Year: 1878

Some few evenings ago q st. Louis |
Post reporter made the acquaintance, Mt
the Lindell hotel, OF james Laffon, who
related to him q curious incident. He
says that few days since, having occa-
sion to make a visit to Cairo upon busi-
ness, he mounted a good, strong horse,
and started upon journey through the
bottom lands Of Illinois. Nothing Of
conscience happened until within about
forty-two miles of Cairo there, in
swamp overgrown with jungles Of black
berries and shrubbery common to such
spots, he espied flock Of birds, few Of
which he determined to carry into Cairo
as specimens of his skill in shooting
The birds, however, were shy, and, the
anxious sportsman persevering in the
ardor of the pursuit, he penetrated fur
ther into the swamp. Presently he came
upon q spot very much more open than
the rest, no shrupbery Of any size grew
upon it, but kind of coarse grass, in
| terspersed with clumps of bulrushes,
covered the entire surface. No sooner
had the horses feet touched the sod
than he sank Immediately above his fet-
locks. Floundering out of what the
rider supposed to be only mud hole,
the animal leaped forward with consid-
erable force, and this time sank almost
to his knees. His rider touched the
beast with the whip to hurry him out Of
the bad place. The horse raised him
self by main force from the mire and
leaped forward again, apparently as
anxious as his rider to get out of the
bog This time, however, he sank al


most to his girth, and the most power
full efforts on his part could not result in
extricating his feet from the mud. The
more he struggled the further he sank,


and in few minutes ceased altogether
to make any effort to release himself,


but remained perfectly quiet, trembling
in every Joint. Mr.. Laifon now began


to feel considerable alarm I; he was
obliged to extend his both legs out par
allel with the body of the horse to keep
them from sinking in the bog. His
mind instantly reverted to all the tales


of quagmires and quicksands that he
had ever read, and he began to suspect


he had struck something of the kind


himself. The situation was looking


gloomy {; he must do something so he
spoke to his.horse again, to induce him


to make one more effort, but the poor


beast was beyond the power of helping


himself. Already a part of his body


was in the black, jelly-like mass of mud,


which everywhere surrounded him.


And Mr.. Laffon discovered, to his hor-


rpr, that he was slowly, but surely, get


ting nearer in level with the ground.


He felt certain now that unless help


came he must surely disappear with his


horse in this lonely bog and his fate for


ever remain a mystery. Determined not
to give way to despair, he glanced once
more anxiously around, and this time


noticed no more than two or three yards


distant the branches of tolerably large
tree, which, with roots still partially in


the firm ground beyond, had fallen


across the bog. Its wide-spreading


boughs had prevented its sinking into


the mire, and he now felt that to reach


that tree was the only hope of salvation.


He could not reach it from the position,
and he dared not leap lest the added
impetus should only send him deeper in


to the bog, without enabling him to get


hold of the branches. An idea selzed
him. He took the bride from the horse


and hitching strap which he carried
with him, bound them tightly together
with some twine he found in his pocket,


and, forming q sort of moose, threw his
impromptu lasso toward q stout dead
branch which projected from the fallen


tree. His first trial failed, also the Sec


ond and third, but the fourth succeeded,


ond he had only to make the attempt to


draw himself to the tree. He was now


standing upon the back Of his doomed
horse, which had sunk several inches


further, ,sand with head raised was look


ing with terror-stricken eyes back to-
ward his master, every once in a while


uttering pitiful cries. With last few
tender pats Mr.. Laffon said farewell TO


his horse, and leaped frop' his back as
far out as possible. He sank several


feet, but keeping firm hold of the line,


he began to draw himself out hand over
hand, and after hard struggling finally
succeeded in reaching the tree, into
which he quickly drew himself, and
, crept carefully across its trunk to terra
: firma, thankful for his miraculous es-
, cape from O horrible death. His first
thought now was to go for help and try


to rescue his horse. For this purpose
| he started off on foot for the nearest
3 cabin. After walking several miles he
? encountered a couple of farmers, and


quickly procuring other aid, and pro-
. viding themselves with ropes, they ac-
4 companied Mr.. Laffon back TO the bog.
9 Several hours had elapsed before he


reached the treacherOus spot again, and


not sign of his unfortunate horse re.
Z mained. The poor beast disappeared il
/ the black ooze, and only the lack Of


scant verdure on that particular spot
marked the place where he had met q
! living death.


In describing dinner at the sultan'f
| A. 81