Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-08-09
THE Il Err A Id
Lovers at First Sight.
. ny PIGGY MoREHEAp.

but ne III tnrOW you.
Throw me = and | laughed merri.
" aud incredulously. Say yes, dear
uncle continued, coaxingly;'ther
no fear, and I'm dying for canter.'
sYou'n die on can ter, thsn. The re-
torted. with his grim wit, for he'll
break your neck. The horse has on
" been ridden three times-twice by
m yself and once by Joe.'
but you've often said | was bet
ter rider than Joe.' Joe was the sta
BILE boy. That's good uncle, now
do and Threw my arms about bis
neck, and kissed him.
knew by experience that when |
did this I generally carried the day.
Nv uncle tried to look stern but l
saw he was relenting. He made a
last effort to deny me.
sWhy not take Dobbin?' he said.
.Dobbin I cried sold snail-pacod
Dobbin, on such morning as this !
One might as well ride rocking
horse at home.'
swell, well, be said, If | must,
must. You'll tease the life out OF me
il don't let you have your own way.
/ wish you'd get husband you
mink you're growing beyond my
CONTROL
.Humphl q husband | Well since
you say so, I'll begin to look out tor
one to-day.
sHe'lI soon repent of his bargain,
said my uncle but his smile belied
his words. You're as short as pie
crust. if you can't have your own
way. There seeing was about to
speak, go aud get ready, while l tell
Joe to saddle Milo. You'll set the
house afire if don't send you off.
Milo was soon at the door--a gay,
metilssome colt, who laid his ears
back as | mounted, and gave me
vicious look | did not quite like.
Take care, said my uncle. It's not
too late yet TO give 1t up.
/ was piqued.
Il never give up anything, L said.
Not even the finding ola husband,
oh p
mo. m ride down to thu poor
hoas and ask old Tony, the octo-
gen rian pauper, to have me ; and
you'lI be forced to hire Poll Wilkes
10 cook your dinners And as
said thia, my eyes twinkled mischiev'
ously, for uncle was an old bachelor,
who detested all strange women, and
held an especial aversion to Foil
Wllka--a sour old maid of forty
seven-because years ago, che had
tried TO entrap him into matrimony.
Before he could reply, | gave Milo
his head.
John Gilpin, we are told, went
fast but went faster. Ii was not
long before the COLI had it all his own
way. At first I tried to check bis
speed, but he got the bit IN his
mouth, and all | could do was TO
hold on and trust to firing him
out. Trees, fences and houses went
by like wild pigeons on the wing.
As long as the road was clear we
did we'll enough; but suddenly COM
ing to a blasted oak, that started
out speotre>like from the edge of the
wood. Milo SHE'D, twisted halt
round, and planted his fore-feet
stubbornly in the ground. l did
not know | was falling, till | felt
myself in a mud-hoIe which lay at
one sids of the road.
Here was fine end to my boast
ed horsamanshipl But as the mud
WAS soft / was not hurt, and the
ludicrous spectacle | presented
soon got the upper hand OF my
VoxatiOn.
"A ine chance | have of finding
a husband 10 this condition., | said
TO myself, recalling my jest with
nv uncle. If | could find some
mud dryad now, and pass myself
off for. mud nymrh, | might have
. chance And / PECAN to pick
myself up.
shall L help you Missr sudden
" said rich, manly voice.
looked up and saw young man,
the suppressed merriment OF whose
bright eyes brought the blood to my
cheek. and made me for an instant
ashamed and angry. But on glanc.
ing again at my dress, could not
help laughing in spite of myself. !
stood 10 the mud at least six inches
above the tops of my shoes. My
riding skirt was plastered over, SO
that it was almost impossible to tell
of what it was made. My hands and
arms were mud to the elbows, for !
had instinctively extended them as
fell, in order to protect myself.
The young man, as he spoke,
turned to the neighboring fence, and
taking the top rail, he placed it across
the puddle; then putting his arm
around my waist, he lifted me out
though not without leaving my shoes
behind While he was fishing these
out, which he began Immediately to
do, stole behind the enormous oak
TO hide my blushing face, and scrape
the mud from my riding skirt.
pray let me see you home,' be
said. 'If you will mount again, III
lead the colt, and there will be nc
chance OF his repeating his trick
I could not answer for shame, bu
when in the saddle murmured some
thing about mot troubling him.
It's no trouble, not the least h'
replied, standing hat in-hand like ;
knightly cavalier, and still retaining
his hold on the bride; and can
really let you 60 alone,for the colt j
as vicious as he can be to-day. Lool
at his ears, and the red in his eyes.
saw you. coming down the road, an'
expected you to be thrown every min
ute, till saw how well You rode
Nor would it have happened if he ha,
not wheeled and stopped, like tricl
horse in circus
cannot tell how soothing was thi
graceful way of excusing my mishar
/ stole glance under my eyelids a
the speaker, and saw that he wa
very handsome and gentlemanly, an
apparently about six and twenty, o
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