The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1890-12-18


II TO corroborate it, the gray mare made
a terrific lunge forward while "Jalap"
stood straight up and paved the air.
"So-hoi steady, boysr and the heuten.
ant braced himself hard against the gray,
while the flexible wrist brought the long
lash over the sorrels neck. 80, therel |
steady now. Bundle in quick now, old
boy, while they are quiet"
In bumped my valise, "A signal for the
br,ltes to execute another war dance.
Over the back seat l tumbled, and, rs
two pairs of heels threw binding shower
of snow and icicles into my eyes and
down my back, went headforemost into
the folds of the buffalo.
Before the conglomerate mass Of valise
and man was righted. we were off up
the road in full run, the sleigh jump
ing along like football and Tom plying
his whip like mad, keeping them at
full run while he yet had them well in
hand.
"W-what do you me-mennp I gasped,
humping about the back seat in huge
discomfort us the biting wind, rushing
down my throat with the force of
nolther, nearly strangled me- "Wh-hy
don't you st-opp- M"
"All right, my boy" Tom answered
cheerily through his set teeth; and he
braced every muscle afresh while the
cruel lash descended on the tagging
horses. "All right! you know l must
bring 'em in quiet for Uncle Bob to see.
So, lads, so-o-ol now steady! One long
sway of his broad back brought them
down to canter, then into u swinging
trot, and turning into the mayors lane,
we drew up at the door.
"There! hold the ribbons! won't be
gone a second. Bets ready, l know"
and, forcing the reins into my reluctant
hands, Tom sprang out and disappeared
in the doorway.
Now. after all my TRADE about racing
and sleighing and such stuff, one might
reasonably suppose me very Phaeton,
or at least Hiram Woodruff. But l
was always strong in theories and-in
confidence: that stuff was all talk-pure
imagination. Practically, | never was
the least bit horsey in my tastes, and al
WAYS hated to drive unless l knew my
beast to be perfectly harmless. In fact,
/ ever felt tingle of brotherly SYM
pathy for that bard of Cockaigne who
sang:
There's something in horse
That can always honor, but never can indorse.
Neither was | ambitious of the fate Of
Phaeton; so, keeping one eye fixed on
the gray's ears and the other on the
sorrel's heels, went hand over hand up
the taut reins until felt safe to straddle
the front seat, and finally brace myself
against the dasher. The gray still kept
his head out and bore steadily on the
bit. but the sorrel seemed to have had
enough go in the late scamper and
pulled dead against him. Congratu-
lating myself that the doctors horse
acted as a counter irTitant on the
drawing propensities of his mate, be-
gan to be less entirely miserable in my
new position. | tucked the buffalo care
fully round my legs, and by the time
Miss Bettie's laugh rang out from the
doorway. actually plucked up spirit to
turn one eye upon her. But the other
was fixed ON the grays ears like the optic
of the ancient mariner, even while
nodded with dismal affectation of jol
lily. And Mayor Blythe was saying:
"And you're quite sure they are safe
are your
'.Gentle as lambs, sir, as far as
know" Tom answered, simply. 'Bu
ask the man that handles 'em. He drove
them from the stable" Had that young
officer been studying the Ready Liar
or Perjurer's Companion?
why. you can see they are, papa
dear. Icould drive them myself, couldn't
Ig' and Miss Bettie's eyes were turned
on me.
When Tom had spoken, my limos
soul was torn with burning desire t.
do my duty, to throw myself upon tn
mayors breast and pour out my passion
. ate belief that it was felony, wilful mur
der, suicide, to go! Now, had the repl,
jeopardized my immortal part for al
eternity, could not have answered tina
gurgling voice, thrilling through IN
a like rich Burgundy, otherwise than b
q saying:
a "Gentle as kittens, Miss Bette; hardl
fresh even, Mr.. Blythe" And l chuckle
v with rueful hilarity Then that inferno
+ gray, as if in judgment, nearly took m
). shoulder out of the socket.
Y 81 knew they were, papa, dear. b
? would never risk me with them else; ani
4 you see, he is driving" was drunken
i, besotted, wild with the haschish of ths
d emphasized pronoun. Those wondrou
v eyes shot me glance of thanks; the tin
q hands clapped in glee, and closing Q
W each side the gray whiskers, drew IL
>, old mans face down to the ripe lips.
X clicking kiss, seemingly all around II
d in the sharp air, drove me perfect
If drunk with envy. l was wild enoug
r to seize the whip Tom had thrown car
d lessly ON the back seat; but even in tt
IF madness of that supreme moment Ina
Ie method enough left to keep it far bac
d out of the grays sight.
ID "How impatient he looks, tucked l
,e in his drivers perch!" Tom said, airil
4 to bis uncle. eff the horses were on
III half as much SO we might have live
# ride"
" saw, out of the far corner of min
10 Mr.. Blythe's eyes travel rather hesita
II ingly over the tense muscles of the gra
Is Oh how my soul went out in wild year
n ing that he might insist on that bea
IA being exchanged for his own easy goiI
a horse But just then the perverse bru
n of sorrel stood stock still and hid Il
N off horse from his scrutiny. My hol
r went from out of me, and the blackne
RI of despair settled down over me and tn
demon team.
it "Well, well; you must be careful
d your off horse"-