TRAGEDY

WITH people riding horseback so much there were bound to be accidents some — serious, some less so.

Dotha Varker and I were galloping jauntily along one day, when her horse became frightened at something, and reared and jumped to one side. Girls rode "side-ways" on sidesaddles in early days, and were easily unseated. Dotho hurtled from the saddle.

Since Dotha horse's had been so frightened and bolted ahead, I was a short distance behind her.

"I'm hung! I'm hung!" shouted Dotha. Her long skirt had caught on the horn of the saddle, and she was being dragged along the road by the frightened horse.

But her quick wit saved her before I could reach her. She caught at the slight bank at the side of the road with her hands and held fast. The cloth of her riding skirt tore and she was free from the horse. She lay by the roadside, battered, bruised some, and shaken up a bit, but not seriously hurt.

—

Edith Rothrock's experience, falling from her horse, came near being tragic.

She was riding one day, when for some reason she was thrown. Her foot caught in the stirrup, and she was dragged several yards. Her foot finally came free of its own accord, and she was saved from a terrible fate. As it was, she was bruised and scratched by the rocks and rough earth as she was dragged along, but was soon riding again. However, she would never ride a saddle again, sitting her horse "bareback" and galloping over the prairie roads.

—

Then there was the case of Johnnie Campbell.

The Camphells had been married late in life, and ti~is was their only child.

It came time that the little boy niust start to school.

Since the family lived several miles from the schoolhouse and there were no cars, the little lad must ride horseback.

A tame pony was provided for him, and he was very proud to ride a horse like the big boys.

All went well for a time.

On this fateful morning the mother was getting her small son up so as to be early for school.

The father came in from the barn where he had been doing chores just as Johunie was saying his morning prayers by the kitchen fire. He took off his hat and stood with bowed head, while his darling finished his prayer.

The day at school passed happily and at its close some of the oig boys helped Johnnie get his horse ready, then all those children who rode horses started up the road toward home.

All went well for perhaps a half mile, then the children started running their ponies over a stretch of level road. Of course johnnie must run his pony too.

When they came to a turn in the road, Johnnie horse turned off into the by road, and the little boy fell.

Lee Putman picked up the lifeless little form, carried him to a nearby house, where some bachelors lived, and had the blood-stained little face washed and the tiny body lying straight and orderly, when the frantic parents arrived.