Page:Peterruggmissing00austrich.djvu/47

Rh career. Accordingly I stepped into the middle of the road, and stretched wide both my arms, and cried, 'stop sir, on your peril!' At this, the man said, 'now Lightfoot, confound the robber!' At the same time he gave the whip liberally to the flank of his horse, who bounded off with such force that it appeared to me, two such horses, give them a place to stand, would check the diurnal motion of the earth. An ammunition wagon which had just passed on to Baltimore, had dropped an eighteen pounder in the road. This unlucky ball lay in the way of the horse's heels, and the beast, with the sagacity of a demon, clinched it with one of his heels and hurled it behind him. I feel dizzy in relating the fact, but so nearly did the ball pass my head that the wind thereof blew off my hat, and the ball bedded itself in that gate post, as you may see if you will cast your eyes that way. I have permitted it to remain there in memory of the occurrence, as the people of Boston, I am told, preserve an eighteen pounder which is now to be seen half bedded in Brattle Street church."