The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-12-25

jeopardized my immortal part for all
eternity. could not have answered that
Gurgling voice, thrilling through me
like rich Burgundy, otherwise than by
saying:
Gentle as kittens, Miss Bette; hardly
fresh even, Mr.. Blythe" And chuckled
with rueful hilarity. Then that Internal
gray, as if in judgment, nearly took my
shoulder out of the socket.
81 knew they were, papa, dear. he
would never risk me with them else; and,
you see, he is driving" was drunken,
besotted, wild with the haschish of that
emphasized pronoun. Those wondrous
eyes shot me glance Of thanks; the tiny
hands clapped in glee, and closing on
each side the gray whiskers, drew the
old mans face down to the ripe lips. A
clicking kiss, seemingly all around me
in the sharp air, drove me perfectly
drunk with envy. was wild enough
to seize the whip Tom had thrown care
lessly on the back seat; but even in the
madness Of that supreme moment I had
method enough left to keep it far back
out of the gray's sight.
"How impatient he looks, tucked up
in his drivers perchr' Tom said, airily,
| to his uncle. eff the horses were only
half as much so we might have lively
ride"
saw, out Of the far corner of mine,
Mr.. Blythe's eyes travel rather hesitat-
ingly over the tense muscles of the gray.
! Oh how my soul went out in wild yearn-
ing that he might insist on that beast
being exchanged for his own easy going
horse! But just then the perverse brute
of sorrel stood stock still and hid the
off horse from his scrutiny. My hope
went from out of me, and the blackness
| of despair settled down over me and that
demon team.
"well, we'll; you must be careful Of
your off horse
| "Of course hc will, papa. And now,
| good-by. Tom says we mustn't keep
them standing longer in the cold"
| In thumped Miss Bettie's bonnet box,
and both horses answered the shock with
| simultaneous thrill; but braced my
back, and, though my legs nearly went
through the dasher, managed to keep that
accursed gray still enough for Toms OFF,
cious leavetaking to hide it from his
| uncle.
"Oh yes, Uncle Bob, We'll be very care
full and drive very slowly. Go on, old
fellow; don't wait second for me"
And lifting Miss Bette to her seat, Tom
bounded over the scrapers like cat
Go on! Why in the DEVILS name don't
your" he whispered to me, pretending to
arrange tho robes. Then he called his
unclc5 attention to tho new furs, and
dug his elbow into my back.
| Don't wait q second for me!
Ye gods! Did the insane wretch mean
me to drive in reality? Was 1 to guide
that chained thunderbolt and that kick
ing demon before me? Yes; Tom Jones
| evidently meant that. He had gone sud
denly mad, beyond doubt; but I was
in for it, and what man dared must.
I took long breath, let the whip fall
well back out of the gray's sight, and,
bracing my every muscle firmly, uttered
| the mystic monosyllable, "G'lang!"
1t cut like knife through the clear
atmosphere, and the keen echo almost
divided my tympana. The sorrel heard.
He stretched himself, gathered and made
merry plunge forward; but that per-
verse brute of a gray only stuck his
forelegs in the snow and sat down like
dog Luckily, Miss Bette managed to
hold her father by such a string Of pratt
tie he noticed none Of these circus like
proceedings.
mind. papal don't forget the flannel
for old Nanny Watts; and be sure to
send the pickles to Bowser; and have
the presents on the Christr,"< rec, just
as if I was at home-that'. D.. ear papa.
And, oh, be sure that Liza &c. the tur-
key to turn for dinner to-mC.:ow!"
"That was to have been your dinner,
the old gentleman said, turning to me.
''That pleasure I must defer to please
this small puss with her whims.''
The mayor seemed to me great dis
lance off. His words came to me through
sound in my ears like the boom Of the
sea, for that cursed gray still sat like a
circus horse, and the sorrel pulled till his
nose almost touched the snow.
"And, oh, papar' cried Miss Bette with
| q timely little scream Of recollection
snow don't forget the red wrapper for ole
Patience-that'sa dear!"
"Give that gray devil the whip,
| Jones growled to me in a savage whis
per, rounded off with something very
like an oath. you'll have all the fat il
the fire with such - driving"
Give him the whip!
| I thought before Tom Jones of thu
Boomerangs had gone crazy. Now
knew, like all maniacs, he believed me
as stark, staring mad as he was.
"And, papa, dear, don't forget thu
brandy peaches for DIR. Lindsey-you1
present, remember" ran on that deal
voice. Then it punctured through al
my fear with the words, "Now do go on
please"
Whether the electric spark tina
:: thrilled through me at that whisper
ran down the reins and magnetized thu
gray, never knew. Somehow we were
in the road, the dasher full of snow, ant
that devils team going at wild strok'
that sent acute agony to the marrow Of
my every bone.
Il Splendid! Perfect! Bravof' shout
ed Tom from the back seat. You
start was picture; and that run int
the drift and barking the pear tree dom
| count, as the bend hid them from Uncl
! Bob"
1 I Thought madly ] heard gurglinl
, | sound Of female laughter. was wrong
though, for that second she said to me
You do drive splendidly, indeed
. And how good Of you to rest Tom
arms! Poor Tom! why, how the rein
!, have cut your handsv'
, my arm is stiff as a poker, Bet
, All, baby, that's delicious!"
, Had been driving the horses Of tn
Sun, with the pit of Acheron gaping be
: fore me, I must have turned at tina
, exclamation. There was misery in M
spine and torture in my legs, but l di
! turn little. Tom had pulled off hi
: gauntlet, and she-yes, she was chain
. his purple. ugly hand between two be
. witching fur gloves!
See what good cousin I am!' Tn