The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-01-26
HURRYING.
BY EVELYN MULLER.

OlO you ever know boy who never
said, I'm bound to get there first"
See if 1 don't do it quicker than you !"
or, Hurry up there, OLD Slow coach r. ?
There may be boys who never say such
things, but they are very few, and they
would not care to hear about Ragnar
Jensen, for his whole business in life was
to hurry.
Ragnar was Swedish post-boy or
kjuts boy" and his business was to
drive travellers from one station to an
other. These stations were stage offices,
little hotel ar d stable for the post
horses. When travellers wished to hurry
on their way they sent message several
hours ahead of them, with notes order
ing horses 10 be ready at certain hour.
These notes were called "forbud tickets"
and 1 believe they are still used in
Northern Sweden now, though Ragnar' S
time was over twenty years ago.
AS soon as the post-keeper received a
f6rbud ticket, he would shout for Ragnar,
Hurry, Ragnar Sledge coming. Get
the horses !" and Ragnar would drop his
wood-carving, at which he worked every
spare moment, and would hurry after the
horses.
Sometimes he had to go mile out into
the country to bring horses from the farm
ers, for the law was that farmers should
lend their horses if the regular post
horses were tired. Then he had to have
the horses standing ready to be hitched
to the sledge at the time ordered by the
torbud. for if he kept the travellers wait
ing his post. had to pay fine,
half of which came out of Ragnar s
wages. If the travellers kept Ragnar
and the horses waiting, then they had to
pay the waiting money, or "vantapen-
ningar;" SO their post-boy also had to
hurry all the time.
When Ragnar and his passengers set
Oft, he had to hurry and keep his horses
up to time till he reached the next post
station, where he unhitched his horses and
came back as fast as he could, to be ready
for more passengers. The stations were
usually ten or fifteen miles apart, so if
he started in the morning he could get
home at night; but sometimes he had to
stay over night-that is, till about three
o'clock in the morning, when he would
be wakened and sent hurrying home
through the cold darkness.
Ragnars station was at village be-
tween Gidea and Umea, which you can
lind on the map of Sweden, about half
way between Stockholm and Tornea
Every one along the road had a good
word for Ragnar "He never is too
late" said the post-masters. "He never
is too early" said the travellers; for
Ragnar was honest and if he saw, far
away, a sledge coming, he did not rush
10 ho i i
then claim waiting money for being ready
before they came.
"Ragnar never lanes the horses" said
the farmers; so he had no trouble in Dor
rowing horses for the post. 'Ragnar
never upsets us in the snow" said the
travellers; and they gave him extra
money at each trip.
When, one day, there came an end to
Ragnar's life as skjuts driver, every
one was sorry, yet glad too. When he
was sixteen years old merchant from
Stockholm, with his wife, came in great
haste to go to their son who was i'll at
Inca.
Two other sledges arrived with them,
but as their horses were fresh they only
stopped long enough to get some water.
with them, and he hurried Ragnar, who
seemed to have several things to attend
to, and did not move very quickly.
Don't fuss about the sledge, boy |
am in great hurry" said the gentle
man, as Ragnar looked carefully at the
runners and back, and tied the trunk ropes
little tighter. But Ragnar finished
what he was doing, and took no notice of
the cross looks of Mr.. Lenthal, and in
few minutes the three sledges were flying
over the snow.
Ragnar kept behind the other sledges,
and Mr.. Lenthal thought him very DISC
bliging to spare his horses; but Ragnar
looked up at the sky and said nothing
There was storm coming, and Ragnar
knew his horses would need all their
strength to get through the snow if it
began to drift.
The two other sledge-d drivers looked
back and shouted to him to hurry. 81
am hurrying" answered Ragnar; and
then they laughed at him, for his four
horses were going at an easy trot
Presently the two other boys shouted
again, and turned off to the left. Rag
mar kept right on.