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

sitting in very wet furrow, with my leg
stuck straight out before me, scrapng tn
clay off my face. l don't know where th
horse has gone, and don't want to know.
have had quite enough hunting for one day
and as soon as every one is out of sight
shall make the best of my way homewards
| find the road, and set out on my walk Il
Barnsdale, which must be q good eigh
miles off. Never mind; it's better thar
| hunting.
Halo, what's this1 / am tramping stead
| lily on. whistling TO keep up my spirits wher
the sound of hoofs falls on my ear, anC
sends "a cold shivcr down my back. 1t come:
nearer and nearer, and my heart beats like
a hammer, keeping time with the hoofs.
| daren't look round. | acon't look round
Poohl after all, perhaps it's only a farmer
on his way home. The vilniuous Diamond
| is not the only horse in Stoneshire. But
even as l try thus TO comfort myself ant
ward off apprehension, The animal comes NJ
beside me, and gruff voice says: Eyer bC
| thy harse, Meister"
IL Is too much. | throw common-scnse
| and truth to the winds at these appalling
words, and repudiate ownership as fercely
| us though had been accused of stealing the
| creature.
The yokel on Diamonds back stares at me
with his mouth open, in stupid amazement,
for fully half minute. Then he takes off a
very old hat and scratches his head, as
though friction assisted speech. But seed
thee a-tumbin' off i'm in the field tree mile
back. Me an my mate was half hour
a-ketchin' of i'm"
What am l to do9 The man knows that
the horse is mine, or that was hunting it,
and evidently doesn't mean to be ballSed of
his expected tip. One point am quite de-
cided upon: | will take this countryman
into my confidence; will eat my humble.
pie to the very last crumb If need be, but
iCOnt ride that fiend miscalled hunter home.
That is n thing | will not do. But / wish |
hadn't told the man that the horse wasn't
mine. Never mind; it doesn't matter
will offer him five shillings to take Diamond
home for me and say nothing more about it,
With this determination | stop and pull
some money out of my pocket: the laborer
sees it, stops Diamond and before / can pre-.
vent him, has dsmounted, and is holding
the bride ready for me to get up again.
Now, look here, my man." l begin. ~
want you''--
But the words die upon my lips just as
press the two half-crowns into the labor
er's willing hand, there is a confused catter
of hoofs, and three men in pink come swing
ing round the corner. / will wait until they
pass 0 the mistaken kindness have suf-
fered from, to-day! They don't pass; they
pull up with one accord, and hope that
haven't come to grief. disclaim all need
of aid and sympathy with frightfu eager
ness; but in vain. 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 seiZes my left leg in Il giants grip,
and yield myself 60 fate, silent for very
shame. The three oflicious good Samaritans
ride with me just far enough to let the re-
treating laborer get well out of sight with
my five shillings, and then bidding me good
evening, turn up across the open moor,
leaving me to my enemy's mercy.
| am bound to admit that he goes more
sedately now. How | would thrash him If
! only dared! Fortunately for him, l would
as soon try TO fly as take such liberty, and
he is allowed to plod along as slowly az he
chooses. BY and by, he begins to 90 very
awkwardly; he stumbles and trips, until
am in momentary terror of being thrown
over his head. He must be lame; and as
the awful possibility, nay fact, bursts upon
me, / pull at the bride till get him to stand
still, and climb down 10 see what has gone
usual about any of his legs; but there is no
the hideous fact that he is dead
lame. don't waste time in making further
i throw the bride over
my arm, and once more set out to walk
home, with the horse limping behind me.
am dog-tired, very hungry, and my body
aches from innumerable bruises. begin,
as ! near the house, TO feel that
my personal appearance is rather depress-
ing. My hat new week ago. would make
an Irish beggar blush; my once spotiess
buckskins are boldly variegated with biots
and patches of brown and green till they
resemble a carelessly drawn map. Diamond
and his trappings are no cleaner and we are
indeed a sorry procession as we enter
i3arnsdale gates at sunset and are received
by Pudgewood at the hall-door.
"Hallom he says, why did you walk
homen'
Hes lame," / respond, in gkastly
whisper
'Lame!" shouts my host, rushing down
The steps and diving at Diamonds legs,
''lame!" He feels each limb in turn, and
then examines the hoofs, while stand
trembling like a pick-pockets apprentice
caught in his first theft. Presently Pudgt-
wood draws out his poclset-knife and with
two taps knocks stone out of Diamonds
Tore-foOt. Then he stands upright and pats
the horse's neck. Jones'" he says, with
The gravity of man whose painful duty is
10 bring serious charge against his best
friend, "JoIes, I'm afraid you're a duffer.h
And / am too completely crushed 10 reply.
/ have never ridden to hounds since; and
when fellows begin TO talk hunting at din
ler. / am silent. | consider that hunting a.
IN amusement is greatly overrated.-Cham-