The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1878-01-17

tnr1ing my5sH. and sat down; but
while I was rubbing my eyes, which
were filed with aand. I saw the great
foot Of horse descend gently upon my
head. and again extend me on my
back. I then felt quite disheartened,
and was Illuminating in my mind what
this strange horse could be, when felt
q quantity of sand strike me in the face.
| opened my eyes and saw Brutus
throwing up the dust with both fore and
hind feet, trying to bury me. This
lasted for several minutes, when, ap-
parently thinking me sufficiently in
TERED. Brutus knelt by my grave, and
then galloped round me. describing a
perfect circle. l called out to him to
stop. He appeared to be embarrassed;
but seeing my hat, which had been sep
arated from me in my fall, he took 1t
between his teeth and gallopcd down
one Of the green paths out Of my sight
I was left alone. l shook of the
sand which covered me, and with nv
arm and right leg left could not
move-dragged myself to q bushy bank,
where l seated myself, and shouted
with all my might for assistance. But
no answer; the wood was perfectly silent
and deserted.
remained alone in this wretched
condition above half an hour, when ]
saw Brutus in the distance, returning
by the same road by which he went,
enveloped in cloud Of dust. Grad
ually. as it cleared away, / saw little
carriage approaching "a pony -chaise-
and in the pony-chaise lady, who
drove it, with small groom in the seat
behind.
A few instants after Brutus arrived
covered with foam. He stopped be-
fore me, let fall my hat at his feet, and
addressed me with neigh, as much
as to say: 81 have done my duty,
have brought you help.'' But did
not trouble myself about Brutus and
his explanations; l had no thought or
looks save for the beautiful fairy who
had come to my aid, and who, jumping
from her little carriage, tripped lightly
up to me, and suddenly two exclama-
tiOns were uttered at the same mo
ment:
mime. de Noriolisr'
Mons. de la Roche Iarge!
Ihave an aunt between whom and
myself my marrying is source of con-
tinual dispute.
MARRY" she would say.
81 will not" was my answer.
Would you have young lady?
There are Miss A, Miss B, Miss c."
"Bu. won't marry"
"Then take widow; there are Mrs.
d, Mrs. E, Mrs F. etc.
But marry l will not
Nine. de Noriolis was always in the
first rank among my aunt's widows.
To tell me she was rich, lively and
pretty was unnecessary; but after set
ting forth all her attractions, my aunt
would take from her secretary map
of the district where she lived, and
point out how the estates of Noriolis
and La Roche large joined, and she
had traced a red line upon the map
uniting the two properties, which she
constantly obliged me to look at.
Eight hundred acres within ring
fence! fine chance for sportsman"
But would shut my eyes and repeat
as before, :" l will never marry" Yet.
seriously speaking, 1 was afraid of
Nine. de Noriolis, and always saw her
head encircled with an aureole of my
aunt's red line. Charming, sensible.
talented and 800 acres within ring
fence! Escape for YOUR safetyif you
will not marry. -
And always did escape; but this
time retreat was impossible. LAY ex-
tended on the turf, covered with sand,
my hair in disorder, my clothes in tat
tiers, and my leg stiff.
"What are you doing hereP' in
quired Mime. de Noriolis, What has
happened?'
| candidly confessed 1 had been
thrown.
"But you are not much hurtp"
"No; but / have put something out
in my leg-nothing serious, l am sure"
And where is the horse which has
played you this trickP''
Ipointed out Brutus, who was quiet
ly grazing upon the shoots of the
broom.
"How! it is him, the good horse! He
has amply repaired his wrongs, as
will relate to you later. But you must
60 home directly"
"Howp cannot move STEP"
" But | am going to drive you home,
at the risk of Compromising YOU"
And calling her little groom Bob, she
led me gently by one arm, while Bob
took the other, and made me get into
her carriage. Five minutes afterward
we were moving in the direction of La
Roche large, she holding the reins and
driving the pony with a light hand;
looking at her, confused, embarrassed,
stupid, ridiculous. Bob was charged
to lead back Brutus.
:" Extend your leg quite straight"
said Mime. de Noriolis, "and / will
drive you very gently, to avoid jolt
ing" When she saw me comfortably
installed, "tcll me-" she said. how
you We're thrown, and I will explain
how came to your assistance
l began my story, but when spoke
of the efforts of Brutus to unseat me
after the two shots, AZ understand it
all, she exclaimed; "you have bought
the trumpeter's horse"
1.-THE trumpeter's horse?'
Yes, that explains it all. You
have seen many scenes in tho Cirque
de rImperatrice, the performance of
the trumpeter's horse. A Chasseur
d Antique enters the arena upon gray
horse; then come the Arabs, who fire
upon him, and he is wounded and falls;
and, as you did not fall, the horse, in
dignant at your not performing your
part in the piece, threw YOU down.
What did he do next?''
l related the little attempt Of Brutus
to bury me.
" Exactly like the trumpeter's horse.
He sees his master wounded; but the
Arabs may return and kill him, SO
what does the horse doP He buries
him and gallops off, carrying away the
colors that they may not fall into the
hands Of the Arabs. =
off, - - ~
:. Precisely. He goes to fetch the
vivandiere-the yivandiere of to-day
being your humble servant, the Count
ess de Noriolis. Your great gray horse
gslloped into my courtyard, where l
was standing on the doorsteps putting
on my gloves, and ready to get into nv
carriage. My grOoms seeing a horse
saddled and bridled, with hat in his
MOUTH and without 3 rider, tried to
catch him. but he escapes their pur-
suit, goes straight up to the steps. and
kneels before me. The men sgsin try
to capture him, but hegallops Of, stops
at the gate, turns round, and looks vt
me. Ifelt sure he was calling me, SO
| jumped into my carriage and set of.
The horsa darts through roads not a.
ways adapted for carriages, but l fol-
low him, and arrive where find you.''