Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-02-05
CHAPTER XII.
A HORSE! A HoRSEl

IL must nOO &c supposed tnaJ no Inent1On on
any fr,en,'s CT acquaintance of Hiss Clap-
sons inJEss that She led an isolated life at
Halle wool Iyuse. Sic had, indeed, plenty
of both. 1t could hardly BIO otherwise, as the
Talbcrts were worry great on the subject az
the interchange of social civilities, and kept
a visiting book as carefully as any lady could
have done. Ono Of Miss Clnuson's friends
came several times across Frank Carruthers
path aboat this period.
This f".end, or acquaintance, was q fine,
hulking oung fellow of about twenty, the
heir to, and l.opo Of, one Of the families of
position. A great, good-ngtured, broad
shouidered boy, who would doubtless in
year or two Gevelope into something that a
mother might be proud OF, and young lady
feel happy to have for sutton. He was an
Oxford undergraduate, and for while had
been one of Franks pupils. SO when he came
up to Lakewood House ons morning, Of
course to see the Talberts, he as much sur
prised at finding the celebrated Oxford coach
sitting at his ease just Ike an ordinary
unlearned Philistine. He hung about the
place until Beatrice appeared, and, after a
while, Frank heard him ask her whom he
might call and go riding with her
Although Mr.. Carruthcrs, when inqtIiring
into hiss Clauscns likes and Gisiikes, ka1 as
certainca that she was fond of riding, he had
not as yet seen hor on horseback. Perhaps
the shn;3est shaft in Loves qu;vor was kept
to be shot the last.
The Tc.ne",5 were not great ct horsedesh.
In the first place, they loathed a horsey man,
and although, as part OF gcntlen.cns educa-
ton, they Eal learned to ri,le we'll, they pre-
ferred in tier maturcr years the carriage
seat to tie saddle. They had pair Of we'll
matched carriage horses, and recently a
horse Led been bought for Beatrice. After
it was purchased she cid not, however. make
much Il OF it. She could not ride out IN
attended, and when Il groom wen5 with her it
necessitatol his. us.Ag one of tha carriage
horses. SO shs only rode when hor uncles
were not going TO Use the carriage, or when
some chance escort like young Purton offered
himself
At present her horse was in the hands of
the veterinary surgeon, so there was no
chance of young Iurton's being grntiiod.
Nevertheless, the account of the animals
progress toward recovery was good, and
Miss Clsuson hoped it would be returned to
her very soon.
After this interview Mr.. Purton used to
ride up to Hazlewood House every morning,
to learn if Miss Cluuson's horse he'd come
back. He was very anxious to hire or borrow
firmly declined. Perhaps, after all, Beatrice
only cared for riding in comparative way.
Frank Carluthers, when he met the young
fellow, dressed in the most natty and approved
equestrian costume, used to laugh and jest
with him, and ask for the latest bulletins
anent the convalescing steed. He knew that
young Purton had once or twice ridden into
Blacktown to seq what progress the invalid
was making.
For his own amusement Frank would ad
dress humorous questions, clothed, for the
benefit or distress Of his late pupil, in elegant
Latin and Greek, until young Purton flee
incontinently, or boldly asserted that ht
ought not to be tor1nented before his time.
But one morning, to his inexpressble de
light, he found the horse reinstalled in The
Lakewood stables; ana, moreover, Miss Clau
son willing to don her riding gear aEll allow
her cavalier to take her for twenty-mile
ride.
Frank had the pleasure Of seeing the tive
ride away i'll company, young Purton feeling
and showing how immensely superior BEN,
good horseman, intrusted with the care of
fair lady, is to the best Oxford coach wit
could let Greek and Latin run out Of hi
mouth like water, by Jovem
Miss Clauson's appearance on horseback
need not be described; but Mr.. Carruthers
after watching her supple, graceful, but
alasl vanishing figure, buried his hands i
his pockets ana walked about the garden in
seemingly reflective mood. Then for whil
he went back to LIS favorte holiday occups
ton of lying on the lawn and doing nothing
Horace and Herbert by this time had fiji
ished their housekeeping, or china busting
or whatever kept them indoors They joine
him, and laughed at his laziness He title
back his hat 4 looked up at them sleepily
II say, Horace, where can | buy horses
ga horse"
Eyes. l Lad quite forgotten it, but m
doctor insist ! that as soon as l got better
should take Eorse exercise"
II didn't know you could ride"
yes can. Something, Of course, yer
quiet. Oh, yes, l can ride until l fall of
The wors5 is that whenever l fall from any
thing whether a horse or a ladder, l come O
my head as certainly US a shuttlecock does.
TAX one of the carriage horses" sal
Herbert.
1--WE can use the dogcart," added Horace
'Not bit Of it. You wouldn't look we
in do.;cart. It's not dignifed conveyanC
enoug No. I will buy me horse, and Sc
him W en- leave you. Twill not trust myse
to "A l. reling The hireling' is it IL
hireln. doosf'
''F, ,sakes tho flock, said Herbert.
".,,.e sheep, said Horace, correctingly.
49, IS, to be sure l am neither a sheep n
f, *, but fear the hireling would treat Il
bad.y. SO tell me where to go for horse
1T seems great extravaganza, Frank
Extravaganza What is extravaganza
Sionding more than one Gun afford. | a
rolling in money. ! am disgustingly rich
lear not TO meet either my bootmaker or IL
tanker Besides, in justice TO my doctor,
must have his prescriptions made up, no nls
ter what they cost"
They saw be was in earnest, SO called the
coachman to assist in the search for stee
The coachnan in his striped linen waistcou
joined tho group and waited his master
commands.
"William,n said Horace, "Mr. Carruthe
is thinking of buying horse. Do you kno
of ANYTHING for sale round about herep
"Do | know of boss, SIR said WilliaI
refectively.
Something quiet" put in Herbert, W
was solicitous for Franks safety.
ga Ioes-soInetling Quiet repeated w