The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1857-1858, 1857-08-05

Nv FRCGv ,aoarsanAra

20! bWCu y O0NutlI0l 0WY.
"But he'll throw yonl"
Throw mel" And | laughed merrily m
incredulously. "Say yes, dear unclels
continued coaxingly, 'thers is no fear an
I'm dying for y canter."
"You'll die of q canter," he retorted. Wit
bic grim wit, ''for he break your neck
he horse has only been ridden three time
twice by myself and once by joe"
But you've often said was q better r
deA than joe" Joe was the stable bow
Thatsa good uncle now doY'. And
threw my arms about his neck and kisse
him
knew by experience that when / di
this generally carried the day. Nv uncl
tried to look stern, but saw he was relen,
ing. lie made last effort, however to den
me-
why not take Dobbin?' he said.
Dobbin!' | cried. "Old snaiLpacin,
Dobbin, on such o morning as this On
might as well ride rocking horse at once.
"Weil, well, he said "if must must
You II teaze the life out of me i'll don't le
you have your own way. | wish you'd &c
my coutrol."
/ "Humph! A husband Well since 70,
say 50, III begin to look out for one to day.
sHe II soon repent Of his bargain sale
my uncle; bnt his smile belied his words
y on re as short as pie-crust if you cam
have your way. There, sssing was abou,
to speak, "go and get ready while tell Joe
to saddle Milo You'll set the house on fire
If don't send you off,
Milo was soon at the door, a cav, mettle
some colt who laid his ears back, as mount.
ed and gave me vicious look did not quite
like - '''N
"Take care" said my uncle, cts not too
late yet to give it up"
j was piqued
Il never give up anything" said
Not even the finding Of a husband, ehp
NO: Ill ride down to the poor house and
ask old Tony, the octogenarian pauper to
have me; and you'll be forced to hire Poll
Wilkes to cook your dinners" And as l
said this, my eyes twinkled mischievously,
Tor uncle was an old bachelor, who detcst-
ed all strange women, and held an especial
aversion to Poll Wilkes, a sour old maid of
forty-seven because, years ago, she had plot
ted to entrap him in matrimony. Before he
could reply, gave Milo the rein.
John Gilpin we are told, went fast; but /
went faster. 1t was not long before the colt
| had it all his own way. At first l tried to
check his speed; but he got the bit in his
mouth, and all | could do was to hold on
and trust to firing him out. Trees fences
and houses went by us like wild pigeons on
the wing. As long as the road was clear we
ana well enough, but suddenly coming to a
blasted oak, that started out spectre like from
the wood, Milo SHE'D, twisted half around
and planted his fore feet stubbornly in the
ground. did not know was falling, till
ieit myself in mud hole, which lay at one
side of the road.
Here was fine end to my boosted horse
manship But as the mud was soft, | was
not hurt and the ludicrous spectacleI pre-
scented, soon got the upper hand Of my vexa-
tion "a fine chance have Of finding hus-
band, in this condition, said to myself, re-
calling my jest with uncle aIfI could find
some mud dryad now, and pass myself of for
mud nymph, might have a chance" And
l began to pick myseV up
shall I.help you Miss suddenly said a
deep, rich manly voice
looked up, and saw Young man. the
suppressed merrimcnt of whose black ewes
brought the blood to my. check, and made me
Tor an instant ashamed and angry. But on
gancing again at my dress, could not help
laughing IN spite Of myself stood in the
mud at least six inches above the tops Of my
shoes, My riding skirt was plastered all ov-
er, SO that it was impossible to tell ofwhat it
was made My hands and arms were mud
to the elbows, for | had instinctiyely extern
ded them as fell, in order to protect my
self
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
ms arm around my waist, he lifted me out |
though not without leaving my shoes behind |
While he was fishing these out, which he be-
gan Immediately to do stole behind the O.
normous oak, to hide my blushing face, and |
scrape the mud from me- stockings and rid
ing skirt. had managed to get the first a
little cleaner, but the last was still as thick
as ever, when my companion made his ap-
pearance with the missing shoes, which he
had scraped till they We're quite presentable
and leading Milo by the bride
Fray, let me see you home he said, "If /
you will mount again, LII lead the colt, and
there will be no chance Of his repeating his
tricks
could not answer, for shame, but when
In the saddle murmured something about
mot troubling him.
Its no trouble not in the least" he replied
standing hat in hand like knghty cavalier
and still retaining his hold on the bride,
and | really can't let you 60 alone, for the
colt is as VICIOUS as he can be to day. Look
at his ears and the red in his ewes saw
you coming down the road, and expected you
to be thrown every minute, till saw how
we'll you rode. Nor would it have happen
ed, if he hadn't wheeled and stopped like
trick horse in q circus"
l cannot tell how soothing was this grace
Iul way of excusing my mishap. stole
glance under my eyelids, at the speaker, and
saw that he was very handsome and gentle
manly, and apparently about six and twenty
'r several years older than myself
| had hoped that uncle would be out in the
ieids, overlooking the men but as we entered
he gate, saw him sitting provokingly, at
he open windew; and by the time l had
sprung to the ground, he came out his eyes
'rim full OF mischief did not dare to stop )
tut turning to my escort, | said .sMy uncle,
ir, won't you walk in. Z and then rushed IN 1
tairs.
In about half an hour, Just as had dress |
a, there was knock at my door, my uncles !
mock, l could not but open. He was laugh
nc a low silent laugh, his portly body shak-
ne all over with suppressed merriment.
= Ali ready at last, he said. 81 began to
y |
0 hasten you. He's waiting in the parlor
till he said in malicious whisper you've b
ny consent, for like him hugely, only who'd 9
ave thought of finding husband in u mud n
uddlc" &
slipped past my tormentor, preierring to
ice even my escort than to run the gauntlet $
my uncles wit and was soon stammering
~ thanks to Mr.. Templeton, for as such nv Il
ncle, who followed me down introduced q
i'm. i
To make short Of what else would be long
ory, what was said in jest turned out to
e in earnest; for in less than six months in
lat very room, stood up to become Mrs. .
empleton. How it all came about hardly = y
now but | certainly did find husband on :,
at day. Harry, for that is the name by :,
hich call Mr. Templeton, says that en- "a +,
red the parlor so transformed, my fight d.
ue tissue floating about me SO like q loud :
reath, my checks SO rosy, my eyes 50 light
v curls playine such hide-andseak aho,A