Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1875 — A Bare-Back Rider. [ARTICLE]

A Bare-Back Rider.

Caleb Harris, of Hudson, Mich., bears oil the palm from all competitors in the during and romantic feat of bare-back ridijag. He.left Buffalo on the 7th inst., with two car loads of cows, purchased near Hudson, and destined for the fine dairy farms of Madison County, in this State. In the early part of the evening the long stock train stopped at Fairport, as Mr. Harris supposed, for supper, and he embraced the opportunity to look after the welfare of his stock, which was in the forward end of the train. Finding all in good order he was about returning to the rear of the train when unexpectedly the train started, and so rapidly that he deemed it hazardous to attempt to get on the caboose when it should reach him. Resolved not to be left he mounted the train at the risk of life and limb and commenced walking back to the caboose, whemhe fell and came near sliding off io the ground. He now resolved tb make a virtue of necessity and ride to the next station “on deck.” After braving the storm and cold and wind a few moments he feared he might freeze to death in that exposed position, and, finding a trap-door on the deck of the sheep car on which he stood, he decided to “go below” .and seek more comfortable quarters among his wooly fellow-travelers. Here he was foiled again, for the door, firmly fastened with ice or iron, refused to yield to his attempts to force it open. The only remaining chance was to “ turn in” with his horned passengers snugly stowed away with*' every sitting taken,” as it seemed to aiy observer. It was short, quick work. The scuttldxw'as lifted and he alighted on the back of a frisky young Durham. She objected to his rude intrusion in her quiet coach and commenced to kick. She squirmed and twisted and fidgeted till, finding all her efforts futile, she began to “ bellow.” It was no use. The frightened animal was in a tight place and our hero was master of the situation and fully determined to hold out and to hold on. Time seemed long, but on thundered the train. At length they ar rived in Syracuse, where our friend found a release from his cattle-car “ Pullman,” to the joy no less of his companions in the caboose than of himself, and congratulates himself as the champion bare-back rider of the world, having ridden fifty miles in three hours on the unsaddled back of a cow.—Roch•e*ter(N. F.) Democrat.