The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-08-29

w INN NllE!ulJHS.
Good evening, Mr.. Tom," said this
person, approaching and patting the
mares neck.
"Hollo, Jack is that you," said I, as
drew the rcins through my fingers and
4'iGhted, recognizing, as | did so. Mr..
jack Flower, to whom was intl1lstcd the
important duty of carrying the Queens
mNl'bags from Worthington to the rail
way town. "Youl! have to wrap up
warm Tonight. "
"Ay ! bitter cold, that it is, answered
Jack, 'undoing the traces. "But, law
bless me I'm used to it. If only I'd
got as good Il thing between my shafts
rs you have here, Ia think nothing of n
scycntcenmilo drive, / do assure you,
sin"
Your old pony isn't to be dcspiscd,
either" said !, holding mp the shaft
while Jack drew the mare ont. "A new
pair Of foIcIc9s and sound bellows
would improve him, but except for
that"
"Wcll, he isn't quite Newmarket or
Doncastcr, ] do confess" said Jack,
Leading the mare in through the open
doorway and putting her in vacant
stall. "But he's good enough for his
work. ] start early and We take it easy.
ioa wont have the collar OF. siri'
ono" said. 81 am of again in an
hour orso.
We crossed the yard, passed through
n swing door and found ourselves in the
warm cheerful bar
There was only one other occupant of
the bar, u stranger to me. He WAS Il
man apparently yorging ON forty, but
toned up in a shabby great coat and
with his hat SO slouchcd over his eyes
that his features were hard to he dis
crrucd. To the sanitation which ] gave
him on entering, he made no reply. but
with arms folded, ga2ed iiXcdly on the
floor.
Jack soon said he must leave and as
he went out the man with the slouched hat
locked M, and. addressing nobody in
particular, inquired in harsh, rough
voice. with queer burr in it:
"What time does the post go ont
hcrc?'
"At eight O'clock" replied the bar
maid, looking at her interrogation with
no peculiar favor. "That is the driver
of the mail-cart who has just left"
$50 | judged" replied the man,
rising, and putting some money on
the table. as that right? Good night
to you."
Aud with heavy, slouching gait, he
STROBE TO the door and was gone.
After tea iii the half-lit coilee-room and
n pipe in the bar, with the barmaid tc
tel me the gossip. started at about
hali-past eight, called Mt the saddler's,
put my saddle under the seat, and SET
ont for homo. As We passed the black
smiths forge at the end Of the street
thcrc was II pony being shoG, and Mr..
Jack Ploycr, in big grcat.coat, was
looking on at tie process.
"Cast shoe, Mr.. Tom, and had to
turn lack" he called out as | passed
by.
Ont into the country, looking doubly
black and dismal 10y contrast with the
cheerful light and warmth that we were
leaving behind; with the slanting rain
driving full in ones face. 50 that it daz-
lied the sight; with gray piles of cloud
IGrrying overhead; with veil of mist
and darkness blending hurdle and hedge
row, field and tree, into vague indis.
iiuc!, gray mass. The road is muddy
and, albeit the high-road, in bad condi
ton; but the LITTLE mare has got hen
head homeward, and pulls her hard.
est toward warm stable and wclI-stockcd
rack and the society Of heavy Dobbin and
brethren. Not that my little hunter is
to be permitted TO pull herself to pieces
through ruts and over ill-laid stones, fer
there Is Saturday in prospect, aud, with
'Hc country i'll this state, we shall want
the very last ounce. Now we are climb
ing the hill, and, anon, We are on the
top, and the ram and the wind beat
snyagcly upon us and the prospect ON
either hand is drcary enough. Now
steadily down the shedding ground,
with tight rein and n careful lookout
for loose stones; for tins is a deep de-
scent, and one false step may take TWEEN.
~ pounds off the lit4le mares value.
The banks are hi%h, Mt all events, SO
there is some shelter, and down ut the
bottom there are trees ON either hand.
II was pitch dark i'll the hollow, but |
let the marc ont at the bottom of the hill
and gave her her head. Suddenly, with
II loud snort, she swcvcd violently, RAJ
hcwhcel Of the trap on to head Of way
I SIDE stones, put there to mend the road
and i'll n second we were over.
| went ont, of course, and the driving
box, the saddle, aud the debris of mis-
cellancous articles after me. | LANDED
partly on my shoulder partly on m,
head, and was mp again in II moment, nj
though n bit dazad. The moment
gained my feet I was seized by the col
lar, and harsh voice cxclaimed-not t.
me. but to someone else:
"Iold his head down-hold his hea,
down."
A dusky form sprang to tho mare
head aud kept her from attempting t.
rise. A third form knelt on the trap.
"By iove!" exclaimed this last fello,
in an angry tone, "we've got the wronl
mani"
"What ?" said he who had hold of m,
collar. DO you mean to say it ism
thc-?"
With volley of oaths, the other re
piled in the negative. The man who ba'
hold of me released me and joined tn,
other. They whispered together for I
few seconds. Then the first one cam,
back to me and said, with fine pretenc,
Of Indifference.
"Nasty accident, sir But it might
have been worse. It's lucky we were a
hand to helpyo
81 don't know about that" J. replied
with no small acrimony, "for my hors,
SHE'D at one Of you. She never did it il
her life before. You'll obligc me b,
helping to get her out"
in II twinkling we had the harness nm
lone, and the mare with founder an,
taggcr, was on her feet, and shook her
self in disguised fashion. The mel
said nothing, but obeyed my directions
Juckily. nothing was broken. the mar