The Democratic Whig. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1842-1843, 1842-11-24

castle in the hrst bend OF the path
when / saw her quietly walking he
horse under the trees at a short dis
lance, and The moment after she OBJ
served and came towards me at an easy
canter. 1 bad schooled myself 20
little more self-possession, but / was
not prepared for such an apparition O
splendid beauty as that woman or
horseback. She rode an Arabian bay
Of The finest blood lofty, fiery, match.
less creature, with an expression OF eye
aud noslril which could NOT bat think
a proper PsAdaai to her own, limbed
as | had seldom seen a horse, and bis
arched neck. and forehead, altogether,
proud as a steed for Lucifer. She sal
on him as il il were a throne she was
born to, and the flow Of her riding dress
seemed as much a part Of him as bis
name. He appeared ready TO bound
into the air, like Pegasus, but one hand
calmly stroked his name, and her face
was as tranquil as marble.
"Well met !" she said 81 was Just
wishing for a cavalier What sort oil
a horse would you ike, Mr.. Bergman?
Ellis !" speaking TO her groom) sis
old Curlal taken up from grass 7"
ayes, miladi :"
"Curtail is our invalid horse, and as
you are not very strong perhaps his
easy pace will be best for you. Bring
him out directly, Ellis. Wen just
walk along the road a little way for |
must snow you my Arabian ; aud Wen
not go back to ask mammals psrmis-
sion, for we shouldn't get it f? You
won't mind riding liltle way, will
you ?"
or course / would have besirided a
hippogriG al her bidding, and when the
groom came out, leading thorough
bred, hunter, with apparently very
elastic and gentle action, forgot the
doctor and mounted with great alacri-
ty. We walked our horses slowly
down the avenue and out at the castle
gate, followed by the groom, and after
trying a little quicker pace on the pub
lie road, pronounced old Cural wor-
thy Of her ladyship's eulogium, and
her own Saladin worthy, IL horse could
be worthy, of his burthen.
We had ridden perhaps a mile, and
Lady Caroline was giving me a slight
history Of the wonderful feats Of The
old veteran under me, when the sound
Of horn made both horses prick up
their ears,and on rising little ACTIVITY,
we caught sight of pack Of hounds
coming across the fields directly to-
wards US, followed BY some twenty rel
coated horsemen. Old Curtal aem-
bled an showed a disposition 10 fret,
and observed thar Lady Caroline
dexteriously heightened her own stir
rup and loOssned the belt OF her rid
ing-dress, and the next minute the
hounds were over the hedge, and the
horsemen, leap after leap, after them,
and with every successive jump, my
own sleed reared up and plunged uu-
managebly.
"Iadeed I cannot stand this !" cried
Lady Caroliae, gathering up her reins'
"Ellis! see Mr.. Bergman home !"
and away wentthe flying Arabian over
the hedge with a vault that left me
breathless with astonishrnent. One
minute | made the vain effort to con-
troll my own horse and turn his head in
the other direction, but my strength
was gone. ! had never leaped fence
in my life on horseback, though a toll
cradle rider on the road /; but before J
could think how il was to be done, or
gather myself together for the leap,
Cprtal was over the hedge with me,
and flying across a ploughed field like
the wind-Saladin not far before him.
With a glance ahead | saw the red
coats rising into the air and disappear
ing over another green hedge, and
though the field was crossed in twenty
leaps, l had time to feel my blood run
cold with the prospect Of describing
another pqrabola ia the air, and to
speculate on the best attitude lot a
projectile on horseback. Over went
Saladin like a greyhound, but his mis-
tress's riding-cap caught the wind at
the highest point Of the curve, and
flew back into my face as Curtal rose
on his haunches,snd over [ went again,
blinded and giddy, aud, with the cap
held fiat against my bosom by the pres
sure of the air, few once more at a tre-
mendous pace onward. My feet we're
now plunged to the inslep in the stir
rups, and my back, too weak TO sup
port me erect, let me down on my horses
name, and by one along the skirt
of q rising WOODLAND, could see the
red coats dropping slowly behind
Right before me like a meteor, howev-
er, slreamed back the loosened uesses
Of Lady Caroline, aud Curtal kept
close on the track Of Saladin, neither
losing nor gaining an inch apparently,
and nearer and nearer sounded the