The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1884-12-05
TIE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE.

Then she told him Hope had seen he
drowning,a mile off, with it, and riddle
bare-backed steed to her rescue.
Sod bless him" cried Walter. III
is our best friend. Might borrow thi
famous glass"
oh" said Mary, 81 am not going in
TO any more streams; am not so bray'
as used to be-"
please lend it me, for all that"
"Of course will, if you wish it,"
Strange to say, after this, whether
/ Mary walked or rode out, she very Otter
met Mr.. Walter Clifford. lie was al
ways delighted and surprised. She wa
surprised three times, and said so, ant
/ after that she came to lower her lashes
and blush, but not to start. Each meet
ing was pure accident. 10 doubt, ONLY
she foresaw the inevitable occurrence
They talked about everything i'm the
world except what was most on theiI
minds. Their soft tones and expressive
eyes supplied that little deficiency.
If Hope had been at home, Mary
would have been looked after more
sharply. But If she was punctual az
meals, that went long way with Rob
ert BARLEY.
However, the accidental and frequent
meetings of Walter and Mary, and their
delightful rides and walks, were inter-
fered with just as they began to grow
into a habit. There arrived at Clifford
Hall formidable persOn-in female
eyes especially-a beautiful heiress.
Julia Clifford, great-niece and ward of
Colonel Clifford; very tall, graceful with
dark gray eyes, and black eyebrows the
size of leach, that narrowed to point
and met in finer lines upon the bridge
of nose that was gently aquiline, but
not too large, as such noses are apt to
be. a large, expressive mouth, with
wonderful rows Of ivory, and the pref
tiest little black down. fine rs hair, on
her upper lip, and q skin rather dark
but clear, and glowing with the warm
blood beneath it, completed this noble
girl. She was nineteen years of age.
Colonel Clifford received her with
warm affection and old-fashiOnedc court
esy; but as he was disabled by violent
| tit of govt. he deputed Walter To attend
to her on foot and horseback.
Miss Clifford, accustomed to homage,
laid Walter under contribution every
day. She was very active, and he had
! to take her for a walk i'm the morning,
and n ride i'm the afternoon. lie WINGED
II little under this at first; it kept him so
much from Mary. But there was some
compensation. Julia Clifford was q
lady-like rider, and also bold and skill
FIJI one.
The first time he rode with her he
asked her beforehand what sort of a
horse she would like.
ooh, anything" said she, that is not
| vicious nor SLOW"
a hack or 4 hunter%
"Oh, hunter, IL may"
Perhaps you will do me the honor to
look at them and select"
"YOn are very kind, and will"
He took her to the stables, and she
selected beautiful black mare, with q
coat like satin.
There" said Walter. despondingly.
Il was afraid you would fix on her. SHE
is impossible ] can't ride her myself"
"ViciOus?"
Not i'm the least
"Well, then"
! Here an old groom touched his hat,
and said, curly, TOO hot and iidgety,
miss. I'll as licve ride Of IL boiling ket-
tle."
Walter explained: "The poor thing
is the victim of nervousness"
(Which call them IS rides her the
Victims" suggested the ancient groom.
"She wants soothing" suggested Miss
Clifford
may, miss. She wants bleeding DER
Sundays, and sweating over the fallOws
till she drops o. weekdays. But if she
was mine I'd put her to work in u coal
cart for six. months; that would larn
her."
Il will ride her." said Miss Clifford,
calmly; "her or none."
Saddle her, George" said Walter,
resignedly. I'D ride Goliah. Black
Bess sha mt plead bad example. Co
liah is as meek as Moses, Miss Clifford.
He is a gigantic mouse"
When Black Bess was ready, Miss
Clifford asked leave to hold the bride,
and walk her out of the premises. As
she walked her she patted and caressed
her, and talked to her all the time-told
her they all misunderstood her because
she was a female; but now she was not
to be tOrmented and leased, but to have
her own way.
Then she asked George to hold the
mares head as gently as he could, and
Walter to put her up. She was, in the
saddle in moment. The mare iidgeted
and pranced, but did not rear. Julia
slackened the reins, and patted and
praised her, and let her go. She made
a run, but was checked by degrees with
the snaffle. She had "a beautifulmouth,
and it was in good hands at last
When they had ridden u few miles
they came to a very open country, and
Julia asked demurely if she might be
allowed to try her off the road. All
right" said Walter; and Miss Julia, with
a smart decision that cOntrasted greatly
with the meekness of her proposal, put
her straight at the bank, and cleared it
like bird. They had famous gallOp,
but this judicious rider neither urged
the mare nor greatly checked her. She
moderated her. Black Bess came home
that day sweating properly, but with q
marked diminutiOn of lather and foam.
Miss Clifford asked leave to ride her in
to the stable-yard, and after dismount-
ing talked to her, and patted her, and
praised her. An hour later the peril
naciOus beauty asked for a carrot from
the garden, and fed Black Bess with it
it in the stable.
BY these arts, very light hand, and
tact in riding, she soOthed Black Bess's
nerves, SO that at last the very touch of
her habit skirt, OF her hand, or the
sound of her voice, seemed to soOthe
the poor nervous creature; and at last
one day i'm the stable Bess prOtruded
her great lips and kissed her fair rider
on the shoulder after her manner.