Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-10-11

had bought for the use of his daughters
two of the finest thoroughbred hunters to
he had for money, and the young ladies'
who began their equestrianship when they
We're wont to bestride the farm horses of
their childhood with bare feet and legs,
were perfectly at home in the saddles.
They sat their hunters magnifcently II
they had rivals in the drawing room they
certainly were peerless in the saddle; and
as Lord Lockham and Count Liston were
admitted TO be the most graceful and dar-
inc of the gentlemen riders, the Misses
Cineher and the two diplomats were
naturally attracted to each other in the
cross country canters.
On this day Lord Lockham was the
fox" He was riding a new hunter which
was restive and from whose eyes rather
too vicious fire flashed. 4 gayly decorated
bag swung at my lords side, in which
were the bright eolored bits of papers
which were to be strewed along the way to
mark the trail of the fox" At every
movement of this bag the hunter would
rear and snort and when LOckham gave
him the word he shot away like an arrow
from its bow. After lapse of few
minutes the hounds" which were com
prised of the very elect { the seasons So
-a-syy ssir ~ ~Eee's
hot pursuit More than a score of elegant
ly costumed, splendidly mounted ladies
and gentlemen put spurs to their thorough
Il "a la
noise of their feet was like thunder They
kept well together up to little beyond the
place where the "fox' had disappeared
from view, and then the scent was mo-
to and fro until one of the hounds" was
heard to "give tongue" that the trail was
discovered, and the scattered riders again
thundered on, riding close, until again the
trail disappeared Whether il be true, as
has been whispered at times, that Lord
Lockham had given Miss Clincher Zip"
in regard to his course, does not appear in
the annals of that social year, but certain
it is that after keeping well with ''the
pack" for while, this young lady gave
rein to her horse and soon lett all the others
far behind. On she rode, mp hill and down
dale, jump bitches and fences, plunging
through Rock Creek regardless ofits depth,
and never loosening her rein until she
caught sight of the "fox" galloping through
n bye-road within mile of the house of
the Racket Club, where it was agreed the
hunt should end
Giving her horse u moment of relaxation
while crossing a freshly -plowed field, Miss
Clincher emerged into the road Then Civ
ing the hunter the word she bore down up
on his lordship with the speed of the wind.
Knowing he would be overtaken, and
doubtless wishing to be, the 'fox" made
no attempt TO escape the lovely hound, :"
but cantered along easily. As Miss
Clincher came within few rods of him at
a tremendous stride, his lordship turned
his head and lifted his cap. Momentarily
of his guard, his treacherous horse reared
straight in the air, balancing exactly on
the tips of his hoois and striking wickedly
with his forefeet. Caught mapping, his
lordship involuntarily grasped the rein
with both hands and the wrench decided
the horse to fall backwards instead of set
tling down naturally. At the vital moment
when it appeared the animal was about TO
fall upon and crush the rider Miss Clincher
swept alongside. Dazed with fright, she
unconsciously reached forth her right arm,
which was unengaged. She felt it close
tight about the waist of the falling lord.
She gathered him close to her His weight,
resting partly upon her arm and partly up
on her horse, was easily sustained until
with IA word she calmed the impetuous
speed Of the animal, and then she set his
lordship safely down upon his feet.
''By Jove, you have the strength and
| bravery of an Amazon" cried Lord Lock
ham, his voice trembling and his legs sbak-
ing SO that he could hardly stand
'Oh, did not think what l was doing,
faltered Miss Clincher, blushing rosy red
at seemed to me you We're about to be
killed, and caught hold of You without
stopping to reason. Maybe you would not
have been hurt all.
"No, ! wouldn't have been hurt. |
would merely have broken my neck. Miss
Clincher, it's no use TO mince matters.
have been thinking of it for II long time, |
would have said it anyway, if could have
ever gathered enough courage You have
saved my life. 1t therefore belongs to you.
1t Is hardly worth having, but will you
take itY"
There was silence for Il moment, and
then Miss Clincher said please don't say
anything to the others about it-I mean
my dragging you from your saddle. They
would think you offered yourself to me
simply because of a fortunate accident;an
moreover, III rather they wouldn't know !
am 10 strong as 10 swing you about like
that, she concluded, blushing anew.
With gay laugh, his lordship caught
Miss Clinchers hand and covered il with
kisses.
The other riders began to come up, and
the accident was explained, but the bushes
which yet suflused the cheeks of Miss
Clincher were cause for many roguish and
suspicious glances. 1t was clear that all
would not accept the assertion that Lord
Lockham had been violently unhorsed, and
to this day it is quietly whispered in the
best people" that his loriship's horse ran
away while he was standing by Miss
Clineher and proposing to her.
However this may be, the season ended
with double marriage at the mansion of
the Clinchers. Count Liston could wait no
longer when he heard of Lockham's en-
gagement, and Miss Valcria, though she
was somewhat disappointed that his Ex-
cellency's estate did not include n medieval
castle, accepted with charming grace.
Mrs Tabitha Clncher treated the marriage
of the two raw country girls, her daughters,
To members of noble families, as the most
natural thing in the world, and the Hon.
Jehu Clincher, having learned the condi
tion Of the estates of his sons in law, VOW
ed he would abandon statcsmanship, 90
abroad and redeem these hcritages Of an
cient families from mortgages and barren
ness, restore Lord Lockham's ruined manor
house and Count Listons chateau, and
make the abandoned land blossom like the
rose.
IL was after the honeymoon. Lady Lock
ham and the Countess Liston had returned
with their husbands for few days TO the
rural mansion of the Clnchers previous 10
,ba d.rartura nT tha Honnrahl. Jahu and