Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1892-02-26
A Sleighing Adventure

B
TO be remembered. There was a ten
mile drive TO the farmhouse of a
wealthy old Scotch gentleman. The
roads were a CLEAN of well-beaten
snow. the crisp air was laden with
/ glistening frost flakes, and clear
moon gave light that was so reflected
that its power seemed doubled. !
drove the Morgan mare and the spirit
cf the occasion, with all the charm of
its surroundings, seemed TO possess
her II required no urging of voice
or whip to hasten her gait, but from
"aunty's" to the party she took MS at
lively clip. "Adonis" was out with
his blacks, but no opportunity offered
TO try issucss and we reached the great
brick farm residence without acct
dent. The Scotchman was a whole
souled, joyial representative of his
class, hard headed, soft hearted and
of unstlnted hospitality. His round
red face was a CHEEKY welcome and it
beamed that wholesome good humor
which years cannot eclipse. His
sturdy SONS and handsome daughters
were we'll educated and had that in
herited refinement which culture alone
can never supply.
had forcstallcd any monopolis'ic
designs of my big rival by arranging
for all my dances as we drove to the
scene of festivities, and there was a
quiet satisfaction in noting that some
fatality led him 10 ask for nearly all
the sets that had spoken for in adj
vance. Aud how we did dance! The
pleasure obtaiuable was the one thing
sought for and it was a merry, rollick-
ing party from start to finish. For
the venerable Scotchman, whose legs
seemed rejnvenated by the inspiring
music, we served such venerable relics
as tho Virginia Reel and Money Musk.
1t was sight worth witnessing to see
linn get up and down the middle and
vigorously introduce the quaint steps
that he had learned half a century be-
fore. His face glowed like an Italian
sunset and his eyes lit up with gen
uine enjoyment. Once he collided
with "Adonis" and The latter made a
semi circular fall and landed full
length on the floor. Every bcdy
laughed, but | was the one whose
jocular demonstration seemed to cause
another entry in his growing list of
grievances. We ate and danced again
and itswas only when all had realized
that we had stayed too long that :he
sleighs were called for.
As | handed my partner into the
cutter, and while the high-strung
Morgan was champing her bit and i'm
patiently paving the snow, the jolly
host patted her neck, called her a
beauty, looked her over carefully and
considerably whispered this advice as
/ tucked the robes about my fair COM
panion: "Don't let her get the upper
hand, latl Sire Sire -s-s! s-.--s ;.
if the chance be given her."
only laughed, said to let her go,
and go she did. She shot across the
broad front yard, through the open
gateway and headed homeward at a
rattling pace. There was rare life in
the motion. the pure air and the broad
stretches of silver sheen that opened
out in every direction. Not more than
a mile had been covered when l heard
the dash of team behind us, and
heard "Adonis" yelling 10 Gear the
way. "My team is running away"
he shouted, "but give me the road and
I'll tire them down"
was inconsiderate enough for a
moment to look upon the whole thing
as a ruse to give him the lead, but the
second thought was a more worthy
one, and Just as the maddeued blacks
were within pistol shot drew the
restless mare to the side of the road,
but even as she plunged through the
drifted snow, could not stop her. The
team went by like rocket, and just
as | was about to swing the mare into
the road once more, myself, my COM
panion, and all the loose belongings of
the cutter were piled into miscel-
laneous heap. We had pitched head
foremost into an apparently bottom
less ditch of snow, and the more we
struggled the deeper we seemed to 90.
| had instinctively clung to the lines,
but one strong lunge of the mare had
jerked them from my grasp. When
had dug my way out and then dug the
snow from my eyes, / looked upon
the vanishing whill of cutter and mare,
going like an express train. / could
hear her heels beating tattoo on tho
dashboard and | groaned in anguish
when / thought that would have to
settle for the cutter, and, what was
far worse, settle with my father for
running away from college, running
away with his favorite mare and then
allowing her to run away. Had we
been in any condition | would hayo