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

nephew, who with great seriousness ar
ranged the chessmen. AT last he said
"Charles, you seem to be distracted
tonight"
"Why so, uncle?"
"You put the white chessman on my
side
Il beg your pardon, uncle, forget
This crotchet of yours"
"sCrotchet,' why 'crotchcty 1 have
my reason for it.
May | hear them?'
81 lose with the white chessmen."
"Why! uncle, for six years we have
played this game every night. You
always have the black chessmen, and
you rarely win"
MY child, if | had the white chess
men never win"
:" Uncle, this is crotcbet."
Maybe! Attention: Check to the
queen"
"Uncle, do you know why + don't go
to Wilson's, to-night?'
"Well?'
1T is a CROCHET of mine"
For shame Charles! Do not scoff
at thing which has broughtsorrow and
pain to thine uncle"
Sorrow and pain! I-never knew
that. Please tell more of it."
Not tonight"
Il lost the queen; you see | can not
play tonight, so tell me all about that
sorrow of Yours"
Well, may it prove lesson to you.
But first light cigar and make your
self comfortable; my story is long
one. l have to begin with my child
hood, and you know, when old folks
are talking about their youth, they
never know when to stop-things were
much better in those days. Young
men never stayed away. from ball
then, unless they had fought duel
and got wounded-you see / am al
ready beginning to digress. Now
listen to my story:
You know that your poor father and
myself had been wild boys, and in lat
ter days were wild young men. As
matter of course, we had been perfect
horsemen at the age of eight, and |
must say the happiest, though most
dangerous moments of my life | spent
on horseback. | had an Arabian gray
which | had trained myself, and won
great admiration for 1.-THE horse
guessed my slightest wish, but | also
watched and studied him night and
day. One day us we were saddlingour
horses, which we always did ourselves
your father owned beautiful chest
nut-our old nurse came 10 look In.
She caressed Ali, that was my horses
name, and suddenly said.
"AIaster Gustav, why do you ride
only Alp"
because ] like the horse, and
until to-day you seemed fond of him,
too"
"Yes-but since yestSrday."-
"Well did he bite or Kick"
"No."
"What, then, has happened?'
eff | tell you you will Taught at
me-"
Our curiosity was excited, and we
both promised not to laugh if she
would only tell her story, and so she
said that she had, the day before, seen
an old gypsy who had met lis riding in
the wood. Betty wanted to have our
fortune told, and the old bag prophe-
sled happiness TO both of us, only l
ought to beware of grus.
With shout of laughter we sprang
into our saddles and galloped off, heed
less of the screams of poor old Betty.
After a two hours ride we came to Il
deep ditch. Your father halted and
said.
"What do you think? are our horses
too tired to risk the leap?"
GLOW can you ask" was my answer.
'Iook at Ali pricking his ears"
We rode back, brought the horses
into a gallop. Ali lifted himself and
leaped. At the same instant an awful
pain shot through my head, and, i
lost my senses. When l opened my
eyes again, | was lying in my bed, and
our mother was standing over me,
putting something on my head |
touched it, it was bound up; / wanted
to get up, and was held back bv the
strong hand of the doctor, who stood
behind.
GAY. ay! all alive" he exclaimed
"look at him heroness, and mind the
proverb: III weeds grow apace"
Tears glistcned in her little eyes.
'Does not his mind wander" she
asked in whisper.
"God forbid. Look, his eyes are
clear as ever"
| felt so bewilcred, looking from
one to the other; at last | asked what
was the matter with me.
"What Is the natter" said the
doctor, laughing; Ali threw YOU, in a
ditch you were found lying, You had
fallen on ii stone, hcad-forcmost, CASH
ing your head in three places, and for
fourteen days these are your first sen
slble words. But now" he added in IA
serious tone, keep still, do not talk
for ! had opened my mouth for a
question must not talk till come
again, this evening, and he must take
nothing but broth, nothing but broth"
with this he left, and ! fell asleep.
When awoke again it was evening,
and the whole family, old Betty in
Guided, assembled to wish joy on my
recovery. Our father delivered Us
boys Il sermon on carelessncss and rcck-
ess riding; he even threatened to sell
1ur horses. As | felt quite well and
lad no fever, was allowed to describe
ny last impressions before losing my
enscs. When | had finished, your
athcr continued, saying:
As we rode close together and Icapcd
II the same time, could not see Gustav
all, only caught Il glimpse of Ali
Without saddle or rider. Both were
wing in the ditch. paIlopcd home TO
ctch some people, rs WAS too weak TO
lclp him out.
Well, boys said my father, 4