The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-10-07
JOHNNY'S HORSEBACK RIDE.

ne nau never been IN IL since he could
remember, of course nobody could prove
that he was not.
So he was very glad when it was ar
ranged that he should visit at his grand
fathers during vacation. He had not
been there, he assured his friends at the
kindergarten, for quite a number of
years.
He had been promised that he should
ride on the pony his father had ridden
when he was boy, and he thought
more of that than of anything else. He
thought the pony must be the oldest one
in the world, but that was mistake,
for his father was not so very old
1t was really very nice, plump,
sleek-looking little horse which Uncle
Archie brought round that pleasant June
morning. He never did anything now
a-days but eat and stand under tree,
with his eyes shut, switching the flies
with his tail.
Johnny grandmother and his aunts
came out to see, and grandmother was
a little afraid Johnny might get hurt,
but he reminded her that he would be
seven years old next May. Uncle
Archie put him on old Jack and said:
NOW, Johnny, when you want to
stop you must say: "Whoa! and when
you want to 60 on you must chirrup-
like this
Johnny managed to make q noise
something like his uncle's and felt like
very large man when Jack moved
under him, and grandmother cried:
Hold on tight, Johnny" and some
one else cried:
Don't 90 too fast, Johnny" Uncle
Archie laughed at this, but Johnny did
not know why.
The great meadow was smooth and
green and full of daisies and forget
me-nots. Jack spent his summer in it,
so hefelt quite at home, and would stop
sometimes to take nip at them, with
out waiting for Johnny to say: Whoa"
but he always went on again when
Johnny chirruped. At last he got into
corner Il long way from the house.
lie went in among some trees and
bushes till he reached the fence, and
then stopped and shut his eyes.
Johnny was quite willing Jack should
rest awhile, but as he waited and waited
and seemed to have no desire to do any,
thing but switch his tail Johnny got
tired and chirruped to him. Jack
moved little, but the fence was right
before him and he couldn't 90 through
that, so Johnny said: whoa" and
Jack stopped at once and shut his eyes
again"
Poor Johnny began to wonder if he
should have to sit there all day. He
wanted Jack to turn round and take
him back to the house, but how was he
to make Jack understand that? He
knew how to stop him and how to set
him going again, but Uncle Archie
hadn said a word about turning him
round.
Johnny, YOU see, did not belong to
that blessed class of boys who tumbled
about the country all their happy, roll
licking young days, riding hay-loads,
buck boards, stone boats, spring
wagons, cts, learning to handle horse
almost as soon as they learn to talk and
walk. He had ridden in steam-cars and
street-cars and hacks, and he now tried
to remember something how they were
managed. He did not believe steam.
cars ever turned round-they always
seemed to 90 straight ahead. He had
neverseen how the hack-drivers got their
horses to turn, but he had seen street.
cars turn on turn-table when they
reached the end of their route Jack
certainly seemed to have reached the
end of his route, but Johnny could not
see anything that looked like a turn
table.
He called as loudly as he could for
Uncle Archie, but no one heard him.
Then Johnny cried as he wondered how
long he might sit there, and if it was
nearly dinner-time.
After while he heard some one COM
ing along the green, shady road on the
other side of the fence. 1t was a boy
and rope and something else The
boy was at one end of the rope, but
Johnny could not Mt first make up his
mind what it was at the other end. He
knew it was either calf or sheep, for
Uncle Archie had shown him both that
morning, but he could not quite rcmem-
Der which was white and which was red
He became so much interested in
watching the boy as to forget all about
turntables and dinner. Sometimes the
boy would be ahead, leading or Jerking
the calf (or Sheep along. And then all
at once the sheep (or calf would rush
forward and pull the boy along. As
they came near johnny the boy hap
pened to be ahead, and he stopped at
sight of Johnny's tear-stained face.
"Hullon' said the boy.
"Sayn' said Johnny, pointing eager
ly at the animal, sis that calf or a
sheep?" The boy stared at johnny
without answering.
"Oh. never mind" said JOHNNY.
very politely, II thought you'd know
/ believe it's calf, but Uncle Archie
can tell you for sure if you ask him. He
knows. But say-are you leading him.
or is he leading you?"
AT this the boy scowled very hard at
Johnny, and picked up piece of earth
to throw at him. But johnny burst ont
crying again, and he stopped
II didn't mean anything" sobbed
Johnny, "and want Uncle Archie"
is it Mr.. Archie Crandallp" asked
the boy. BE you his boyP"
Yes, l s'pose SO. / want Uncle
Archie aOam Uncle Aychte and
Johnny, afraid of the calf, afraid of the
boy, and even afraid of old lack
raised a fearful howl.
Stop" cried the boy, "Pn 90 and