The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-11-06

| Now know ii alI, erred l. Wv hlle
We were Saddling our horses, Betty told
us Il very stupid story, and in listening
| forgot to tlstcn the second buckle
of course, with such Il leap rs that, the
single girth must have broken, and so
it was not my fault nor my poor Ais,
it was Bcuy's fault, or rather her
storys."
The poor thing grewquite pale and
made all sorts of signs for me to keep
the story to myself. | think my father
would have sent her away at once, odd
though she was, il he had known all
that nonsense. a fortnight later | WAS
my old self again, and whcrcto do YOU
think was my first ride?"
''To the ditch, uncle"
"WelI guessed, boy" And this time
Ali flew over it ncighing aloud, as if he
wanted to say: 1t was not my fault that
You came down the other day. Two
years rode still the same horse, with
out any mishap, and then we brothers
both entered the military academy, and
could have our dearly loved rides or
excursions only on coming home for the
summer vacation. And the horses
growing old, they were at last put in
the carriage, and | think they did not
grumble ut that change When | cot
my patent, l had to buy horse. and
| my father come To town himself To
assist me in the choice Among the
many fine horses we saw, there was Il
very beautiful gray, resembling my old
little Ali | decided on him, and my
father said laughing:
And so you try once more your luck
with gray"
Betty's words came to my mind at
these words. but tie horse was too fine
to give up, and so the bargain was
made, and | sat once more on the back
of a gray, and once more | called him
Ali.
One day, my comrades engaged me
to join them in long ride into the
country; it was winter, and for once
again beautiful day, snow enough and |
no ice; only we had to ride through the |
town, rather disagreeable because of
thepavement. Laughing and chatting, |
we rode off, the horses, all spirited ami
mails, enjoying fresh air, when suddenly
Ali SHE'D at carriage laundering past
us. He fell on the slippery pavement,
and | came down with him; this time
| did not lose my senses. | swung my
self into the saddle again. and rode
home, with a broken arnl-that was all
but at the entrance of the barracks
sat an old gypsy!
From that moment it grew to he my
'crotchet' as you call it, that grays
bring mishaps to me-; nevertheless |
kept my Ali, and many. Il story was
told about us two. am an old man
now, l can say it without vanity, was
the best horseman in our regiment |
did not write home about my accident;
| wis afraid of old Betty: l did not
fancy her rejoicing over her warning
being warning indeed. Whenever |
went out hunting and met gray, |
rode back-and yet | am also thankful
to these grays, for often they prevented
my going on, when turning back was
the right thing to do-many "a rem
devious they have spoilt for me!
Years went by; we changed from one
place to another, till at last we settled
near the watering place, E.. In
galloping for the first time over the
promenade, | met most elegant turn
out of grays; an old gentleman sat in
the carriage, young lady was driving.
| had never seen lady drive like that
and felt enchanted much grace and
loveliness, and yet such mirth sparkled ,
i'll her eyeSat every plunge of her dash
ing horses. | galloped Il little while
ha,. md tha,, | r11n h,.I- |
to enquire who they were. 1t WAS
Count n. and his orphan daughter
hoped to meet her at the next ball.
and | did. She entered, leaning on ,
her fathers arm, more charming than .
l had thought her at first. | was
and as her father knew
mine, he seemed glad to see me, in
vited me to his house, and ere long | ,
was Il daily guest. You can imagine
my happiness. At last the idea of
living out of her presence grew uncn- |
durable, and | thought she, too, was |
glad when we met. One day, after ,
dinner, the old count said:
Laura, YOU could drive out to-day
with Gustav; he must drive well, judg-
ing from his riding"
| bowed, and Laura went to dress.
Meanwhile | determined, the opportu-
nifty being so favorable, to tell her 4
about my love.
The count followed us and lifted !.
Laura into the carriage; | was about to
follow, when my eyes fell on the horses I
they were grays, the same that | had {
seen her driving the first day. {
care we to drive these horses" t
asked |.
care they too spirited for YOU"
said she smiling archly.
Without answering | took the reins,
and drove away. l did not well know {
what to say, the horses had put me out ,
Of humor and my love-making | could t
not begin. Laura, too, was mute, and ;
seemed embarrassed. At last | spoke I
Of the first time | saw her, Of the M
preston her beauty made then, and i
her accomplishments later, and how {
well | loved her
WIS so absorbed by my feelings and /
50 anxious to make them we'll known t
10 her, that quite forgot the horses. t
Only too soon they forced themselves
III my attention in a frightfiIl manner; !
with one wild plunge the fragile car |
riagc was thrown against tree, and
upset. Thank God the frightened t
horses stood still one moment, long |
enough for me 10 spring to their nos l
rils and hold them fast. Ny next c
are was for Laura, she was unhurt; 1
next to see what had started the t
horses. !
An old gypsy was covering, half t
hidden by the bushes on the way side. t
Was it accidental? was it destiny? | :
lon't know t
The carriage was not broken, we |
'ould drive home; but my declaration L
vas broken off and could no more be v