The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-07-27

pY PrCaY MOI EHEAD.

pr prCoY MoaEHEAp.
Uncle, may I ride Milo ~ I said one
bright June morning, as he sat 1t the break
last table
Ride Milo!''
les! It's such beautiful day
But he'll throw you'
! Throw Inc And | laughed merr1ly
incrcIuloasly Say yes, dear uncle
1ontinuel, coaxinglv, there IL no fcar
and Im dying for q canter."
"Nou'li die Of canter them he rctort-
| O., with his grim wit, '.for he'll break your
heck. The horse has only been ridden three
times, twice BY myself and once By JOE
But you've often sAid was bet ter RI
der than joe" Joe WAS the stable boz.
That's a good uncle, now do" And |
| thew my arms about his neck and kissed
| him.
this generally carried the das. Nv un-
Gle tried to look stern but | saw he was
relenting. lie made last effort, however,
TO deny me.
Why not take Dobbin o. he said
Dobbin" cried. "Old, snail -pae.ng
Dobbin, on such morning ~ this. Tine
might as well ride rocking horse at once"
Well, vel, " he said, il must, must.
You'll tease the life our If me II don't let
you have your way. | wish you'd get
husband, you mink, you're growing beyond
my CONTROL
Hlmph, A husband. Well, since you
say 50, LII begin to look out for one to-
day"
Hell soon repeat Of his bargain,' said
my uncle; but his smile bclicd h,I words.
{ Your a, short a pie-crust, II you can't
have your way. There" seeing was
about To speak, ..go and get ready, while
tell Joe to saddle Milo. You'll set the
house aiire II don't send you off,"
Milo was SOON at the door, gay, met
tlcsonc colt, who laid his ears back ~ |
mounted aud gave me a vicious look l did
not quite like.
Take care" said my uncle, ''i,'s not too
late yet to give it up"
was piqucd.
Il never give up anything" said.
Not even the iii.i Ling VI husband,
eh p
No. Ill ride dowa 10 the poor house
and ask old Tony, the octcgcnarian paupcr,
10 have me and you'll bc forced 10 hire
Poll Wilkes To cook your dinners" Aud
as said this, M eyes twinkled mischicyous-
iy, Tor uncle was an old bachelor, who de-
tested all strange women, and held an cspe-
eial aversion 10 Poll Wilkes, a sour old
maid Of iorty-Scven because, years ago, she
had plotted 10 entrap Linn IN matrimony---
before he could reply, gave Milo his head
John Uilpin, we are told, went fast but
went faster IL was not long before the
colt had II all his ownway. At first tried
10 check his speed but lac got the bit in
ais mouth, and all could do was to hold
On and trust 10 firing him out. Trees, fen
ocs aud house, went by u like wild pigeons
On tic wing. As long a, tho road was clear
sc did well enough, but suddenly coming TO
blasted YAK, that started out, spectre-likc
ircm the edge OF u wood, Milo shicd, twisted
lali around, and planted hls fore iect stub
bornly In the ground. l did not know I
was falling, till is.t nysclf in mud hole,
which lay At one side VI the road.
Here was line end 10 my boastcd horse
naaship. But as tue mud was soft, was
not hurt, ard the lud,cruu- spectacle l pre-.
.cntesi, soon got the upper hand vi my vex-
alton, A Tine chance ! have of finding a
husband, IN tnls condition" said 10 myself,
recalling my jest with uncle If could
and some mud dryad now, aud pass myself
III for mud nympn, might ha,. a chance"
And began 10 p.cA myself up.
shall help You, Miss =" suddenly said
deep, rich, manly voice.
locked up, and saw a young man, the
suppressed naerrimeat Vi whose black eve,
brought the blood 10 my check, and made
me, tor an instant, ashamed and angry. But
On CHANGING again at my dress, could not
.eip laughln. In spite ot myself stood in
the mud At least six inches above the tops
ID my shoes. Ny riding skirt was plastercd
all over, so that II was impossible 70 tell Of
what il was made. NJ, hands and arms
we're mud to the elbows, for had in,tinc-
lively extended them a. fell, in order to
protect myself
The young man, As be spoke, turned to
the neisLborng fence, and taxing of the top
ran Ae placed u across the puddle, then put
ting his arm around my waist, hc lifted me
5ut, though not without leaving my shoes
behind While he was fishing these out
which he began Immediately t. do, stole
behind tue encrmoui oak, To hide my blush
ING lace, and scrais the mud from my stock
lns, and riding SKIRT. had Inanaged TO get
the FIRST little cleaner, but the last was
still ~ thick A. ever, waca mv cuml,anion
made his appearance with the missing shoes,
which he had scrapcd till they were quite
prescniaLle, and leading Milo By the birdie.
Pray, let me see YOU home, lac said,
=" IL yau will mount again. IN lead the colt;
and there will be m chance of hl. repeating
his tricks"
] could not answer iof shame, but when
IN the saddle mnrrnarel something about
u not troubling him.
"lt's no trouble, not the least, hc replied
standing hat in hand Ike knightly eava-
iicr, and still retaining his bold OF the bride,
aud can't really let You 60 alone, COR the
colt Is as vicious a. hc can be to day. Look
at his cars and the rel Va his eyes saw
YOU coming down the road, and expected
YOU 10 b. thrown every minute, till | saw
now well you rode. Nor would il have
happened, il he hadn't wheeled aud stopped,
like trick horse in the circus"
! cannot tell how soothing was this grace
ful way Of excusing my nishap. stole n
glance under my cyclids, at the speaker, aud
saw thata he was very handsome and gen
tlcinanly, and apparently about six and
twenty, VI several years older than myself
had hoped that uncle would DC out in
in the fields, overlooking the men; but ~
We entered the gate, saw him sitting, pro-
vokingiy, ut Ga" open window; and By the
time had sprung To the ground, he came
cut, his eyes brim full Of mischief I did not
dare 10 stop, but turning to my escort, said,
Ny uncle, air, Won't YOU walk in and
then rushed up stairs.
In about half an hour, Just A. had dress
cd, there was knock at my door, INV un-
clcs knock, could not but open. lie was
laughing a low, silent laugh, his portly body
shaking oil Owes with suppressed mcrriment.
"Ah. ready at last" he said. II began
to despair Of You, you were 80 long, and
came 10 hasten you. He's waiting In the
pArlor STILL he said, in malicious whisper.
" You've my consent, for like him hugely,
only who'd have thought Of finding hus-
band in mud puddle
Islippcd past my tormcntor, prcfcrring to
lace even my escort than 10 run the gaunt.
let of unclc's wit and was soon gtammcr.
ing my thanks to Mr.. Tcmpleton, Tor q
such my uncle, who followed me down. in
troduced him.
10 make short OF what else would lie a