Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-10-29
NAL, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20. 1879

Obed had just gone ont Of sight when
Queeny gave little scream and put her
hand to her eyes.
Something has stung me-" she said and
then, that instant, while we were all looking
at her, 1t happened.
The horses both reared, then gave plunge,
the omnibus seemed to rise from the ground
with great leap, and sooner than can tell
It, we were all being borne at awful speed
down that narrow, rocky road.
glanced toward Caesar and Alexander,
aud saw terrible pair Of wild animals.
looked toward the girls, and saw two rows Of
white, frightened faces.
The reins were dragging on the ground.
Some Of US we're shrieking, "Whoa |" A
an instant, and, then, suddenly, above the
noise Of the wheels and Of everything else,
we heard voice ring out clear
"Sit still, girls | think | can stop the
horses"
1t was Ray Tinkham, of all people in the
world. She stood up with steady look in
her eyes.
/ must explain here that the road from
the tower runs down gentle slope for half
a mile, and there comes a sharp turn. Be
yound that is Long hill, the steepest, most
dangerous part of the way. Kate seized
| my hand and whispered
"lf the horses are not stopped before they
get to the turn we shall all be killed"
Ray was climbing over the drivers seat
| She always could climb anywhere like a
cat. She didn't pause an instant but she
called back to me:
| "Natty Brook, put on the brakes. The
rest of you sit still. Only pray as hard as
you cam
| / sprang 10 the drivers seat, and jammed
down the handle Of the brakes. prayed,
too. l believed should never pray again.
| saw and thought Of a hundred things at
once. | saw the great tree trunks and the
huge black rocks upon us. | remembered
the clematis over the front door at home,
and wondered who would tell my father
that | was dead.
Meanwhile, Ray was over the dashboard,
and down with her feet over the whiffletree.
How she did it, 1 shall never know, but
the next we saw of her, she was creeping
along the pole between the horses, steadying
herself with her hands ON their backs.
The horses went tearing on like wild
horses, their names flying and their great
bodies quivering all over.
Every instant the girls were becoming
more excited.
Queeny was holding Mrs. BANDS cousin
with both hands to prevent her leaping out
Kate cried
ave are almost to the turn. What i:
Ray DOING She will brighten the horse.
worse than ever !" and she covered her ewes
The brow of the hill was not forty feet off
Far behind we could hear Obed's voice
screaming to the horses to stop. The keeper
of the tower was flying toward us.
But they were too far away to do any
good. There seemed not one chance in
thousand for us. But that very instant
when we all believed we were lost, we looked
at Ray.
We saw her reach forward with one hand
and grasp the rens which Joined the head.
of the horses together. Just where the con
Meeting straps crossed one another he
fingers clutched them.
One sharp, fierce jerk of those great head
backward, and the horses slackened thei
speed, aud in an instant more stopped.
The wagon stood still, although the crea
lures were snorting and plugging yet. Blu
that small hand of Rays held on with
death-grip, and in a moment more Obet
caught the horses by their heads.
. His face was as white as ever it could be
and he spoke one word only. 1t was
Hornets !"
The horses had been stung in more thai
.. twenty places. They were Embarrassed a
once, and we were all out on the groun,
directly.
We laughed and we cried, and Mrs
BANDS cousin distinguished herself b.
fainting away.
al don't blame the horses in the least,
Queeny said. "One sting is bad enough,
and she showed where her eye was begin
; ming to swell. "The hornets came swarm
ing out of the woods here" As for ODE,
he was Inundated man.
"But | was the one to blame" he said
, al thought the horses would a. stood til
: Their hides dropped offn Their ribs but tel
We Their never was the team hitched up tina
nd stan hornets. Barst the creeturs" h
; added in an undertone.
"But Ray Tinkham p cried Kate, and sh
went up to where the little thing was sittin,
on rock, looking pale. "You saved us al
I, , you blessed child. How did you ever thinl
: Of doing that"
"My grandmother stopped some runawa,
horses in that way once" gasped Ray. Z"
: didn't know whether could stop these, bu
! knew somebody must do something, or W
! should all be dashed to pieces
"Well," spoke Obed, " I've known O. tina
things bein' done just once afore in my life
|, time, but it was boy that did it. There's
= sayin' 'moDgst teamin' men that, when yo
hain't got the reins, you can stop runawa
. ii you walk out on the pole aud grip hol
O. the bridals, but faint every horse that
stand it,"
"But wasn't it splendid of Ray ?" erie
Lou, going over and putting her arm aroun
her.
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