Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-07-02

wrenched from his foot by the stirrup,
and his crimson silk hose babe fair to
follow. But how should Bess know
that? Had not the naughty colonel
| been wont to goad her into backing,
and prancing, and showing off, upon
all public occasions? and, feeling her
youth revived. why should she not exc
| cute all the old-time steps to-day? But
alas for the rider, who lacked the
Workmanship of the accomplished
colonel! Such gyrations and ''tomfool-
cry" were beyond Edwin, and he was
constrained to drop the bride and cling
like John Gilpin, of famous memory
suffer entire defeat.
Like all performe rs, Bess reserved
her greatest effort for the last She
had backed, swayed from right to left,
almost sat upon her launches; and
| now, as the inspiring strains of March
ing Through Georgia" awol1e all to en-
thusiasm, the old horse reared straight
in the air, wheeled in that position, and
down went Master Edwin in the dust.
| The IRA bile hastened to pick him up out
of harms way; but alas for his inn
maculate coat, faultless linen and
supercilious airs! Like one of the COM
mon herd. only hatless and partly shoe
less, he was forced to stand and view
| the country militia, matchmaking the
| beast upon which Dannie now rode,
and at loss to know how he himself
should manage to reach home without
her.
'I'll not trust myself upon her bach
again." he soliloquized, after receiving
from the hands of two grinning urch.
ms his lost shoe and hat. And SO, be.
ing DESTROYS of Immediately quitting
the scene of his discontinue, there was
nothing left for him but to foot it back
to the farm.
In the dusk of the evening, to the
merry tune of 1.-THE Girl 4 Left Behind
Me-" marched home Dannie and his
less, and altogether Indifferent to the
fact that two small urchins bestrode
her back.
"Wall, there.' exclaimed Uncle Life,
when the history of the afternoon was
told, chooses seem to hev touch
human natur' as well as deal O. COM
mon sense; they do, fer a fac" and,
laughing heartily at the manner in
which Edwin had put the old horse to
her PAGES. he proceeded to the stable,
in order to look after her wants him
self
But, Bess, not unlike creatures of
reason, already felt the strain of reac-
ton, and turned from her oats with a
whinny of distress. Her poor old legs
ached from their unwonted eXertion;
her nerves were unstrung, and great
drops of perspiration triclxled down her
forehead. Like a belle Illuminating
over the past, she stood, with dropping
head and lusterless eye. All the pride
and gayety of those days when the call
of duty was so inspiring, the burden so
light, came before her, when to mar
tial music she pranced and danced
every day in the week, when her great
est hardship was the prick of the gold
en- spur in her glossy sides.
Could she, bearing such recollections,
ever again permit herself to be yoked
to the clumsy plow, ever again plod to
market with load of hay, or, worse
still, cabbages?
Illuminating thus. the sultry night
through, old Bess fell asleep upon her
| bed of straw-fell asleep, never to
awake again. Never more would the
call to duty arouse her-that call to
which, when pleasant, she SO cheerfully
responded; that call which, when not
to her taste, she had learned so cum
ningly to shirk.
I'm glad of it," snapped Edwin, the
next morning, forgetting his usual
drawl, as he packed his valise for de-
parture. THE wretched old beast! I
shall hate the Fourth of July as long
as live, after yesterdays proceedings.
Death has saved her good flashing,
you may well believe"
''Then you'd "a he'd good cause fer
hatin' the fifth of July, too, my boy"
dryly said Uncle Lie, who felt very
sore over the loss of his favorite. He'd
you struck Bess one lick this day, I'd
I'd "a -"
you'd "a what?" sneered Edwin, as
the old man paused for a moment.
I'D felt called on to do my duty, sir,
jes' as Bess felt called to do her'n yes
terday," was the emphatic reply, and
by the way Uncle Lie fourished the
cane in his hand and gazed into the
boys eyes without one suspicion of a
squint. Edwin fully understood what
that duty would have been without the
further addition of ''nevvy, or no new
vy."-Mrs. Nora Marble, in Golden
Rule