Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-09-04
EVENING STAR.
RIDING TO A PARTY.
PASSAGE FROM TIE DIARY OF A SOCIETY MA
Thouoht the narties uars ovox. -. -:

Thought the parties were over; was mis-
| taken. On my return from Philadelphia found
an invitation from Mrs. Bobtell TO a sort Of
evening fete champetre. Bobtells live at Hiah
| Bridge. Thought what a lark it would be To
| ride out on horseback and come home rather
gay in the morning. large party were going
from the Blimmins in an omnibus they had
chartered. Mrs. Blimmins told me she would
be very happy to give me seat said was
going out on horseback; said she was afraid
I'd find it fatiguing; replied in a noncbalant
| sort Of way that thought nothing of riding
to High Bridge; that / was devoted to riding,
dc and reflected with what satisfaction d
enjoy passing the Blimmins's old omnibus in
cavalier, knightly sort of manner, on a high
| mettled steed. Jim Brown made me the
tempting offer to take me in his buggy, but
adheriDg to my first determination, walked
| up to DIckels's to procure horse. Don't pro-
fess to any great proficiency in the art now
used to be perfect Franconi few years
since. What man is there who used not to do
great many things a few years since so much
| better than he can now! 81 used to be q
| great dancer some three years ago." says
Smith; got out of the way of it lately" 81
was pretty fair hand at whist once" says
| Brown; very much out of practice now"
,, - used TO play frst-rate game of billiards
Two years ago, says Jones; falling off very
much lately" So it was with me in respect to
| horsemanship-uSed to ride like an Arab
fallen off very much lately. 1 forgot-I walk
cd 10 Dlckelss; told his man l wanted nice
looking, quiet horse. Don't want a spirited
horse exactly" said I, "but decent nag,
rather gentle, as L hav'nt ridden much late
| ~" Dick. fotch out Eupheemy," says
Dickels's man. So Dick fetched out Euphee-
| my. "Them's as slick little possum as ever
| bit oats, and as kind as a weasel" says Dick,
| patting Eupheemy's neck. But Eupheemy
| threw her head back and reared on her hind
| legs, jerking Dick almost off the ground. I'm
| afraid she's lot perfectly gentle" says L
she has rather wicked look" '0h, that's
| the nature Of the beast-she don't mean nuth.
in by that; it's only a trife playful, ye see
and she's always lcetle excited when she
| sees gents but there arn't kinderer chicken
| In the barn. when ye knows her." says Dick
| WE'LL" says L, 81 guess she'll do; bring
her down to the Gotham Hotel, private en-
trance, by o'clock this evening" So went
home to dress, put on a pair of straps to keep
my pants down; and when o'clock came,
walked to the door. slapping my stiff legs with
a riding whip, as though L was an old hand
There stood Eupheemy as fresh and sleek as
though she'd just received a coat of varnish
| Gave Dick quarter, and took hold Of the
| bride; Eupheemy straightway described
circle from me as the centre, Jerking her head
| violently back ell the while. al can't hold
her, says L. "She sees that ere whip"
says Dick I" Oh ah true forgot the whip.''
DO put the whip up my left sleeve. Dick
held her by the bride while L put one foot in
the stirrup; swung into tho saddle quickly
but Dick had scarcely let go the bride, when
away went Eupheemy drifting sideways down
Waverly Place. She brushed rue by load
| Of hay, drifted against a lamp post, and end
| cd by planting her fore paws upon the side
walk before stopped her; then got my
other foot In the stirrup, and began to feel Sc
cure.
Turned her into Fifth Avenue; Eupheemy
SHE'D banner a Sunday school procession
was carrying, and burst one of my straps coz
! sequently left with one stiff and one timber
leg-feellng more unsteady and one-sided
| than ever-astonished to find how much L had
lost my riding; found it essential to keep
Eupheemy in walk so long as she walked,
kept straight back and set very well
met several ladies 1 knew; bowed to them
| every time bowed the vexatious beast would
| Prick up her ears and go off on q trot. The
saddle was very uncomfortable; didn't seem
to have any stufing. Got along pretty de-
| GENTLY till reached the reservoir, where three
little boys called out something, which L
| didn't distinctly understand; think they said
! something about a "milishee dragoon;" sup
posed it was well meant; thought I'd make
friends with them, and asked if the Avenue
< UoS SIOSSU pDiUJlUR 10 WQere
there seemed to be rough fence. "Guess it
are," says one. "They don't let Shanghais
with mustachers through" says another
" Amt you a nice looking duck, a ridin' that
broomstick," says the third. Felt outraged
| and swOre a little at the trio one of them re-
| piled by throwing clamshell, which cut Eu-
| pheemy upon the nose, and off she went like
! sky rocket There was no holding her in /;
| she ran two miles at least managed to keep
her clear of everything; everybody looked at
me passed the Blimmins party in the omni-
| bus the men all called out to me the young
| ladies looked out of the windows and laughed;
passed great many knew, and laughed :;
no one pitied me- for L was really in danger
though no one knew it; both feet clear of the
stirrups; only kept my seat by sitting side
ways and holding on before and behind to the
saddle in that graceful position rode till Eu-
| pheemy showed signs of giving out, and at
length, after shaking my vitalS well, and ia
king my gasping breath away by hard trot
that followed the run, she tapered of into a
walk, her side glowing with the heat (the
two mile heat, L mean The perspiration
was rolling down my face; my collar was
thawed out; the dignity of starch was gone :;
cravat undone and hanging loose three vest
buttons snapped off shirt bosom open a
beautiful enameled stud gone; both panta-
looms straps burst pantaloons reefed up close
to my knees; an isthmus of linen between the
pantaloons and vest, former having taken an
informal leave of the latter; hair topped about;
back disjointed: spinal column coming
| through. In this condition, feeling myself
the most miserably wretched and dislocated
of mortals, in the bitterness of despair what
! should / hear but the wheels Of the hateful
BIimmins's omnibus overtaking me; hadn't
the strength to whip up and keep ahead of
them; felt myself completely run down, and
| coolly waited for them to drive up, which
| they very soon did and Mrs Blimmins cried
out to know if l was hurt, and wonder whether
l hadn't better get down and ride with them
" fear you can't hold that hore, Mr.. -"
| says Mr.. b f, g he looks vicious" In my ex-
hausted state L could hardly reply, particu-
larly as just then Eupheemy had got back
into her horrid jog-trot, and was bouncing me
up and down like an India rubber ball In
vain jerked out spasmodically that was
"having a ve-ve-r-y n-i-i-ce time I" felt
what a ridiculous object l must be, and that
Mrs Blimmins and her whole party were
1 - III IL