was ascending ground here, and
the road turned sharply to the left.
Still calling out reassuringly to the
horses, he attempted TO get the reins
by swinging forward ON the wagon
tongue and reaching them at the sad
die: but just then the nigh horse tro1
- <t<,x, fo~f<o1 hor own hcod round