Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-09

may give the horse his head for am late
| now
'The driver touched his hat, bent down
and tucked me in snugly, and off we went.
needn't have said anything about Civ
ing that horse his head; he took it; he
sprung along over the crust like Rus
sian steed. I noticed his superiority to
| the slow animal that had dragged me
over the same route a week previous and
so pleased was / with the change thar l
remarked it.
'sThis is better horse than the other
one" said.
81 don't know" he said doubtingIy.
Some likes the other best"
"Impossibler exclaimed, remember
ing the other.
81 like this one best, though they go
well together, so they can't be so very
different" he said, somewhat rs if he re-
scented ny noticing the difference.
$50 well together!" echoed. Glow
could that be?"
"All the doctors horses are fine ami
mails" he continued.
"Ah" I said. / didn't care to enter
into discussion With the driver, but
something impelled me to say: Your
master knows how to select horse of
course, being in the business"
| "No one better, miss. The doctor new
er gets taken in horse trade"
"Your master is horse doctor?" l
said.
"The well bred English looking driver
actually turned his head and looked at
me. In an instant he had recovered him
self and ans 1ered me.
mo, miss, he amt"
ellis tone was so aggrieved that l was
sorry I had wounded his feelings and
| fastened to make amends. I know how
sensitive servants are to any apparent dis
respect to their master, and although the
master in this case was but livery stable
! keeper, who was known as doctor. [
didn't want to lower his dignity in the
eyes of his servant, so said.
'Veterinary surgeon, 1 believe horse
doctors are called; it is the same thing"
| "He made no reply, though he still
looked aggrie7ed, and we whirled along in
silence.
ave met various people whom knew.
They stared slightly as they bowed to
me, and even smiled more than was nee
essary.
"'They think it is my own I said to
myself, meaning the decidedly swell turn
out.
"When we reached Mrs. Stanford's
told the driver to take the horse TO the
| stables and be at the door In hour. Let
me pass over the hour spent in discussing
| that fine dramatic poem, spoiled by too
much telling, "The Ring and the Book"
At the end of that hour, my driver was
waiting for me, and We were soon whirl-
ing along again toward the city. When
I reached my whilom home gave the
man little 'tip," and told him to come
! for me this next week at the same hour,
| and TO tell the doctor, his master, that
wanted the same horse, also. Then went
into the house, and instead of going to
my room I went into the drawing room.
[ was so full of my enjoyable drive that I
wanted to talk about it. A group of the
ladies in the house were gathered around
the open fire and | Joined them. They
had been talking as L entered, but as I
drow dear they ceased speaking. Mrs.
| Otis was one of the group, and seated
next to her was a big fellow who stared
at mo more than l enjoyed. But l was
too full of my drive to resent it.
"Such a drive!" I exclaimed rapturous-
ly.
CT should think sov said Mrs. O5is
with peculiar infection.
"'I am going to have that horse and
drive every week. continued.
"Indeedp said Mrs. Otis with the
same infection.
eyes. I told the man TO tell the doctor
that wanted it regularly. Did you ever
hear of anything more absurd2 That
man was really hurt that 1 should call his
master horse MISUNDERSTANDING sur
1 IL, IoAH II
81 should think so" murmured the big
fellow with broad smile.
az can tell you l was indignant at his
1mpudence, but Mrs. Otis spoke before I
had a chance to petrify this audacious
fellow with glance.
CDR. Mainwaring naturally would not
be looked upon as a horse doctor, or even
a veterinary surgeon by his servant" she
said sweetly. "It is possible also that the
servant found it hard to understand how
a lady could speak disparagingly of his
masters profession when availing herself
of his equipage.
"His equipage," T echoed. II don't
yourself clear.
"But she did not have an opportunity.
The strange young man rose and said
face contradicted his grave words: II
am DR.. Mainwaring, and am charmed if
you are pleased with my horse, like his
gai5 myself and [ an proud that an &C.
cident should have made it possible Tor
Miss Lowering to judge of it.
1T all flashed over me then. | had
taken the wrong horse.
"Do you mean to say that you didn't
| really didn't know that it wasn't your
| horse" said Mrs. Otis a little later, after
everything had been satisfactorily ex-
planned.
"'Of course didn't" I exclaimed indig
nantly. Do you think I am in the habit
of stealing horses?
"'I didn't know she replied. i knew
you were in the habit of doing exceeding
ly queer things.
81 don't call stealing horses queer
things said"
did you ever see DR.. Mainwaring
again ?" asked Laura.
''Yes," snid Kate.
"Yes," said Jack, looking at her quiz
zingly. "She contrived many meeting
! after that, know; was there"
But" said Berry, "his name was Main
waring."
$50 is mine; john Mainwaring Gray
is my whole name," Jack replied.
"Ohw We exclaimed in contented
chorus, glad to know that Hates advent
ure had ended in q romance.
The big clock in the hall strack u.
| "Midnight," said Kate. "To bed, girlies,
or your roses will not bloom tomorrow.
Good night"
Good night" We cried, trooping up
the wide, old fashioned staircase. Laura