Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-03-28
OUR DOUBLE RIDE.
BY E. Y. BLAKE.

a dull, gray evening cleaning down
over gray see. A long, wet stretch of
shell-strewn sand curving below high
sandy bluffs, down whose abrupt face
zigzag pathway descended from the
plains above I took no trouble to dis
mount. Cheveignae climbed like cat,
and SO [ kept his back as best could
during the descent.
ST say, Ralf, you'll go over his head
If you keep GA IN that fashion" said
Herries from the bluff.
SHOT T.
A slip, slide, rush Of yieldi ng
sand, and Cheveignac taking things easy
In sitting posture.
and are one. Centaur fashion, and we
are certain to come out right side up"
a vhisk, scamper, bound down
the last slope. supplemented my re-
mark, and my black trotted, head up,
for the breakers.
Now If there was any one thing for
which Cheveignac had mania, it was
saltwater bathing; and [ stood at that
moment a fair chance of being well
ducked. Herries laughed and followed
rom the bluff, and [ used all my au
thority in vain. Cheviegnac had not
achieved perfect training; he had his
freaks Of wilfulness quite like the hui
man beings of his acquaintance.
It was directly made manifest that [
must dismount or be carried into the
breakers. I got my feet out of the STIR
rups IN haste, rolled over his tail, and
landed waste deep in fro5h and foam.
[ heard Herries' scream of laughter
as he paused half way down the path,
holding his horses bride Fatal ex-
ultetion The next moment brown
Meg's feet slipped from under her. A
great rush Of sand overwhelmed biped
and quadruped; struggling, kicking,
and half smothered they rolled to-
gether to the foot of the bluffs.
Herries got up with sand in his boots,
down his back, up his sleeves, in his
hair, eyes, nose and mouth. / splashed
my way out on to the beach and laugh
ed in my turn at brown Meg and her
master, who emitted in concert sundry
indescribable noises between cough
and sneeze.
"Well, my fine fellow, when you
have recovered gravity we will resume
our journey. Precious nonsense ad-
ded Herries, s'to come down here atall.
We might have sizirted the bluffs at
respectable distance and not cut all
these antics
"And gone three miles round Cob
ham Gully-since We couldn't Fly
across Pshaw, man; you're not hurt,
and I've the worst of the bargain, after
all. Now to get round Helmet Rock
before the tide turns"
Iwhistled to Cheveignac, who came
shoreward roaring and plunging like
some black sea monster. He was drip
ping wet, but the lower half of my body
quite agreed with him, so [ sprang to
the saddle and cared naught. We rode
seward down the long, narrow promon-
tory round the base of Helmet Rock,
which was only passable at low water
The rock itself rose sheer eighty feet
ON the sand. and intersected the
smooth stretch of beech that lay between
MS and the cabin of frontiersman named
Nixon, where we hoped to find accom-
modations for the night. Neither of us
knew the way, saved as directed by an
old miner at calsaba.
Cheyeignac, taking superb strides
around the corner of the rock, and
breathing additional exhilaration in
every breath of the wild sea wind, very
nearly ran over tall man standing on
the narrow way and scanning the hori-
zon with face of painful anxiety. [
,eined up, apologized, and inquired if
ihe strangers name was Nixon; for [
saw not two hundred yards away, q
ong, low cabin In the shelter of huge
rock. He said it was and in one sharp,
comprehensive glance of scrutiny, took
heel
Can you accommodate us with food
and shelter tonight? ?" Nixon paused.
You're from New England" he OBJ
rived, more in the fashion of remark
VI o question. And he thrust his
MS in his pockets and appeared to
>Inssider,
Yes; old Massachusetts, said /,
bit puzzled at him.
$50? Same state myself. Hain't
seen it since / was knee-high to grass
hopper, Wish / was there now; bat 1
1on't NOS you can tie up with me-
"Why2" said Herries and to-
geshsr. Hospitality was the prevailing
virtne of his class.
Danger" answered Nixon, signid-
osntly. 14ll-
"Poh, man Z? Do we look as If we
feared danger2 Give us some bacon
and potatoes, and we'll face any reason
able danger that any man may, and
hves Supper at Ieat, If not shelter"