The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-10-11
{. W. Hutton Writes
Continued from page u

| accepted the old mans advice and
refined my pony back into the road
when his restless spirit seemed greatly
relieved, and already his feet were
beating fast and yet faster upon the
, hard ground when heard call at my
back which / took to be slightly over
bearing. ! brought my pony to sud
den standstill The impetuous little
animal flicked his ears back angrily,
as though he himself had had quite
enough of the old mans diatribe.
"Hey!' he called again, even after
had turned my pony around and was
looking at him.
The crossing of the Madisonaat Ennis
is going to be bad for you. The bridge
is all right but doubt that you can
git to it, the river is gorged above with
ice, an water is running all over the
country on this side an freezin' over.
A narrow ravine you'll have to cross
near the bridge is running full of
water. It's all froze over by this time
an ! reckon if you try crossin' that
ravine on the ice you'd better watch
your step or its goodbye TO you an
your buzzard"
He had given my hardy, half-wild
brute of the hills and prairies name
that was not at all to my liking "Buz-
zard' is name in the West, applied
to any stupid, dead-on- his-feet sort Of
horse, and ! feel that it should be
known that my untamed beast was
worthy of special regard-for his high
spirit, his courage and his power of en-
durance. | patted his shoulder to re-
mind him that he was again free to
go, and Immediately his iron-shod hoofs
were again beating tumultously upon
and along the hard road of mountain
highway. ! turned in my saddle to get
a hurried, and parting view of my
elderly counsellor, and to wave a wish
of health and happiness to him. He was
still standing in his doorway, fixed, and
impressive, while smoke from his pipe
rose and coiled freely about his head,
and, rising still higher, it gave form of
giant corkscrew.
Soon my mettlesome broncho had
carried me to the summit of the divide,
and here ! dismounted from my saddle
and stood at his head, sweeping the
frost from about his eyes and nostrils
with my gloves | could see the for
midable gorge 10 miles beyond and be-
low my position-and not less formida-
BILE was an ice-covered area upon which
water had spread over large tracts Of
meadowland, covering immediate high
ways, byways and fences. In due time
we reached the ice sheet where | again
dismounted, slipped the reins over my
pony's head and babe him to follow me
which he did with an opposing spirit
and strong desire to turn back
We were separated from the bridge
by an eighth Of mile and - times my
pony would press his nose upon the
ice at his feet and express his feelings
by snorting disapproval of any fur
Their movements in the direction of the
bridge.
| turned about and placed my arm
about his neck and talked to him as /
would have talked to child: assuring
him that once we reached the bridge,
we would have only to proceed to
point mile further, at which he would
be enclosed in his snug stable and I,
settled comfortably under the roof of
my cabin.
But the little animal was still pos
sessed of an involuntary prompting to
draw back; this he did with trembling
shoulders and limbs, but he finally
yielded to my bidding and followed
quickly behind me as though he were
anxious to reach the bridge and be
clear of exposure to extreme or danger
Gus chances.
We were within hundred yards Of
the nearest approach to the bridge
when the ice over the deep ravine
broke suddenly into many parts be-
meath us, letting us down into deep
current Of water that was chilled al
most to the freezing point.
An inner impulse prompted me to
lay hold of and cling to my pony,
wherever | might find him He had al
ready been swept some distance down
stream and why had not at first been
swept along with him, ! could never
perceive. ! saw him rise upon his hind
legs and thrust his fore feet high upon
the surface of ice yet unbroken. He
could stand in that position only, and
keep his head above water But for
him there was no relief from the
pressure of a swift current with its
menacing blocks Of ice which were per-
sistent in humping against him
| found myself drifting in his direc-
ton, and, while striking wildly ta keep
by head above water, my hand finally
touched and grasped stirrup by which
| pulled myself to his side where
held fast to the pommel Of his saddle
with the grip Of drowning person.
Evening had fallen, and I had given
myself up absolutely to despair Water
had Numbered in my ears and stunned
me with its furious roar ] wondered
if could hold to my horse much long
er. All my clothing above water was
frozen stiff and my hands were void Of
feeling.
My bold and courageous broncho had
not given up, although he was now
coughing violently, and trembling with
cold. As with sudden shock, he turned
his head sharply around and with a
wild, far-away look over the top sur
face of the ice sheet, neighed frantically
and Justify. He could see what my
foam-splashed eyes could not-hence,
his characteristic cry of distress.
Children, skating upon the ice in the
distance, heard and answered his call