Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1890-02-28

back, mo an my mite was half nour
a.hetchip' of i'm"
What am to dol Tic man knows that
the horse Is mine or that was hunting it,
and evidently doesn't mean TO be baked OF
his expected tip. One point am quite de.
oided upon; l will take this countryman
into my confidence; | will eat my humble.
pie 10 the very last crumh il need be, but |
'0oHt ride that ileud miscalcd hunter home.
That is thing will not do. But / wish
hadn't told the nun that the horse wasn't
mine. Never mind; it doesn't matter !
will offer him five shilings 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 hborer
secs H. stops Diamond, and before can pre-
vent him has dsmounted, and is holding
the bride ready for me to get up again.
Now, look hero, my man." begin. ~
want your
But the words die upon my lips Just as
press the two halr-crowns into tho labor.
er's willing hand, there is u confused ella ter
OF hoofs. and three men In pink come swing.
| ing round the corner. will wuit until they
pass. o the mistaken kindne IS have suf-
ferel from, to-day They don't pass; they
| pull up with enc accord. and hope that
haven't come TO grief. di,claim all nc-d
Of aid and sympathy with frightful eager
ness bat in vain. My hollow tones arouse
their pity, and one of them jumps of his
horse, and taking Diamond by the lie ID bids
the rustic "help TIE gentlen al mnunt" The
| laborer seiZes my left leg in giants grip
and yield myself u fate. silent for very
shame. The three ofiiciuus good Sumlritaus
ride with me just far enough 10 let the re-
treating lab rer get wei out OF sight with
my five shill IS, and then bidding inc good
evening turd up across the open moor,
leaving me to my cnemy's mercy.
am bound u admit that he goes more
5 dately now. How would thrash him II
! only dared Fortunnt ly for him, would
as soon try 10 fly as take such a ! b ,rty, aud
he Il allowed to plod along us slowly as he
chooses. BY AMI by, he begins to 90 very
awSwardly; he siumblcs aud trips, until
am In momcntIry terror OF being thrcwr
over his heud. Ee m st 10 lame; and Us
the awful oss bility, nay, fact bursts upon
me, pull at the bride TIL get him TO stand
still, and c imb down 70 500 what has gone
wrong with him. can't see any thing un.
usual about any OF his legs; but there is no
Disgusting the hideous fact that he is dead
lame. don't waste time in making further
investigations; throw the bride over
my arm, and once more set out 10 walk
home, with the horse limpng behind me.
| am dog-tired, very hungry. and my body
aches from innuinerable bruises begin,
moreover, "a near the house, 10 feel that
my personal appearance Is rather depress-
ing. My hat NEW week ago) would make
an Irish beggar bush; my once spote5s
buckskins are boldly varlegated with biots
and patches of brown and green Till they
re s mble a carelessly drawn map. Dian Odd
aud his trapp.rgs arc no cleaner aud we are
indeed sorry procession as we entes
Barnsdale gates ut sunset aud are received |
by Pudgewood ut the hall-door.
"Hallop ho says, why did you walk
homer
"le's lame" l resrond, In 81 a,tly
whisper.
"Lame !" shouts my host, rushing dowa |
the steps and diving at Diamonds legs, |
"lamew He feels each limb in turn, aud |
then examines the hoofs while stand |
tremblin; like piok-pockct's apprentice |
caught in his Nat theft Presently Pudgt-
wood draws out his Io"ket-knlfe and III .
two taps knocks q tone out q Diamonds
fol- e-foot. Then h. stands upright and pats
the horses ne'k Jones'" he says, with
the gravity of a man whose painful duty l.
20 bring a serious cha sc against his best
friend Jones, I'm afraid you're a duffer."
And am too mpletely crushed 10 reply.
have never ridden to hounds since; and
whoa fellows begin to talk hunting AZ din.
ner am ST Cnt. ! consider that hunting as
an amusement 1. greatly oyerrated.-Cham.
bers' Journal.