The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-10
widows waist. Promptly she removed

"Captain' Todd" she exclaimed, "you
must not, can not allow it"
She glanced backward at Bill Tyke,
who still sat, dangling his heels over the
tailboard in blissful unconsciousness.
"Oh, don't mind him." said the cap
tain. "He don't see nothing"
at isn't that" said the widow, blush.'
ing, "but-I suppose 1 ought to tell
you-in fact I don't know that l ought
to have come to ride with you at all
because-because--" p. 3
"Cause whatp asked the captain.
because I am engaged to be mar
Bried.n
"Engagedl" roared the captain. "Blast
my top-lightsl Who toT'
"To Mr.. Samuel Bliss.
"Heavens and yearth" yelled the cap
tain, giving the mare a savage cut with
the whip; but he had no opportunity to
add more, for the mare made bolt as
though about to jump out of her skin,
and tore along the road like mad.
The widow shrieked, and grasped the
captain by the arm. -.
''Oh don't, don'tp she cried.
"Let her rip!" exclaimed the captain,
more forcibly than politely. II want to
get hum. Engaged to Sam Blissl Good
Lordp ..
The captain gave the mare another
slash with the whip, and Bill Tyks rose
up on his knees and held on for dear
life. It was getting dark rapidly. The
road was full Of deep holes, and the side
Of the road was bordered with clumps
of bushes and large rocks, over some of
which the carriage bounced like rub
Der ball. The mare had it all her own
way now, for she had the bit between
her teeth, and was on dead run.
"Hold her up, Cap'n; hold her up"
exclaimed Bill Tyke, in evident alarm.
"Port your hellum al lay to-"
"Hold up your grandmother" replied
the captain. savagely. "I can't hold
her any more than l could a three
masted schooner in a hurricane"
The widow relieved herself Of a series
of piercing screams and threw her arms
around the captains neck.
81 shall be kilIedl'' she cried. "Oh,
captain, dear captainl For heavens
sake stop the horse and let me get out"
Captain Todd gave quick jerk to the
reins. The bride gave way, and both
he and the widow went over backward
in the bottom of the wagon. The mare
increased her speed, if that was possible,
and the occupants Of the vehicle devoted
] all their attention to keeping on board
the craft, which touched the ground ap-
parently about once in fifty feet.
The captain surmised that the mare
would make straight for DR.. Bragg's corn
crib, and if the wagon held together long
enough they might hope to come to a
halt there, though as for stopping right
side up, it was scarcely to be hoped for.
The mare was evidently not that kind
of horse. ,s..... .1
"We're almost to the long hill," shout
ed Bill Tyke. .-.
The road thus far had been straight,
but at the foot Of the long hill was the
lane that led to the doctors barn, and
the captain surmised that at their present
rate Of speed the entire party would get
out about the time the mare turned the
corner. t..
! The captain extricated himself from
the widows petticoats and threw his
arms around the wagon seat.
"All hands on deckW he shouted.
."Ay, ay, sir" responded Bill Tyke.
"Let 60 the anchor" screamed the cap
tain. -
Bill Tyke raised the keelock In his
arms and Aung ii overheard. 1t bounded
along the road from side to side for few
yards and then caught under large rock
among the bushes. The mare dashed
headlong onward; the stout rope straight.
ened in second there was d crash like
the report of cannon; the mare fell for.
ward on her knees, tearing up the ground
as she went; while the widow, the captain
and Bill Tyke shot up into the air about
six feet and alighted,in semi-uncon
scious condition amid the wreck and de-
bris of what had been the wagon.
1t was the end Of Captain Todd's
courtship. The wagon was an indis-
tinguishable mass of kindling- ng-wood; the
mare had broken both fore legs and re-
quired to be shot, and the widow kept
her bed for three weeks afterwards. The
captain again follows the sea, for, as he
often remarks to his FIRST mate:
"The Sea, Bill, is our proper spear
We know more about sailin' vessels than
, we do about drivin' hosses." IL
Speak for yourself, cap'n," Bill al
ways replies. 'At my end Of the wagon
l did my dooty."