Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

point of determining to give the citizens of this inland village the surprise of their lives. I would make such entry into their midst as should stand unique in their local history for all time; and I imagine I fully succeeded in so doing. With the assistance of my Amsterdam accomplice, my half crazy companions were brought to understand my plans, which met their unanimous approval. Our voyage should end in a perfect blaze of glory. No avalanche had ever scored such time as we would make when dashing into the town, nor perhaps ever made such deafening tumult, either.

Each man was to sing his own favorite battle song in thunderous tones, while I would accompany them on the brake to the very limit of my somewhat extensive muscle; and it seemed within reason to conclude that the aggregate of noise would evolve from our long-winded steeds a burst of speed which would likely be a great surprise even to themselves.

The plan worked to a charm; most too much so, in fact, and so completely was I carried away by the excitement of the moment that I have never since been able to recall perfectly just how it all happened.

There quickly ensued much opening of doors and emergence therefrom of dark-hued angels, scantily clad in robes of white; and struggling crowds were tumbling out of both doors and windows of gambling-houses and similar resorts, each man it seemed shouting and gesticulating wildly, stimulating my orchestra to renewed exertions, while I pumped vigorously at the brake, filling the heavens with a series of long and short dashes of sound which ought to have been heard at Tehachapi. Then came the inevitable crash, sudden and comlete.

My catching a glimpse of both sides of the street at the same instant was responsible for its coming just when it did. On the one side I saw the stage

office, at which I sincerely desired to stop but was unable to do so, for I had a genuine runaway on my hands; on the other side there stood a very inviting blank adobe wall. I knew nothing of the road beyond, nor in fact if there was any; at least I cared not to investigate just then; so I drew sharply upon the lines and effectually stopped the team, the wagon-tongue piercing the wall a foot or more, then snapping short off. The horses took care of themselves after a fashion, if rather a poor and damaging one. As for us bipeds we all alighted literally on the jump, and brought up most any wheres, one or two on the roof of the adobe. If any of us escaped bruises and contusions of some sort, I have certainly been misinformed.

Of course they were somewhat indignant at first, but that soon passed off, for when they were told through interpreters that that wall was maintained there expressly to butt mustang teams against, and that I utilized it in this way nearly every trip I made, they realized the wisdom of conforming gracefully to the customs of the country; and when the stage agent invited them all to take a short stroll at his expense, they limped and dragged themselves away in excellent humor.

Anyhow, suits for damages would not have held water in this case. This matter had received proper attention some hours before. In the safe at San Pedro was a certain writing to which fourteen hieroglyphics or crosses were attached ; the signers all, each for himself, assuming the whole responsibility for the safety of life and limb on the road that night.

Some of them may have imagined it was only the regular way bill they were signing. I should n't be surprised,-in fact, I rather think that may have been the case.

When I came to look that old mudwagon over leisurely, I was forced to conclude that I knew as much, and as

little, about stages as I did about horses. No regular stage-driver ever lived who would have attempted to do what I had succeeded in doing; for I made the discovery that the off hind wheel only revolved a few inches at a time, and by a series of tuneful jerks; it scarcely made one tenth the number of revolutions in the trip that it should have done. The nut, it seems had been lost off long before, and in battering up the end of the axle to keep the wheel in place, some one had given it a few raps too many. Not but what I heard the lamentations of that wheel right along from start to finish; but not having been brought up on axles, mud-wagons, wheels and things, I did not take the cause of it in, so to speak; it seemed a proper part of the general tumult which prevailed, and har

monized right well with the voices of several of those tipsy croakers; nor was it any more rasping to my nerves than to theirs.

I returned to San Pedro as a passenger, and on my way down I resolved never again under any circumstances to draw rein over more than two horses at a time: my adherence to this resolution undoubtedly accounts for my yet being in circulation.

As for my gang of escapes, they were still having a "good time" when last I saw them. They were very wide awake indeed, although it was nearly daylight, and were all busied in adjusting an assortment of variegated nightcaps to their respective heads, with no prospect that the novelty of the performance was likely to wear off.

William S. Hutchinson.

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed]
[graphic][merged small][merged small]

Thy shrine is on the western sea

Begirt with rugged mountains round;
Broad-browed it looks far down the lea,

And basks in silent peace profound
Of days of perfect sun and light
Which make the earth and heaven unite
While blossoms garland all the year.
And as each day breaks from the night,
Three times three strokes thy bell rings clear,-
Oh Father, Son, and Spirit, hear!

'Tis thine while heaven is unfurled

To bring the adoration of the world.

Caroline Hazard.

[graphic]
[graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

A GROUP OF ATHLETES, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.-COAST CHAMPIONS, 1892.

(See page 109.)

« AnteriorContinuar »