Los Angeles herald., 1890-12-25

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 a 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-mean?" gasped,
humping about the back seat in huge
discomfort, as the biting wind, rushing
down my throat with the force of
norther, 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, 5000! now steadyw One long
sway of his broad back brought them
trot, and turning into the mayors lane,
we drew up at the door.
"There! hold the ribbons! won't be
gone 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 ahont racing
and sleighing and such stuff, one might
reasonably suppose me a very Phaeton,
or at least a Hiram Woodruff. But |
was always strong in theories and-in
confidence: that stuff was all talk-pure
imagination. Practically, l 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 a tingle of brotherly SYM
pathy for that bard of Cockaigne who
sang:
There's something in q horse
That can always honor, but never can indorse.
Neither was l 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 irritant 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
Micc Paftin'c lo,,frl, /,
doorway, l actually plucked up spirit to
turn one eye upon her. But the other
was fixed on the gray's ears like the optic
of the ancient mariner, even while
nodded with dismal affectation of jol-
lty. And Mayor Blythe was saying:
"And you're quite sure they are SAFE
are you?'
"Gentle as lambs, sir, as far as /
know" Tom answered, simply. "But
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
II" and Miss Bettie's eyes were turned
on me.
When Tom had spoken, my inmost
soul was torn with burning desire to
do my duty, to throw myself upon the
mayors breast and pour out my passion
ate belief that it was felony, wilful mur-
der, suicide, to go! Now, had the reply
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.
II 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 a 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. l 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 l 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. ''If 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, well; you must be careful Of
your off horse"-
"Of course he will, papa. And now,
good-by. Tom says we mustn't keep
them standing longer in the cold"
In thumped Miss Betties bonnet box,
and both horses answered the shock with
a simultaneous thrill; but l braced my
back, and, though my legs nearly went