The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1872-02-18
JUVENILE COLUMN.
THE STOLEN RIDE.

that was not his only fault-he was also a
great liar. His father and mother had
often tried to break him of his odious habit
of lying, but in vain. % To obtain a coveted
pleasure, or screen hipself from blame, he
would never scruple to tell a lie.
Alfred was eleven years old, and he had
little brother between two and three years
of age, of whom he was very fond. Eddie
watch at the gate every day about the time
Alfred got home from school until he came.
They lived in the country, and Mr. Martin
had several horses. Alfred liked to ride,
and had pony of his OVID, named Tip. 1t
was black, with a white star on its fore
head and another on one side.
Mr.. Martin had forbidden Alfred to ride
any of the other horses, and as his father
was a very severe man, and would punish
him if he disObeyed him, be was afraid to
mount any of them.
One day Tip fell sick, and for more than
week was unable to trot about. Alfred
leased his father to let him ride Jack or
Melrose, but MIR. Martin refused. One fine
afternoon, as Alfred was coming from
school, he met his father riding in the direc-
| ton of the town.
"Where are yougoing, papa !" he asked.
"To the postofhk," said his father.
"sball you be gone long :" said Alfred:
answered his father. =" Why do you ask I"
- Because should like to go with you.''
"1ou cannot do that, my son." said Mr..
Martin, I" for yonr mother would be uneasy
about you, and have not time to ride back
and tell her. Run home quick, now, Eddi
is waiting at the gate for you"
Alfred turned regretfully away-le want
ed ride. AS he walked along he felt sorry
he had not asked his father to let him sad
die Jack just for once. Eddie stood st the
gate as he came up, and ran to meet him.
Dear little Eddie he had blue ey es and hair
that curled all over his head.
"I's waitin' for 'ou,'' said the little fellow
to his brother. "Papa gone aud mamma
dot a headache-me all alone"
Alfred took his hand and they ran up the
path together. Bidding Eddie wait in the
porch, he went up to his mothers room.
"Mamma," lie said, "can't saddle Jack
and take a rider
"My dear, your father has forbidden you
to do so," said his mother. sJack is very
wild, and might throw you; l cannot let
you ride him"
Alfred knew it was useless to ask further
and he turned away. AS he walked slowly
down the stairs he thought to himself
can go over to the stable myself and get
Jack. Mamma is sick and cannot see me !;
papa won't be home until dark, and can
have good ride by that time. James is off
after the COWS, and he won't see me either.
Then this bad boy hurried out into the
yard, and ran whistling down the garden
the porch.
"Alfred! Alfred!' he cried, "wait for
me-"
This was something Alfred had not bar
gained for. Eddie would tell if he knew,
so he called out:
In the kitchen /; I'll be back pretty seon."
! Eddie ran to the kitchen, and Alfred made
quick haste to the stable. But when he got
| there he could not open the door; it was
locked, and the key gone. On the opposite
eide Of the yard, near the barn, he saw
James mending bride.
| elbows Master Alfred" cried James,
| "what do you want in the stable Z"
| ALI at once q sudden temptation seized
| Alfred, companion to the one that had al
ready entered his soul. He did not pause
to think of the sin, but answered:
| "I want to saddle Jack, father said
might"
| James was a new hostler, and did not
know of Alfred's fault nor his fathers COM
mands. Alfred would have been much bet
| ter pleased if James had not seen him at
all, but as lie had, and as he could not get
| the horse without the mans assistance, he
| made up his niind to have the ride at any
cost, feeling pretty sure that if he were
home in time, and the horse stabbed before
his father came back, No one would ever be
| the wiser. So he called out:
"Won't you come over and saddle the
horse for me, James3'
eyes, 1 WILL" replied James, throwing
down the bride and crossing the yard, "but
don't see how I'll be able to go over to
Squire Thomas's if you take Jack-rd like
to go in the course of an hour or so, your
father wants some oats"
Here is good chance thought Alfred.
"Oh, l promise not to be gone longer
than half an hour, and then you can jump
right on when l get off, and be back by
dark that will be just the thing"
So James opened the stable door and
saddled Jack, who jamped and reared in a
way that was not very pleasant to see.
"Jack's pretty wild TO night" said James.
"1'd be timid about riding him if l were
you"
"Oh. I'm not afraid, James," said Alfred,
" I'm used to him."
Now this was another lie, for he had
never been ON Jack but once, alone, and
then came near being thrown. Just as lie
was mounting, lie saw Eddie running to-
wards him.
HYou're ALWAYS following me- Eddie.':