Smyrna times., 1880-06-16
A Wild Ride.

Before begin my story | must tell you
that am a commercial traveller born and |
bred, so to speak, TO the business.
have my wits about me, and as often
happen to have good many valuable
articles also, have need of them.
| am an Englishman-English to the
back bone-and live on roast beef, bottled
ale and Old port wine. | am one OF the
mon who don't dream and don't fancy.
When | see thing see it. When l
hear a thing, hear it. And what saw on
one particular occasion mean to tell you.
You will not offend me if you doubt it,
Nevertheless shall as said, tell the
story.
1t was in the year Is, and the month
was May, and the place was England. !
had left London five days before, and now
was miles and miles away from il, III the
very hcart Of the country, travelling toward
u ht,le town where had business. 1t was
an old fashioned inn, and the people were
kind and ohIiginG.
Travellers did not stop often 1T that llH.
u,pcct, for they were as particular about
my meals as though had been a prodigal
son come home Tor the holidays.
They killed the tattpl chicken for me,
and made much OF me aitogcther; and, to
crown ALL as the train did not stop in time
to take me on, as wanted to 20, and, as it
was only a matter of five miles or so, what
| did the landload do but hunt up a rusty old
| coach, that was tucked away in the coach
house, and ordered his man to drive me
| over that evening. ltwasn't an extra mind
YOU 1t was sheer good will. SO ! shook
hands all around, and remembered the
chambermaid and the waiter with half a
crown each. and off rode. 1t waS getting
dark FAST and the road wound away among
the hills in very romantic sort OF way
why, it made you think Of ghosts, if you
were commercial traveller.
Here's the place." says | to myself
where the gentlemen Of the road would
have liked to meet me and my black ba9
fifty years ago
i pretty Joke it would have been to have
handed my valuabes over and danced a j!
for their amusement besides, fifty year
ago.
\ hundred years ago. anyhow, woulo
not have felt so safe as do now.
just then the coach came to suddel
pause.
HALO" cried |, out of the windo"
whats the mattcr?'
" Its more than can tell you sir" sal
the man. Black Jane has turned sulky
she won't move step"
With that he began to shout and crac
his whip, |, with my head out the windo
watching him, and suddenly the bea,
started off like mad, End drew in my fac
and saw had company.
While the coach was at a stand still,
lady and gentleman had slipped i'll.
They sat on the scat opposite me, an
though it was an intrusion, had not I'll
heart to find fault, for a prettier pair
D never saw in my life.
If he was twenty.one it was as much
he could be, and she not seventeen.
have seen pair Of china lovers on II
mantel-piecS the perfect image Of what thu
were, as pretty and dressed much the sam
His hair was powdered and hers too. 81
had on a yellow silk, lower in the neck thu
4 | would like daughter of mine to wear
and her arms would have been bare on
for her long kid gloves. She had pearls
her ears and on her throat and she had jU
/. the most innocent little face my two ey
ever rested on. As for the boy; he had
chocolate velvet coat and white stocking
= and lace rullles at his wrists. And tn
had one large cloak--his, ! tancy-c
about the two of them, though it h
dropped back bit as they sat down.
1.-TWO young folks going to fancy bi
perhaps said /, and just took a hit
the way"
And touched my cap to them and 81
/:
, "Fine evening sir"
lie did not answer me, but she looked
me and stretched out little white ha
ooh SIR" she said, " look out AZ the bl
Of the coach, pray you, and tell me if h
gaining on u.s." ! looked out of
window.
"There's a man on horseback riding
IN the road" said 1, for saw one.
1zss ooh, heavens ~ said she.
Courage, Betty" said the young fell
"They shall never part u.s."
Then knew it was a runaway match
81 see how it is" said /. "Keep
your heart, young man. If the young |
likes you, she'll stick to you through tn
and thin. I'll do my best to help you. "
ooh, heavens ~ she cried again; I"
= my darling, hear the horses feet. TT
-' are more Of them. Oh, sir, look; tell n
looked and saw many armed horser
following swiftly.
"Closer TO my heart, Betty" cried
im young man. My beloved they come.
lie drew his sword.
Among other things he wore a sword
pulled my pistol from my pocket.
We all stretched our heads forward,
at that moment the coach turned q re
~ point of the road, and saw we were {
III margin Of a precipice.
n. All this time Black Jane had kept VI
furious speed, and saw we were in dan
u,oo Have care" cried /.
i''''' Faster I" screamed the young man.
Suddenly there came jolt and a scr
~, from the lady. heard him say, "At
D'u we die together"
And the coach lay fiat on its side
over the precipice, but on the edge Of
A man is little stunned by q thing
= that.
When | climbed out Of the window
helped old Anthony up with the coach
coaxed Black Jane to quietness, l rer
bered that no one else got out of
vehicle, and looked about in vain TO
pretty lovers. They were not there,
were there any signs of the troop of h
men had seen dashing up the hill.
could not have passed us i'll that na
sEs, path by any possibility.
ID. "We ran q chance for our lives, mas
7.Iy said Anthony. "Yet, I'm called O