The morning call., 1892-11-13

nets to the freight or write snug lines in
praise Of mulled cider and Preside ease.
down comforters and Arctic oyershoes. but
he OF the shutdown seas shall sing of the
warm earth and the blue sky; of the songs
OF birds in the fields and Of amber sunshine
lighting beryl-green wares, for these are
what November brings to him.
You are sitting by the open window max
ing a vain pretense al work, the while No
vember is murmuring bewitching invita-
tons in your all-too-willing ears. You
know a spot where this same louid light
that is warming the neighboripg roofs is
sitting down between futtering leaves and
gently moving bougbs upon a carpet OF soft
est grass that covers the steep bank of lit
lie stream. You can see the very pattern il
picks out in gold on the emerald velvet. No
rug from the Orient was ever more beautl-
full
You remember a long stretch OF white
road winding among broad meadows and
leafy orchards, through pretty villages and
beside marshy bottoms, where wild ducks
congregate and where often you have seen
snowy heron and long-legged cranes wading
about, bringing to untimey pause the deep
throated song OF many solemn frog. You
recall an eminence which this same road
elm bs, and from which you can look across
mile after mile Of country-helds where
the young grain has already spread green
prayer-carpets against the coming Thanks
giving season, where we may render graft
tude to God for the coming harvest-broad
lago0ns shining in the sunlight and dotted
Ing in the glistening mirror OF the distant
bay, aud long streaks Of fragrant marsh will
low marking the courses Of many sloughs.
The picture grows too enticing 10 be re-
sisted. You throw down your pen and
push aside your paper. Cover the inkstand-
who wants TO use ink today? Hastily you
don riding habit and leggins, toss a few
traps into little bag which you sling by
its strap from your shoulder, and sally forth
to procure Madame, your trusty companion
on many long journey. She, too, knows
where the November sun shines brightest,
and nickers welcome to you over the side OF
her stall as you enter the stable. 1t Is not
long before she is saddled and brdled. and.
mounting, you are ready TO see November
in her loYeliest hiding-places.
"A good man on good horse Is Dob0dy's
slave" says the old proverb. A good
woman on good mare, say you, is queen of
whole kingdom full of delight and beauti-
ful adventureI
Thirty miles away You picture to yourself
a charming family circle that you know
well; suppose you drop In upon them for a
game Of whist?
You get out of town by the very shortest
route, and once off the pavements give
Madame free rein. 1t does not take her
long to learn that she Is on a journey, aud
with the unerring instinct Of good traveller
she picks the softest portion of the road and
settles down TO long, steady lope, scarcely
raising her feet from the ground but put
ting mile behind her every five minutes
as the hours wear on. You fall TO thinking
of her as you watch her "resOlute
shoulders" with their great muscles work
ing freely under the shining dark skin, the
slender, arehing neck, the small delicate
head, turned, just the veriest trifle. one fine.
dainty ear prlcked forward, one turned
back, one eye on you and one on the road
You looked long and carefully beforeyou
selected Madame Rs your best friend and
most constant companioD; you believed in
her when you first looked at her, even be-
fore the expert to whom you showed ner
pronounced her ian honest, kind animal,
sound as nut"
you'll fDd that mare as true as Steal"
her former owner had said as he handed
you the halter. 81 wish you good luck
with her; she'll never go back on YOU"
And she never has. You have ridden her
through wide and swollen streams where
the currents we're SO swift that you could
not guide her. but could only close your
eyes 20 shut out the dizzying sight and
trust her to bring you safely ashore. You
have ridden her along narrow pathway
where she had scarcely room to put her feet
down between the fields Of burning stubble,
and she has not fs.tered an instant You
have ridden her over mountain trails and
park drives: have raced madly with her
along country roads and lotered down
woodland byways. and have always found
her willing. trusty. affec.ionate. Interested
Ia all that takes place, and quicker than
yourself In many an emergency.
You have put many a child on her back
and sent her OH on gentl6 canter, know
ing that she would be as careful of her little
charge as any human guardian need be; and
you have lifted the child down and
mounted her yourself, and she has given
you all you could Go, apparently, TO control
and guide her.
Once only. In all the years OF your COM
radeshlp. has Madame refused 10 obey your
voice and rein. You recall the occasio, now
In spirit Of f0olhardy rashness. You had
ridden her TO The top OF high. barren
mountain peak. In the excitement of your
journey you bad not noticed the periIons
nature of the road you were travel
ing until at last within few feet
OF the very top. up where never
a boof did faiP' save that Of goat or of the
light-footed climbing hill cattle, you dis
mounted, tucked her bride under a stone,
and climbed, alone. the rocky eminence.
Then it was that. appalled, at the sight of
the steep descent you began to wonder how
you were ever to get Madame down it. and.
too late, TO depl0re your own folly. You
hurried down 10 where you had left her.
and you fancied she gazed at you reproach-
fully as she rubbed her soft nose against
your cheeks. You dared not mount her
but taking her birdie you began leading her
slowly. cautiously down the rocks. Such
getting downstairs you had not dreamed Of
Sidewise backwa slipping, sliding, care
fully picking her way. step by step, Madame
followed your lead, but with strange re-
lGoiance, which you attributed, with your
mere human intelligence, to fear. Down
you went, bnt the way seemed curiously