The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-04-27

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tiers on without paying the least attention
to my apologies. l quite agree with him
about keeping in the rear, and shall be per-
fectly satisfied to stay there if DIAMOND
would consent to the arrangement. M
After we have gone a good long wsy.
every one stops galloplng, and come pp
with the rest of the field. / am stared at n
good DEAL | don't know why, and l hear
something said about cheQGe, which sun
pose relates to that stupid dog rode over,
1t rather dampens my ardor, for have got
On surprisingly well up till now; there hss
been no jumping, for all the gates are open,
or there have been friendly gaps in default.
l have been abused sometimes for not await
ing my turn at these places; but can't e..
plain that the anxiety to get on is all On
Diamonds part and not on mine. l am GLAD
to stop for Bit but in a few minutesa
man says, ''They've hit off the line," and We
are all laundering down towards hedge IF
most forbidding aspect, and without gap
in its whole length. Now, then, Jonesa
sings out Pudgcwood, cheerily, "sit down
and give the old horse his head"
The advice is wel,-meant, but unnecessary
the old horse has got his head, hut haw
quite lost mine. We are at the hedge
there is frightful lurch, and l am boistd
into mid-air, vaguely conscious that tls
saddle on Diamonds back is far ava
below me. After wide parabolic aeria
flight, l came down lengthways on thl
horse. Thence l rebound helplessly; AMI
the next thing l am aware of is. that l ar
sitting in a very wet furrow, with my leg
stuck straight out before me, scraping TIL
clay off my face. don't know where tn.
horse has gone, and don't want to lSr
nave had quite enough hunting for one daH
and as soon as every one is out of sight,
shall make the best of my way homewads.
1 find the road, and set out on my wax to
| Rarnsdale, which must be a good eight
miles off. Never mind: it's bette than
! hunting.
Halo! what's this! am trampig stead
lily on. whistling to keep up my splits, when
the sound of hoofs falls on my Ear, and
sends cold SILVER down my backHt comes
nearer and nearer, and my heart feats like
a hammer, keeping time with thehoofs. l
darent look round. | aUORt locz round.
Pooh! after ALL perhaps it's onlyl farmer
on his way home. The villainousDiamond
is not the only horse in Stonesfre. But
even as l try thus to comfort n1self and
ward off apprehension, the animalomes up
beside me, and a gruff voice says: Eyer be
thy harse, Mcister.n
1t is too much. | throw comron-sense
and truth to the winds at these appalling
words, and repudiate ownership fiercely
as though had been accused of stating the
creature.
The yokel on Diamond back staes at me
with his mouth open, in stupid anizement,
for fully half minute. Then he tkes off
very old hat and scratches his head, as
though friction assisted speech. SUIT seed
thee a-tumblin' off i'm in the 1ieh tree mile
back. Me an my mate was htf hour
a-ketchin' of inn
What am to do! The man hows that
the horse Is mine, or that l was hunting it,
and evidently doesn't mean to baked of
his expected tip. One point l an quite de-
! cidcd upon: | will take this cuntryman
| intO my confidence; will eat ny humble.
! pie to the very last crumo if nee be, but
| 'front.' ride that tiend miscalled hmter home
| That is thing will not do. Blu | wish
| hadn't told the man that the hose wasn't
| mine. Never mind; it doesn't matter
will offer him five shillings to TAKE Diamond
home for me and say nothing mor about it.
With this determination l stop and pull
some money out of my pocket; the laborer
sees it, stops Diamond and before can pre-.
vent him, has dismounted, and is holding
the bride ready for me to get up again.
Now. look here, my man," begin. :!
want your
| But the words die upon my lips. just az
! | press the two half-crowns into the labor
ers willing hand, there is confused CHATTER
of hoofs, and three men in pink come swing
ing round the corner. l will wait until they
pass o the mistaken kindness have sui
fered from, to-day! They don't pass; they
pull up with one accord, and hope that
haven't come to grief disclaim all neet
of aid and sympathy with frightful eager
ness; but in vGin. My hollow tones arouse
! their pity, and one of them jumps off his
horse, and taking Diamond by the head bids
the rustic "help the gentleman mount" The
laborer seizcs my left leg in a giants grip
and yield myself to fate, silent for very
| shame. The three otficious good Samaritans
ride with me just far enough to let the re
treating laborer get well out of sight witt
my five shillings, and then bidding me gooi
evening, turn up across the open moor
leaving me to my enemy's mercy.
am bound to admit that he goes more
. sodatcly now. How l would thrash him i
| only dared! Fortunately for him, would
as soon try to fly as take such liberty, ant
he is allowed to plod along as slowly as hi
/ chooses. By and by, he begins to 20 very
awkwardly; he stumbles and trips, until
am in momentary terror of being thrown
over his head. He must be lame; and a
! the awful possibility. nay, fact bursts upoI
me, | pull at the bride till get him to stant
still, and Climb down to see what has gon,
wrong with him. | can't see any thing uu
usual about any Of his legs; but there is NJ
Disgusting the hideous fact that he is dead
lame. ] don't waste time in making furthe
investigations; l throw the bride owe
my arm, and once more set out to wall
home, with the horse limping behind me
l am dog-tired, very hungry, and my body
aches from innumerable bruises. ] begin
moreover, as | near the house, to feel tina
my personal appearance is rather depress
ing. Ny hat new week ago. would MAKE
an Irish beggar blush; my once spot'es
buckskins are boldly variegated with blot
and patches of brown and green till the,
res emble a carelessly drawn map. Diamond
and his trappings are no cleaner and we ar
indeed sorry procession as we ente
Barnsdale gates at sunset and are received
by Pudgewood at the hall-door.
"Hallon' he says, why did you Tall
homer
Hes lame" 1 respond, in ghastl,
whisper.
"LameH' shouts my host, rushing dow
the steps and diving at Diamonds legs
''lameH' He feels each limb in turn, ant
flD