The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-09-17


"Ride Milo!" s
ayes! It's such beautiful day" n
"But he'll throw you.'
"Throw mel" And laughed merrily and
incredulously. "S,y yes, dear uncle"
continued cOuxingly, "there's no fear and I'm
dying for canter."
"You'll die of canter 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 was u better rider
than Joe." Joe was The stable boy. "That
is coed uncle, now do" And threw my
crm about his neck and kissed him.
l knew, by experience, that, when l did
this I generally carried the day. My uncle
tried to look stern; but saw he was relent-
ing. He made last effort, however, to de
ny me.
"Why not take Dobbin!" he said
"Dobbin!" l cried. "Old, snail-pnced Dob
bin, on such morning as this. One might
as well ride rocking horse at once"
"Well, WILL" he said, "if must, must.
You'll tease the lite out of me if don't let
you have your way. l wish you'd get hus.
badd, you mink, you're growing beyond my
control"
'Humph! A husband. Well, since you
say 80, I'll begin to look out for one to day.
"He'll soon repent of his bargQin,'' said
my uncle; but his smile belied his Words
you're as short as pie-crust if you can't
have your way. There" seeing was about
to speak, Ego and end get'ready, while tell
Joe to saddle Milo. You'll set the house
afre if don't send you off"
Mile was soon at the door, a gay mettle.
some colt, who laid his ears back as mount.
ed and gave me vicious look that did not
like.
Take cnre,' said my uncle. "Et's no'
too late to give it up"
was pqued.
81 never give'pp any t:ing,"l said.
"Not even the finding Of husband, eh!"
"No. Iii ride down to the poor house and
ask old Tony, the octogenaran pauper, to
have me; and you'll be forced to hire Poll
Wilkes to cook your dinners"
And as said this, tny eyes twinkled mis-
chicvousiy, fer uncle was an old bachelor,
who detcstcd all strargn women aud held an
especial aversion 10 Poll Wilkes, Il sour old
maid of forty seven, because, years ago, she
= had plotted to entrap him into matrimony.-
! before he could reply, gave Milo his
head ,.... =,
John .Eilpin, we are told went FAST but
went faster, 1t was not Ior 6 before the coll
n had it all his own way. At first tried tc
S check his peed, but he got the bit in his
: mouth, ond all could do was to hold on and
e trust to tiring him out. Trees, fences, and
: houses went by us like wild pigeons on the
{ wing. AS long Us The ro"d W&S clear, WI
II did we'll enough, but suddenly coming to (
q blasted oak, that started ont, spectre like
ID frj'm the edge Of a wood, Milo SHE'D, twisted
y half round aud planted his fore feet stubborn
- ly in the ground. | did not know | was fall
~ ing until felt myself in mud-hole, whic
lay at one side OF the road.
y Here was u fine end to my boosted horse
manship! But, 'rs the mud was soft | wa
not hurt, and the udcrous spectacle | pre-
sented, soon got the upper hand ofmy vexo
ton. "a fine chance have OF finding hus
'e band, in this condition." said to myself, re
Id calling my jest with uncle. "lfl could fin
D some dryad now, and pass myself off for
'e mud nymph, might have chance" An
We I began to pick myself up.
't "Shall help you, Miss!" suddenly said
eF deep, rich and manly voice.
IN looked up, and saw young man, Il
III suppressed merriment of whose black eye
a brought the blood to my cheek, and mad
G. me, for an instant, ashamed and angry
ed But on glancing again at my dress, cou
in not help laughing in spite of myself.
We stood in the mud at least six inches above til
On tops of my shoes. My riding skirt was pa
n, tered all over, SO that it was almost imposs
en- BILE to tell OF what it was made. My han
ne and arms were mud to the elbows, for hi
instinctively extended them, as fell, in Q
- der to protect myself.
all The young man, as he spoke, turned
lie the neighboring fence, and taking off the t.
to rail he placed it across the puddle, then pt
al ting his arm around my waist, he lifted n
nd out, though not without leaving my shoes b
nd bind. While he was fishing these out, whi
ith he began Immediately to do,I stole behiI
Lhe the enormous oak, to hide my blushing fa'
he and scrape the mud from my stockings al
nc riding skirt. had managed to get the fl
m d little cleaner, but the last was still as thi
the as ever when my companion made his
ned pearance with the missing shoes, which
lily had scraped till they were quite presentab
and leading Milo by the bride.
"Pray let me see you hone," he said.
ira. "If you will mount again, I'll lead the CO
ster and there will be no chance of his repeati
ore the trick"
this could not answer for shame, but when
de. the saddle murmured something about 81
pom troubling him.
ed' "It's no trouble, not in the least" repl
hero he standing hat in hand like kniphtly c