9 6 
SAD ACCIDENT. 
they were climbing the hills that form the water- 
shed between Boulder and Coal creeks, when 
Mr. S. M— — descried a large bird. 
It was hopping along the ground at some dis- 
tance from them, and passed so quickly behind 
a knoll, that he could not determine what it was. 
It might be a hawk, a raven, or possibly an eagle. 
Tossing Mrs. Maxwell the reins, with the in- 
junction to “ drive on,” he sprang down to see 
if he could find out what it might be. The 
horses were slowly toiling up the hill. Mrs. Max- 
well’s attention was riveted to the hiding-place 
of the missing bird. She did not notice that 
after leaving the road for a few moments, Mr. 
S. M had returned to the back of the wagon 
for the gun. Suddenly she was startled by its 
report immediately behind her. Turning her 
head, she saw him reeling to the ground, and 
heard him exclaim — 
“ I shot myself!” 
Her sister was springing up with startled face,, 
and hands pressed to her ears. Quick as thought 
the horses were stopped, and both women sprang 
to the ground and rushed to the wounded man. 
In the dusty road he lay writhing with pain, his 
clothes covered with blood which was gushing 
from his right arm. Quicker than it can be told, 
Mrs. Maxwell was knotting her handkerchief 
around the limb above the wound, he, in the 
