Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1882-03-08

bclplp my VhV '""" y" '"e'p N""''''
will have leh, and once on tho water
nothing eau reach him, God help Us !
The first news he hears tho other side
Of tho Atlantic will break his heart !"
Fred stood an instant, with his
bright glance fixed on his companions
face.
'Isn't there time to reach North
port| he asked.
"Thcres not q horse in tho town
could do It," was the reply.
Fred's eyes lighted. "Thunderbolt
could" hc said, quickly, "and Mrs.
Morris, | will ride him Clara's father
shall know"
The boy started away, but was fol-
lowed aud his arm caught, Us Mrs.
Morris criedi
"He will throw you You know you
are afraid of him You must not do it !!
And you couldn't reach there"
"Thcrc's u chance Of my doing ii,
isn't thercl" he turned back to ask.
"Just chance"
"And no time to lose p cried Fred,
as he bounded toward the barn.
II was true that Fred was afraid Of
Thundcrbolt, for the colt had kicked
him when he had first come to the farm
and Fred had naturally felt u little
timid ahcrward, for his health had not
been robust enough to enable him to
overcome fear as he otherwise would
have done.
When the boy entered the barn, q
shriA whinny greeted him, and long,
black head, with big, Withholding
eyes, was turned toward him from one
of tho stalls.
Fred, as he had said, had no time to
lose. lie could not stop to think
whether he wished to 60 in the stall or
net. He stepped in quickly, with the
bride on his ann, and in two minutes
more the saddle was on the horses
back, and the boy had flung himself on
also and gathered up the reins. lie
knew how fierce the temper Of the
young horse was, and he knew that it
might take n notion to stop and kick
and throw himself about, that he might
unscat the rider; and he knew also
that Thunderbolt, if he chose, might
cover ten miles in so short time that
he might hope to reach Northport in
season.
Mrs. Morris, sitting by the insensi-
bic girl, heard the rush Of the horses
feet, as he went out of the yard, and
an inaudible prayer was in her heart.
She glanced at the clock which licked
on the mantel, and she told herself the
thing the boy was trying to do was i'm
possible. She knew that Thunderbolt
had made great speed, and that he
promised wonderful things, if he could
be trained but how could he have
sufficient endurance for this trial and
how would he 60 over the hills that lay
between this and Northport. No, she
must not hope that her brother would
be brought back. He would sail {; and
every hour would take him farther
from the child he idolized and who had
met with such fate. AS the moments
went on, and the girl was quiet, under
the influence Of the opiate the doctor
had given her, Mrs. Morris's thoughts
dwelt more on the courage of the boy
who had just ridden away She knew
that no man would have liked that
ride, and that it was dangerous to any
one. Then she fell to fearing that she
ought not to have allowed him to 60.
What if he should be thrown, and be
brought home crippled or dead? But
it had all been so sudden that she could
not stop him. There was no man
about the place. Her husband and the
hired man were two miles away, at
tending to some late-cut grass. They
would not be at home until dark. Mrs.
Morris must do what so many women
have to do-wait and pray.
Along the narrow country road Fred
Appleton was riding at pace that
made him breathless at first, and his
heart was beating all through him in a
way that felt as as if it would kill him /;
but he had no thought of abating his
pace. That must not be.
There was not Drawer boy for many
a mile than Fred Appleton, and he had
made up his mind that it should take a
powerful effort to get him off of Thun-
derbolt's back. Had he been more
robust in health, he might enjoyed this
furious start. As it was, after few
moments, when the colt had settled
down into its tremendous stride, Fred