True stories of old Houston and Houstonians: historical and personal sketches / by S. O. Young. Page: 36

36 TRUE STORIES OF OLD
character changed, as if by magic. He gave one mighty leap
at the crack of that gun and spilled everything but me out of
the gig. It was the funniest leap you ever saw. He went
fully 20 feet and when he lit he came down on his hind legs
and ran 20 feet further on his hind legs just like folks. Then
he made a mighty plunge, lowering his head Just as if he were
going to turn a somersault. When he did that he snapped one
of the reins off close to the bit. Evidently thinking that he was
free, he began a series of the-most disgraceful antics, and at
times I really believe he thought of getting in the gig with me
and riding home. His conduct was scandalous. Then he suddenly
changed his mind, gave up his circus performance and
bolted in dead earnest.
There was water and mud everywhere, and he threw up tons
of both, it seemed to me, at every plunge he made. If the
concern had had four wheels he would have smashed up things
and made his escape, but being a.two-wheel concern it could
turn as rapidly as he, and did so. When he settled down to
ever running I began to pull on the one rein, for I did not want
to run clear out of the county and leave Connell there. His
horse made a bee-line for home the moment he found himself
loose.
My horse completed one of thermost graceful curves that was
ever made on that prairie and was just beginning to make
another near where we had started when some ducks flew
over, and Connell took a shot at them. That settled everything.
My horse became absolutely frantic. He whirled round first to
the right and then, changing his mind when he found himself
facing Connell and his gun, he gave a mighty leap, and it seemed
to me, in two different directions at the same time. The result
was that I was thrown out of the gig into a mass of mud and
water, and the horse was free. There was a terrible splashing
of water and mud as that horse passed me. He had the gall
to take a good look at me before leaving for good and I fancied
I could see him grinning. The next moment he was headed for
Hockley at a gait that would have won him fame and renown
had he been on a race track. As he departed I made a horrible
discovery. There was that thousand-dollar dog of the captain's
tied fast behind a gig being dragged at an incredible speed
through mud and water, right into the captain's presence. Connelf
and I got together and held a consultation. We watched
the horse and dog approach Hockley and to our consternation,
just as they got to the railroad crossing a freight train blew
its whistle and that fool horse took fresh fright. Instead of
stopping at home, as he evidently intended doing at first, he
took a fresh start, passed clear through the town and the last