A RIDERLESS PONY.—THE BUFFALO WALLOW.
PONY appreciated the tender herbage, and the grateful shade of the
wildwood, for he was "a dear lover of nature," after his manner, and
perhaps would have voted, if admitted to the right of suffrage, to
spend the remainder of the season there, could winsome Alice be near.
He might cast his ballot thus, were it not for two objections—the grain
he would miss and the titbits from the McElroy table, and the insects
that abounded in the forest.
Flourish, and flirt, and lash his luxuriant tail, shake his comely
mane, toss his shapely head, stamp his delicate feet, suddenly trot to
a fresh place, no matter what violence or strategy he used, the hungry
flies would persist in trying to suck the life-current through his
sleek skin. In fact, his exertions, whether offensive or defensive,
increased his troubles, attracting his foes from afar, till the air
swarmed with whizzing, buzzing, trumpeting blood-suckers.
Strange, is it not, that so insignificant a trifle as a tiny fly can
so harass and baffle a quadruped heavy enough to outweigh millions on
millions of such enemies?
Pony endured the torture and fought the battle with as much patience
and valor as, perchance, you or I would, were we subject to his
annoyance. But even horseflesh will not bear everything. And pony,
desirous of permanent relief, darted out from under the ravenous cloud
of pitiless parasites, and trotted to where he left his gentle young
mistress, attaining the flowery bank where she had sat, and uttering a
questioning whinny simultaneously, as much as to say,—
"Please, Miss Alice, shall we not hasten out upon the breezy prairies?"
But the pretty wee animal saw no Alice there!
He snorted, pricked forward his tremulous ears, smelt of the earth,
then of the bunches of flowers; neighed loud and shrill; waited,
trembling with excitement for the familiar reply,—furiously shaking his
head and whisking his tail the while at the pursuing insects,—dashed
down the river bank, scenting the ground as he went, like a hound on
the track; turned, and smelt up along the border of the stream; paused
suddenly, as if to deliberate, then wildly wheeled about, and, with mad
swiftness, struck a straight course for the fort.
How wonderful is instinct! What so excited pony? Why did he hunt for
a trail that should guide to the missing girl? Why his alarm and
concern? What caused him precipitately to relinquish the search, and
speed homeward as if on an errand of life or death? Ah, if the dumb,
yet ofttimes singularly intelligent brutes could all speak, as did the
prophet's wiser beast, what might we not learn from their now sealed
lips! What an infinite gulf between their inarticulate muteness and
human speech! O, what our condition, were we like them unable, as a
race, to embody our thoughts in words! God be praised for the gift of
speech, for who but He give it us and denied it to them?
"Miss Alice, whar' you be?" And black Nancy's ebony face peered into
closets, clothes-presses, behind doors, and under beds. "Now you jist
stop foolin'! Dinner's bin coolin' more'n half an hour, and yer father
and mother are that worried. Can't yer 'make strouble' 'nough widout
hidin' away when eberyting is a spilin'! Come, honey, dat's a good
girl; come eat yer dinner."
But remonstrate, scold, reason, and coax as the affectionate negress
would, there was no answer.
Perseveringly the servant continued her search, hoping each instant
that from some place of concealment her frolicsome charge would spring
forth as she was wont, and with ringing peals of laughter, fling her
dimpled arms around her neck with a kiss, or scamper through the halls,
challenging pursuit.
The colored waitress's brow became knitted with anxiety, and reentering
the dining-room, she said,—
"Please, marm, I can't find Miss Alice no whar!"
"O, well," pleasantly returned the lady, "she is probably in at Mrs.
Colonel Thomas's. You just step across the square, and inquire."
The general and his wife were rising from the table when black Nancy
returned, reporting that she had visited all the officers' rooms, and
could get no tidings of Alice.
"It is certainly very strange," observed Mrs. McElroy, going to the
window. "But what does this mean?" she quickly added, as the sound of
a horse's feet smote upon the ear. "Pony has rushed into the yard,
covered with sweat and foam, saddle and bridle on, but riderless!"
"Call Charley," gravely said the general.
The lad instantly made his appearance.
"Charley," asked the general, "have you been to ride with Alice to-day?"
"No, sir," he replied.
"Do you know if she went?"
"I do not."
Black Nancy now recalled with dismay that Alice apprised her the night
before that she intended to ride in the morning, requesting her to tell
Charley to be ready to attend her, all of which had been forgotten till
this moment.
"I fear she ventured alone, and something has happened to her,"
remarked the mother, turning pale. "When did you first miss her from
the house, Nancy?"
"Dunno, missus, zactly. 'Parently 'twas 'bout eight, missus, when de
hat was taken from de place whar—"
"Eight o'clock; who was on guard, husband, at the gate, then?"
"Call private O'Connor," said the general.
"O'Connor, did my daughter pass out on her pony when you were on duty
this morning?" asked the general, as that worthy entered.
"An' indade did she, the blissed crayther," answered the Hibernian.
"Was any one with her?"
"Not a sowl, yer honor, save her own swate self, sure; an', says I, the
Howly Vargin be praised, but if there's a saint in heaven, sure an'
she's that same, her hair stramin' an' her eyes sparklin', a ridin' off
so light an' aisy—"
"Rub down the pony, and put him up," sharply interrupted the general.
Then, addressing his weeping wife, he said,—
"Don't distress yourself, dear; I will go out at once with men enough
to scour the prairies far and near. We shall certainly find her."
As if by electricity, the sad news of the loss of Alice went through
the fortress, and, as if by magic, a force duly instructed, well
mounted, and provisioned so as to be able, if necessary, to remain
through the night, was departing for the search, each member of the
expedition ambitious of being the one to restore the missing girl to
her parents.
As the company left, O'Connor was leisurely grooming pony. A remarkable
insubordination seized the little animal.
Jerking at the halter, and kicking with both hind heels to impart force
to the jerks, and at the same time keep the Irishman at bay, the strap
parted, and pony, at liberty, started after the soldiers.
"Howld, howld, ye baste!" shouted O'Connor, running to head pony off.
And by a short cut getting in front of her, he furiously brandished the
curry-comb.
But pony had a will for once, and a temper, too.
Laying flat her ears, and drawing back her lips, disclosing double rows
of formidable teeth, she made directly for the Celt, as if to eat him.
With a wild whoop Erin fled, pony following, her glistening ivories
within an inch of his pate. The spectators in windows and court,
overcome at the ludicrousness of the rare spectacle, laughed and
applauded, forgetful for the moment of the loss of Alice, till Erin
took refuge in a friendly doorway. Then pony galloped out upon the
prairie, and joined the cavalcade.
That wise and experienced officer, General McElroy, had laid out the
work of hunting up Alice with far-sighted and systematic skill. The men
were divided into squads, each with its distinctive mission, and all to
report often to him. Signals were appointed which would enable the most
widely separated corps to communicate with each other, and with the
commander-in-chief.
How like clockwork is military discipline! In this instance, however,
there was one connected with the expedition irreducible to rules. That
was pony, the volunteer. Defying orders, signals, and the ordained
plan, the bantam steed would proceed in "one" direction, and that
only. He even aspired to lead—the usurper. If the cavalry followed,
how pleased he seemed! If they swerved from the route he preferred, he
would curve and canter up to them, then back to "his" track, neighing
for them to come also.
Pony's mute though eloquent appeals and manœuvres attracted the
attention of Captain Manly. He was a close observer, was versed in
natural history, and passionately fond of good horses. He was aware
that not alone that useful animal, but the dog, the elephant, and
others of the dumb kingdom, frequently exhibit a marvellous sagacity.
Thrusting his spurs into his own beast, he was quickly at the side of
his superior.
"General," said he, making the military salute, "the horse your
daughter rode this morning having, it appears, broken loose from
confinement, is hovering near my men. The little animal acts, I think,
as if it would lead us to some particular locality. It may be a whim of
mine, but I fancy it might not prove amiss to humor the creature, and
see what comes of it."
"Singular, very," ejaculated the gray-bearded veteran, levelling
his glass at pony. "Every movement of the animal is instinct with
intelligence. Do as you please, captain, and if anything turns up,
signalize promptly."
"I have great faith in horses," remarked the captain, on rejoining his
command, to a brother officer. "They differ in intelligence just as men
do. Some are stupid, others acute. Some love their owners, others care
only for the stall mere eye and trencher servants.
"Observe what a sensitive organization has that pony. His nostrils and
ears,—the latter ever in motion, alert for the faintest whisper,—trim
limbs, clear, bright eye, proud, self-conscious carriage,—there's a
world of affection and good sense in that beast. I owe my life to a
horse like that—except that mine was large and powerful.
"It was on the plains. A messenger arrived at our station, stating that
a stage had been attacked by Indians, and imploring relief. Most of my
command had been detailed as escort to an immigrant train; but taking
ten men with me, we hurried to the scene of action.
"The crack of rifles and yell of savages urged us forward, and rounding
a bluff, we were at once on the battle-field. The stage had been
captured, and was filled with Indians, while a redskin sat on each of
the four horses. The fellows, with gory scalps dangling, were enjoying
a ride. Several bodies of dead and wounded whites lay around, while
in the distance, the fight was still raging, showing that some of the
passengers had survived the onslaught.
"I comprehended at a glance how matters stood. The plains, you know,
are all dotted with round hollows, say a dozen feet across, called,
'wallows.' To these, the huge buffalo resorts to roll, covering himself
with a coating of moist earth to rid himself of the lively little
eaters infesting his shaggy hide.
"In one of these buffalo wallows four men had found refuge, their heads
being just visible; and riding dexterously and rapidly in a circle
about them, shooting arrows or fire-arms, were not less than a hundred
and fifty Indians. The cunning copper-faces would keep their bodies on
the side of their ponies away from the white men, making a galloping
breastwork of each horse.
"The danger was that the whites would exhaust their ammunition; then
the rascally savages would show no favor.
"The Indians were between us and the men in the wallow, and the
intervening bluff had concealed our approach. Giving word to charge on
the savages, in order to break through to the rescue of the whites,
whose fire was slackening, we rushed with a cheer to the onset. The
surprise was complete, and at first successful. But perceiving the
handful I had with me, the scattering savages rallied, and assaulted us
with great ferocity.
"An arrow-head struck my arm. The reins dropped. My horse reared;
I lost my balance, and was hurled violently to the ground. Before
recovering from the shock, a savage was upon me to take my scalp.
"Utterly at his mercy, he would soon have finished the job, when, with
a defiant snort, my faithful beast swept up, and seizing my assailant
in her capacious mouth, dragged him over, and trampled him with her
fore feet. How she smote and bruised him! It was a terrific sight.
"I had by this time regained my feet, and remounting, being better
armed, we succeeded in putting the Indians to flight."
"The instinct of the brute is a great puzzle to me," remarked his
comrade, "it is so marvellously quick, subtle, and unerring. It seems,
in certain respects, to surpass reason. There, for example, is the
honey-bee. The honey-hunter repairs to the fields provided with a
little box containing honey. Catching some bees, he shuts them within,
and through the glass top watches till he sees that they have loaded
themselves with the sweet liquid. The insect is then liberated. It
rises in the air, flies round in several widening: circles, till,
having ascertained the direction of its home, it makes directly for
it, the hunter following, sure that if he retains the bee in sight, he
shall find the honey-tree.
"Now, how does the insect—no matter how far or where the hunter bore it
while imprisoned in the box—find out the right way home, and not only
so, but reach it by a perfectly straight, or, as it is termed, 'a bee
line'?"
"The horse will do the same thing," said the captain. "I had ridden
one day forty miles across trackless prairies—an entirely new route to
me. On returning, the sky became overcast, and not having a compass,
I got lost. Giving the reins to my horse, the sagacious animal chose
an opposite course from that I had been pursuing, carrying me across
marshes and streams, and through almost impenetrable thickets, by,
I subsequently learned, an almost mathematically direct line to my
destination. And yet the country was as new to him as to me.
"But see, there are woods! Pony is entering them. Ah, yonder's a river;
and what is this on the bank?" he earnestly exclaimed.
For there lay Miss Alice's hat, containing a few withered flowers, and
near by two partially arranged bouquets!