The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-07-27
Can Women Driver

.
"Isn't 1t rather singular that women
never learn to drive horse properly ?"
remarks some irate man as, he inspects
u tired animal, and finds the bride
over Its ears, and the bit half way
down Its throat.
"But women can drive" cries a
champion Of the sex. "Don't they
drive seven or eight miles to market
with vegetables or loads Of hay? Don't
thoy take their babies out to ride when
over they can got hold of horse? Why
there never was women who couldn't
drive and some of them can handle a
horse much better than their husbands
cam"
"Can women driver and do you let
them handle your best horscsp' were
the questions put to good natured liv-
cry keeper by an Interested party.
"Drtve," answered tho letter-out of
equines 81 should think they could, but
rs to letting them have our best horses
that Is another matter, We havehorsestn
our stable few mon could drive. We
keep what we call safe horses for ladies'
use-the kind that will 90 anywhere
you just guide them, old family nags,
sensible enough to trot along and mind
their own business and not fret If they
are pulled two ways at once"
"Do you object to letting horses out
for women to driveP'
"No, indeed; we have from twelve
to fifteen ladies week como to us for
horses, and we give them good cnes too.
but somehow women fret horses when
they drive them, so we don't care to
give then. high-spirited animals. Now
look at that sorrel," pointing to one
from whom the harness had just been
removed, 81 let that horse this morn
ing to bit OF a women with wrists no
bigger than my two ti:gers. 1 didn't
want to let 1t 10 because it's such an
ugly pullcr. told her 1t had mouth
like iron, but she said she wanted to
take an old aunt that was visiting her
out to see the town, and she drove Off
quietly enough. But half an hour after
| saw her coming down the avenue
like a streak of lightning, verybody
running to get out Of the way, and
the old aunt hanging on for dear life.
She ju had tho lines wound
around those little wrists, and braccd
her tcet Oh Il 9 dash board, and when
she came to a corner whisked around
1t on ono wheel. The rig came In MI
right but that horse get Its breath
for week.
"Do they often meet with accidents
and have a smash-upY"
"No. 1t is curious, but woman
will take team through a dozen hair
breadth escapes and bring 1t back all
right. We have any amount Of trouble
with men, who take our best rigs, get
ona spree, and break things all to
pieces. Il woman is either more ca,-
ttous, or she will call upon every man
In sight 10 help her out OF the scrapo.
They are more apt to lose their heads
In q crowd or collision, but thore Is
most always somo special providence
at hand to help them. If you notice,
tho most disastrous runaways happen
whom some man has tho reins.''
women wero not considerate in their
management of horses. Ihey forget
TO blanket them In winter and to tic
them In the shade in the summer. They
sometimes use tho reins as hitching
straps. and havo a settled dislike to
learning proper names for harness.
Not one In Il hundred could tell the
difference between the surcinglo and
the martingalo, or had tho least idea to
which ond Of tho animal the crupper
belonged, and If compelled to dlvcst a
horse Of Its trapplngs would undo every
buckle In tho scrvice, and take the col L.
lar OF over tho animals head, to all Of
which the Intelligent beast would sub
mt, ms If charmed, by being steadily
talked to during the process in the
witching tones Of woman's voice.
All Of this may bo libel on the Sex,
but 1t is certainly true that when an
old family horse, with ton minute
gait, comes sccsawing down the street
with Il cOmlcally reckless air of run.
ming away, Il woman's head looks out
from under tho buggy top, woman 's
hand guides the steed in It's eccentric
orbit, and woman's voice shouts in
distinct tones, "Wh-o-o-a-a," at the
same moment that tho rcins arc icrked
and the whip applied, while pedes-
trains scud to tho sidewalk In terror.
However liable a woman Is to run over
COW, or II street car, she will always
stop or turn out for a baby. This is
one Of the instincts Of hcr maternal
heart to which even "get up! gl.a-n-g''
is sacrificed.