Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-06-18
From Peiersoa's National Mdga1tae.
FINDING A HUSBAND.

" Uncle may rido Mio1" said one bright
June morning, as he sat at the breakfast table.
"Ride Milo |"
"Yesl It's such beautiful day."
" But he'll throw youl'
Sc Throw me'' And laughed meirlly and
incrednlously. "Say yes, dear uncle," l con-
tinued coaxingly, " there's no fear and I'm
dying for a canter."
" You'll die of Hanter them" he retorted,
with his grim wit, ''for he'll break your neck.
The horse has only been ridden three times
twice by myself and once by joe"
"But you've often said l was q hettcr rider
than Joc." Joe was the stable boy. "That's
good uncle now do" And l threw my arms
about his neck and kissed him.
knew, by experience, that, when did this
generally carried the day. My uncle tried
to look stern; hut saw he was relenting. lIe
made last effort, however, to deny me.
:" Why not take Dobbin I" he said.
:" "D0bbinl" | cried. q" Old, snail-paced
pobbtn, on such morning rs this. one might
as well ride q rocking g-horse at once"
Well, well, - lie said, " If l must, must.
fou'll tease the life out Of me if Id"T't let
you have your way. / wish yor' get hus-
band, you mink, you're groeiu1 neyord my
CONTROL"
(" IIumph A husband. Well, since you say
so, I'll begin to look out for one to-day
"llell soon repent Of his bargain" said
my uncle; but his smile bclied his words
4" You're as short as pie-crust, if You can't
have your way. There" seeinI l was about
to speak, ago and get ready, while tell Joe
to saddle Milo. You'll set the house attire If l
don't send you off.
Milo was soon at the door, a gay, mettle-
some colt, who laid his ears back as mount
ed and gave me vicious look | did not quite
like.
3" Take care,' said my uncle. " It's not too
late yet to give it up"
was piqued.
"I never give up anything" said.
GO Not even the finding Of II husband, eh 2"
{" No. I'll ride down to the poor-house and
ask old Toby, the octogenarisn panper, to have
mel and you'll be forced to hire Poll Wilkes
to cook your dinners" And as l said this,
my eyes twinkled mischievonsly, for uncle was
an old bachelor, who detested all strange wo.
men, and had an especial aversion to Poll
Wilkes, a sour old maid Of forty-seyen, be-
cause, years ago, she had plotted to entrap
him iuto matrimOny. Before he could reply,
gave Milo his head.
John Gilpin, we are told, went fast but
went faster. II was not long beioi the colt
had it all his own way. AT first tried to check
his speeds but he got the bit in his mouth !
and all could ,lo was TO hold on and trust to
firing him out. Trees, fences and houses went
by us like wild pigeons on tho wing. As long
as the road was clear, we did well enough, but
suddenly coming to a blasted oak, that started
ont, spectre-like from the edge Of u wood,
Milo, SHE'D, twisted half around, and planted
his fore-ieet stubbornly in the ground. ] did
not know was falling, till felt myself In
mud-hole, which lay at one side of the road.
Here was fine end to my boasted herse-
manship! But as the mud was soft, | was not
hurt, and the ludicrous spectacle presented,
soon got tho upper hand OF my yeXation. "A
fine chance have of finding husband, inthis
condition." said to myself, recalling my jest
with uncle. "If / could find some mud dryad
now, and pass myself off fora mud nymph, l
might have a chance" And began TO pick
myself up.
''Shall help you Miss 2" suddenly said a
deep, rich, manly voice.
| looked up, and saw Il young man, the sup
| pressed merriment ofwhose black eyes brought
! the blood to my cheek, and made me, for an
| instant, ashamed and angry. But on glancing
| again at my dress, could not help laughing
| in spite of myself. / stood in the mud al least
six inches above the tops Of my shoes. My
riding skirt was 2lastered all over, so that it
was almost impossible to tell of what 1t was
made. My hands and arms were mud to the
elbows, for had instnctively extended them,
as fell, in order to protect myself.
The Young man, as he spoke, turned to the
neighboring fence, and taking off the top rail,
| he placed it across the puddle, then putting
4
though not without leaving my shoes behind
While he was fishing these out, which he be.
gan Immediately TO do, stole behind the
enormous oak, TO hide my blushing face, and
scrape the mud from my stockings and riding
skirt. had managed to get the first little
cleaner, but the last was still as thick as ever
when my companion mado his appearance
with the missing shoes, which he had scrapeC
till they were quito rrcsentable, and leading
Milo by tho bride.
Pray, lei me see you home," he said. II
| you will mount again, I'll lead the colt; anC
there will be no chance OF his repeating hi
trick"
c could not answer for shame. But when Ii
/ the saddle murmured, something about no
. troubling him."
d "It's no trouble, not the least" he replied
. standing hatin handiille aknightly cavalier, an
y still retaining his hold on tho bride, "and
" really can't let you go alone, for the colt is q
vicious as ha can be, to-day. Look ut his ca
and the red in his eyes. l saw you comm
e down the road, and expected you to be throw
d every minute, till saw how well you rode.-
g Nor would 1t have happened, if he hadn
. wheeled and stopped, like trick horse in Il
n y. circus"
NJ I cansot tell how soothing was this graosf