The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1889-04-27

| myself from pad lall oy CllnRlnp 10 Uni
banisters with both hands. Finally, l turf
round and walk down backwards, arriving
in safety on the mat without being seen.
wonder how other fellows manage, for
don't recollect ever having heard any on
complain of this difficulty before.
"Morning, Jones,n said Pudgewoo,
through n stratum of buttered toast. "Com
along; we haven't much time to spare
The meets at Holly Copse. seven mile
away, az eleven o'clock; and it's near tel
now. VIII YOU ride out, or take seat IL
the dog cart"
If / could take scat in the cart ant
keep it, should select that without hesita
tion; but a little practice in the saddle
will do me good, perhaps, so / say that Twill
jog out quietly.
Pudgewood mods approvingly. always
best to ride TO cover, / think" he says
'you have time to shake down in your saddle
before the days work"
! hear the horses being walked up ant
down on the gravel outside, and the sount
rather takes away my appetite. should
like TO know little more about the animal
l am to ride before mount, and therefore
seize an early opportunity of asking Fudge
wood about it.
"1his gray, which you have been good
enough TO lend me, Pudgewood, have you
had him longtn
My host screws up his eyebrows and
makes brief mental calculation. i've
| hunted old Diamond now for nine seasons
he's never given me single fall, and
| never knew him turn his head from any
thing yet"
Haven't you. indeedln ask family.
Mot once,n affirms Pudgewood, solemnly.
HE can take five-foot wall as easily MS
| you could jump over straw He loves
| jumping, that horse"
Loves jumping, does hel ] listen with
sickly interest while Pudgewood continues
| to dilate upon old Diamonds merits. He
appears to be horse of considerable
strength of character, from his masters
account; and fear that if he insists upon
indulging in his taste for jumping while |
am on his back some difference of opinion is
Likely TO arise between us. / do not "love
Jumping
Pudgewood is certainly most thoughtful
man. He arms me with huge hunting
crop whose horn handle, he says, will be
useful to open gates with. It's a trouble
some thing to carry, and gets fearfully en-
twined with the rcins; but if it is to serve
me as gate-opener, no earthly power shall
induce me to leave it behind
am mounted now. l felt a little pale
when / came out of the house; but the ex-
ertion of climbing into the saddle, with the
groom's assistance, has made me purple in
the face, for | am stoutish man of no great
stature, and not so active as used to be.
"'E's trihe fresh, sir,n says the groom
as he puts my right foot into the stirrup.
Don't touch i'm with the spur or ride lin
on the curb, and 'e'll go like a lamb"
The horse IS tossing his head and champ.
ing his bits with most unlambike ferocty.
indeed his whole demeanor warns me to
treat his pecularities with the utmost re-
spect ! screw my armed heels painfully
far outwards, to keep the spurs off his sides
and pick the bride up very gingerly; l
won't pull the curb-rein for any considera-
tion. try to look comfortable and happy
as Pudgewood rides up beside me and gives
Diamond a long loving look over from his
head to his h els.
HE will carry you splendidlv," he says
to me. 81 shall expect to see you in the
first flight the whole day.
It's far more than l expect myself. am
not at all ambitious to be in the first flight
whatever that may bc-anl don't mean to
let Diamond jump so much as a grain if |
can help it.
The horse calms down by and by; and
when we pull up ut the crossroads, where
the hounds are waiting, i feel much more at
home in the saddle than did when we
started. There are at least fifty horsemen
standing about, and numbers of carriages
full of ladies'. Every body looks so ami
mated and jovial, that | make spasmodc
effort to apl ar pleasantly at ease. I'm
afraid the attempt is rather failure, for
the sight of the hounds has reused Dia-
mond's spirit, and he is very anxious to be
of. Presently the whole cavalcade is
streaming slowly up muddy lane behind
the hounds; we pass through "a gate into
large field; and the master, aided by the
huntsman and whips, sends the pack into
cover.
Pudgewood trots up to give me a final
word of advice: Don't touch his mouth
once you put him at an obstacle; let him
take his own pace, and you are quite safen
nod despairing affirmative: somebody
beside me says, "They have found,n and /
sit in awful suspense awaiting the result.
One of the whips appears at the corner of
the wood into which the hounds were sent,
and holds up his cap. Men throw away
their cigars. button up their coats, and
press their hats well home. / feel dread
fully limp, as we trot towards white gate
in the corner of the field. Suppose it won't
open, and that am called upon to put Dia.
mond at the rdilingsi They are nearly
three feet high, and look awfully strong.
The gate IS not locked, however; and when
we get through it, we see the hounds pour |
ing out Of the wood, noses down and tales |
up. They've got the line " says man
near me; "come on" He canters away and |
in ten seconds more we are all galloping !
across the pasture after him. My hat gets |
over my eyes ana ! can't SEQ any thing; | |
have lost stirrup, and in my frantic |
plunges TO recover it, l have spurred Dia-
mond to the top of his speed, in what direc-
tion have not the least idea.
Hold hard, sir" bawls a man as / flash
past him: but am obiviOus to all things
save the certainty of tumbling of if don't
get that st trrup back at once. "Ware /
hound ~ screams some one else. as a shape
less splatch OF liver and white, which / sub
ascertain was hound, appears |
below Diamonds hoofs, and howls pite-
Dusly as we pass over it, ] have got all the |
reins and my whip in one hand, and am
holding on TO the saddle like grim death |
with the other Suddenly the stirrup |
swings itself back onto my foot again. and
with supreme effort succeed in pulling |
the horse up. don't like to look around.
| hear floods of opprobrious language lev
ellcd at me, at which i must say I'm good |
deal surprised, as | have always been told |
that the hunting field is he school for man
ners.
"Perhap', sir" says an old gentleman in
,l,n,, \ thA NNl