The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-09-07
Simpsons Ride.
BY BROWNE.

met Simpson few evenings ago, and
he asked me to join him in little fun.
He was dressed to DEATH Had on
boiled piccadilly and rose in his button
hole
Said |, "What's up?"
He twirled his cane gracefully, and re-
piled:
"Circus-want to go along"
or course | did, and told him so.
He went and secured good seats. He
paid the admission fee. He raised the
money by selling his fathers shot gun to
junk-man for old iron.
The performance was decidedly CLASH
cal, but we managed to stick it out.
1t may not be out of place to remark
here that Simpson, like most young men of
to-day, has weak spot. 1t is his knowl-
edge of equestrianism. He boasts of
having ridden Mexican plugs and all sorts
of ill-natured animals.
SO when the ringmaster announced in
stentorian tones that premium of five
dollars would be awarded to the person
who could ride the mule around the ring
three times, Simpson merely turned to me
and murmured
Would you like to go on pic mic to-
morrow?
Eyes," said ].
GAN right" he responded "then I'll
just scoop in that five dollars, and we'll
CO."
thought he was over confident, but
determined not to tell him so, as my bones
were not to be involved.
The ring was by this time pretty well
crowded by ambitious gamins, several of
whom tackled the mule to their sorrow.
Then the ring master spotted Simpson
in his new clothes, and felt proud of hav-
ing such noble-looking young man step
down to tackle the 'tiery and untamed."
Simpson looked complacently, and the
fellows who hoped out of the ring wound
ed smiled maiiciously; but his courage
| didn't forsake him.
The ringmaster looked pleased as the
mule was led up.
Simpson spat on his hands and mounted
the animal, with his legs around his neck,
and his hands clasped tightly into his
| equator.
"Go in, Simpson !" shouted the audience
loudly.
Then the ringmaster snapped his whip,
and the mule started off. So did Simpson
off the mule, head first. He rose, cover
ed with dirt, his immaculate shirt front
smeared with mud his new clothes almost
ruined. But he was spunky.
Don't give up !" screamed everybody.
And he didn't. He mounted the inno-
cent-looking quadruped once more. The
mule ranin everydirection and tried all sorts
| of ways to relieve himself of his burden,
| but in vain. He smiled just as if the five
dollars were in his hand. Then the mule
| stood on his hind legs, and the blood
commenced to rush to Simpsons head, but
he held on firmly until the animal, satisfied
| of its inability to rid itself of its load in
| that manner, resorted to the never-failiny
| trick of rolling.
After Simpson had been rolled on four
or five times, he suddenly remembered that
Old Probs had announced that it would
rain on the following day, and there would
be no use of getting that five dollars, as he
couldn't go on racket in the rain. SO he
| gave up.
He was sight to behold as he walked
out of the tent.
When we got to his house, his father saw
the condition ofhis clothes And he wax
ed wroth. And murmured:
Come hither, my gay and festive off
spring."
And he went.
The old man shook hands with his
ear. And took him into the barn.
On the way down he broke picket off
the fence in very suggestive way.
1t seemed to me that there was an Indian
massacre going on in the barn.
When l met Simpson the next time he
looked as if he felt like clubbing himself
He look as melancholy as superannuated
army overcoat.
II thought you could ride mule,' l
said, playfully. s r
$50 cam" he replied, sullenly, but not
q circus mule"
| believed him.
AN eccentric clergyman lately said in
one of bis sermons that about the common
est proof we have that man is made ofclay
| ia the bricks an often found in his hat