The Penn's Grove record., 1882-07-29

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| swoke and the same idea clupg u
me. All day lorg a demon Whispered
in my ear how easy il would be, Ia tn
dead # night, to enter the stable
had seen, lead out the coveted horse
mount Rim and away, away
Urged by an irresistible impulse,
left the town once more, and inspecte'
the magistrates premises, enterint
the stable, on pretext of inquiIing ny
way of a boy who was at work within
The korse. the glorious black, was
there, and my heart beat high "a
closer inspection confirmed my mrs.
opinion of his quality. How long
might have fingered there, feastine
my eyes on that noble piece of horse
flesh, who can say?
/ was infatuated, and could, | verify
believe, have gazed on II for hours,
had not the sudden apparition of May
Morris, the MAJ istrate's daughter,
impelled me to a hasty flight.
And then-not till then-as
glanced at the pure, prouf face that
had so interested me the day before,
did / realize in all Its blsckness the
true import of the thought that had
taken possession OF me.
A horse tibet | to become a horse
thief! 1 pressed my hand to my head,
bewildered. Had l indeed fallen SO
low as this, that | should seriously
contemplate the stealing of another
mans horse, and even take pleasure
in the idea?
NV brain reeled with horror at the
dark pit, ~yawning ben cath my feet,
and vet still l felt the temptation
strong upon me to follow to the end
the plan / bad almost unconsciously
mapped out for Selling the coveted
animal.
And SO l went back to the town, at
one moment shrinking from the
thought of the depth to which | had
fallen, at another filled with delight
at the ease with which l could seize
upon him, and speed on his back
| across the plains.
1 lay down to sleep, and sleep fled
from me The beautiful girl and the
teautifuI horse she lode the horse
and the girl, the girl and the horse
these two ideas, and the all paIan cunt
one that sprang from them, kept sur
ing to and fro in my brain, until at
last / sprang up, resolved to go out
into the stormy night flor 1t was
showing hard), and cool my feyerish
blood.
1 seemed to myself to be two per-
sons-nay, three-in one body. One
was wicked, and urged the theft OF
the horse +; another vas honorable n
recoiled at the very idea and these
two held hot argument together,
while the third looked quietly on, say.
ing Look here, what's all this non
sense about? You are getting brain
fever, my boy, that's what 1t a
neither more nor less. Better go
home to your father while you can
that's my advice
Every one in the little tavern had
settled down for the night, but l
found no diff Guilty IN letting myself
out. and then l set forth to walk as
rapidly as the deep Snow would per-
nit-whl her?
As / live, my sole Of ject and inten-
ton was to walk in the cool air until
/ felt tired enough TO &c back to my
bed and gain the sleep l so much
needed; yet, without my own voli'
tior, my steps led me direct to the
stable where my coveted beauty was
tethered not only to the stable, u
into it, for the door was insecurity
fastened and access easy.
The result? All. you Rave already
OWNED it. / felt around in the dark
ness, found a Bride and a saddle, and
in a moment more led the black out
into the road and there ! paused, my
head whirling with exultatton, re-
gardles. of the fact that a dog WAS
bal king furiously at hand, and that a
light was rapidly approaching from
the neighboring dwelling.
1 wai,ed quietly until beams of the
lantern almost flashed into my eyes,
and then, with one loud "Hurrah J"
I leaped into the saddle, and plunged
down the road at q wonderful speed,
considering that the ground was al
ready deeply covered with the fast
falling snow, which, here q I'd there,
had drifted into huge heaps, almost
blockading the way.
1t was not long before l heard
sounds behind me that proved | was
being followed, yet the knowledge
troubled me not, but only lent ad-
ditional zest to the adventure on
which / had embarked.
The noble steed / rode needed nei-
ther whip nor spur to urge him on ;
the bracing air and binding STOW
seemed to have fired his blood, and l
laughed aloud at the idea of any other
animal being able to overtake him,
the speed he made through the soft
snow being perfectly wonderful.
On and on we went once or twice
I drew rein and listened, only to be
assured that 1 was still followed, and
that, too, very closely.
Again I laughed. and shook my fist
at my invisible foe; and then, sud
denly surrounding nae on every side, ]
beheld q multitude of den ons, each
mounted on a horse the counterpart Of
the n I rode, and in their midst, ap
pealing to ne for help. was the lovely
girl whose tavorite steed l had appro
priated.
Frenzied at the sight, l brought
down the switch | carried heavily OF
the horses flank. He indignantly re
--l ..ssA Aaraa aida la0n thu