Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-06-12
MY FIRST EQUESTRIAN EXPERIENCES
CONTINUED

lcoSTINUED.I
/ did try again vigorously. / performed
the rule action the second time, in spite Of
being told to keep my joints stiffened l got
half way up the side OF tho horse, and clune
to the saddle; there 1 hung like Mahomet's
coffin. l think now that / must have given
the lookers-on the benefit of some frog-Ffke
motions with my lower limbs; for / know /
worked them vigorously before L got to the
saddle. When once there seated myself
triumphantly, pannier- fashion, with my face
toward Uncle Jacks front door, and my right
ear q line with my horses head.
Put your right limb over the pommel"
was Pills next order, with an annoyed look
His face was dreadfully flushed, too; no doubt
the effort of raising one hundred and twenty
pounds, dead weight; and the faultless kid
gloves very much split. 90. ....a no
Now take your rein in your left hand"
proceeded Phil, as he gathered up the reins
which had dropped in my scrambliDg, and
gave them to me.
I" The left hand - exclaimed I. for could
argue if / could not ride horseback, ''why,
that's prepostecous,-as if the right hand was
not much stronger and moro dexterous than
the left
The left hand is the proper one, neverthe-
less" was the cool rejOinder of my companion,
who was being Vexed at the ridiculous aspect
Well, I'll my it; but if do not like it, I
shall certainly use the other,' said /, reso-
lutely.
happened to glance just then at my cham
Der window, AID there was that vixen Of
Jenny peepipg through the blinds, and laugh
ing till the tears ran down her face. She was
gesticalating violently at the same time, and
pointing to my bodice. / looked down, and
found that in my efforts to mount, had broken
of nearly every hook which kept it together
To drop the reins and seize my dress by both
hands was the work of an instant. In the
meantime, the rest Of the party had started
forward. My horse followed in a hard trot, in
spite OF my screaming out ''hO WO now stOp,n
and ali the other phrases in the equine vOcabu-
larry. instinctiyely grasped my dress with
my left hand, while pulled on the reins with
my right, till jerked the curb so hard that
the horse stood on his hind feet
Just then Phil missed me, and looked around.
There was an amused expression ON his face as
he caught sight of me in this comicaI position
Don Z use your curb, Miss Carry he said,
''Old Nick isn't used to it..
"0ld Nick" l exclaimed. I was in de-
spair. He was known as one of the toughest
Most obstinate beasts IN SunInerViIle- But
would not ask to go back. There was a spirit
of endurance in me that would have made me
martyr in the days of the early church So
/ bounded along, rising nearly foot from the
saddle at every step the horse took, till felt
as If flesh and bones were beaten to a Jelly
Sometimes my right hand, sometimes my left
sometimes both my hands. were employed To
hold in my tOrmehter. He seemed to have a
vicious desire to keep half a length ahead of
every other horse of the party.
90 IL he wsuld only canter il would be easier
but he WON'T" said Phil, coming to my side
q feel that, replied L, grasping at my
bodice again; - 1t was very kind of you to pro-
cure me so fine hackney" continued, bit
terly.
Il am very sorry; but you decided to 20 at
90 very late an hour that every decent Horse
in the place was engaged"
All this was said with the comfortable feel
ings of a person whosknew that he was riding
splendidly, and looking supremely handsome
Brown Tom was in the best Of spirits, and went
along in slow, stately gait, his mouth so light
that the tension of the rein did not make a
crease in his master glove. Phil's jocky cap
was set jauntily on the top of his brown curls
and his velvet riding coat was Of the most un-
exceptionable fit.
What contrast 1 presented With what
pins could hnd, managed to stick one here
and there IN my bodice, between the bounccs
of Old Nick, but now it was requiring which
ever hand l was not using to keep nv hat
straight and the hair out Of my eyes. The very
hair that had been so proud Of in its length
and abundance, nearly drove me wild. At last
down il came, and 1 went along bounce,
bounce, thump, thump, till it enyeloped me
like the Lady GOdivss.
After eternity, it seemed to me, we
reached Silver Spring. Never was poor soul
rs glad Of a respite from torture as L was I
attempted TO jump from my horse as saw
others do, but was so stiff and bruised that
pitched headleng, for the second time that
morning, into Phil DaTrah's arms
Mrs. Jones, who expected us had break kfast
ready, and after binding up my hair, determ-
ined not to think Of the return, bat to enjoy
myself as much as possible As for that Aidy
LOOMS, she hoped around like bird, plying
me, aud talking Of the delights Of riding on
horseback at the same time. Phil asked me
TO be helped to q second saucer of straw be rries
but insisted upon her taking more. felt that
my kingdom had departed.
How l dreaded to return home, only the un-
initiated victim Of a hard trotting horse can
tell. When once seated, | thought L should
never be able to move again. / did not trust
TO my skill in mounting from Phil's hand this
time, but got on Old Nick's in the good old or
thOdOX fashion-frOm chair
My return commenced with the old bounce,
bounce, enliyened occasionally with a flap of
the arms, very much like that Of the wings of
q rooster before he crows. At last pot ont of
all patience, and taking the whip, which had
hung on the crutch Of the saddle, not knowing
how 10 hold it and my horse too, gave Old
Nick half dozen cuts, as hard as NV strength
and temper would let me lay on. The beast
gave spring, put his head down between his
fore feet, 1 thought, and was off 1 was
charmed with the experiment, the gait was so
easy, and shouted back in my triumphant de-
light to those had left. never looked
around, but heard the clatter OF horses feet
behind me for awhile, and hen pleased my
self fwith the idea that | had distanced them
all
On and on went Old Nick and myself, occa-
sionally laughing in my delight at the rapid
motion and easy pace, and giving the animal
cut if found any indication of tagging Wo-
men and children rushed out of cottages at our
approach, and the men working in the fields
threw down their implements and hurried to
the roadside. But what cared Old Nick and
for their admiration? How we gloried in our
wild huntsman gallOp, and how stirringly the
fresh morning air whizzed through our ears
/ took no heed of the way, for philosophical
ly concluded that my horse knew it better than
myself, ard on we went.
At last noticed that we had left the high
road, and turned up n narrow lane. had not
time 10 wonder AT our whereabouts, when, in
the midst Of his full career, Old Nick stopped,
with his head over fence. He nearly bad
me over il too. The shock was aEfHl and I
fOund mysolf al ofTf ha Idle m ha ton