The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1845-02-27
FROM THE BOSTON JOURNAL.
STRAY RECoLLECTIONS OF A
SLEIGH RIDE.
BY SAN SPRAY.

land. his opinion OF sailing, as a sport, was
similar to the one entertained by DR.. Frank
lin Of sleigh riding. With all due respect to
the memory of the learned "Bear,'' it has
always appeared TO me to be an evidence of
long ears for a man TO prefer land travel to a
water trip. However, there may be many
such persons, and rational people too, al
though | cannot understand it. As regards
sleigh riding our Doctor was nearer right
Still as that is a species of sailing, it is not
TO be utterly despised; for if in itself it does
not amount 10 much, it certainly promises a
chance for adventure of some sort. | was
once amused by a trifing incident which
grew out of almost the only sleigh ride ev-
er shipped for. 1t CHANGED some six or sew
en- winters ago.
Frank Foam and myself had just arrived
from Sumatra. His mother lived in Milton,
and an the morning of our arrival he char
tered a clipped horse and a light cutter, for
the trip out and back, giving me a seat along
side of him. 1t was a regular old fashioned
January day; the wind was at that eternal
point, North West, and a shipping and an
eager air. il was. During the first half
hour, although we were running off twelve or
thirteen knots, we made nothing ahead, ex-
cept some few crafts bound for the CITY,
Presently we descried something a little diff
ferent, standing the same way with US. Up
on nearing, il proved to be a dark bronze
colored sleigh with two ladies in it, and a
gentleman (~neatly rugged for winter) on the
front seat; the horse was a bay of giant
frame, and although not handsome, he had a
"go ahead" look about him, a sort of Web
ster expression. Just as we came up, his
driver turned him into a snow drift, 10 allow
a sleigh load of women and children 10 pass,
when he began 10 snort, and the thunder of
his nosfrils started the crows for miles around.
"Weli,n said Frank, "It's not often you
see a pilot boat run ashore 10 accommodate
a 6s~hermau--or a crack Boston concern, like
this, so mindful of the bushwhackers, as to
give every one be meets the whole of the
road. Perhaps he has been luffing and keep
ing AWAY TO try oursaiIing, If SO he has found
a customer"
So Frank laid The string on, and took the
lead. The stranger dropped quietly in our
wake and showed no disposition 10 change
bis position until but sIackened pace con
vinced aim that we were trailing for him,
and were inclined 10 see his leg. He then
spoke TO the ladies', who drew down their
wells, and he saidto bis horse, 1Aray there
And away it was, for no sooner were the
words uttered, than the bay slnck his ears
straight forward like the bowsprit of a pilot
boat, and shot by like an arrowi
"See that fellow make the dust fly," cried
Frank. "Who ever saw such a gait? 'Tis
neither a trot, pace, or rack, bufi a splice OF
the whole-a flush of lightning harnessed in
a snow squall."
Our companion carried all sail for a few
minutes, when he hove TO to shovel out
but started again just as we came up will
him.
When pretty we'll along we found tht
travelled part of the road narrow, sicy ant
curving. There was margin enough or
both sides, but the absence of any tack up
on it, looked suspicious. Here we nude
clumsy-looking yellow sleigh, with exces
sive beam. The horse was Of a dun color
Che seemed done every way) and sieere'
rather wild. Whether this was owing to thu
model of the sleigh, or to the fact that h
had served his time in a New York ferr
boat, we could not determine. He, howev
er, continued TO shuttle along-shen the ba,
came up at a round rate, and was gradual
keeping off TO shave close under his lee.
"You sees said Frank, "the chap wit
the bay keeps his huff on this track-h'
knows the road--two inches more TO the lei
and his trim craft would be bottom up a
mongst breakers"
Just as the bay was in the act of passin!
the lumber-inan smoothly, the dun made
lurch and fell aboard of him. To avoid
capsize, the bay was brought upon the Toa
suddenly, when his gearing caught in til
tackle ofthe other, and the yellow sleigh, i
nag, Jerry Hawthorn and his two sisters, pre-
baby went a little faster for a short time tha
they ever went before! Upon heaving to,
was found that the c0untryman's concer
was a little injured, and clamorous and I
busiye enough he was in his demand f
damages. The stranger, without heedin
him, passed his reins 10 one of the ladie
and seemed intent only upon putting Ii
lumberman in a shape to proceed.
"I say,n said Hawthorn furiously, {
ought TO have some remuneration for th
shaft, which is broke short off; aud [ leave
10 these gentlemen to say whether a doll
is too much. considering the loss of time
mending it, the board of these young ladie
and the risk there was in case my horse h;
= run?n
"Why you land s%culpin," said Frank, 'tf
fault was your own The thunder and ligt
ming horse was doing well enough until yo
drifted down upon him."
A momentary ripple played upon the fac
of the stranger at the uncomfortable idea
the old dun running--but when Frank C ca
ed, he said TO the countryman, with an q