The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-09
her head" and Uncle zatuh stopped to

chuckle quietly Of the remembrance:
"When afternoon came the fair
grounds were crowded. Half q dozen
Young ladies in prim black and blue
cloth habits, chimney.pot hats, long
pauntlets aud wells, which they wore
then, were gathered near the judges
stand, and their escorts were chatting
with them, waiting the order to clear
S'WSere is your Lady Gay spanker,
Henry2' asked his sister as he drove up
with his mother. Henry frowned slight
ly, but before he could answer a little
buzz OF comment called the attention OF
all as Captola rode up unattended: She
wouldn't even let me ride my old cob
beside her, 80 / was there before her in
my buggy. syi
slender black mare was as mettlesonieas
could be, and tossed her long name and
tail impatiently as she obeyed the little
hand, with Its touch OF velvet and grip
Of steel. Cap was as slim and willowy
as O cottonwood sapling in her close.
fitting black velvet habit. She had put
up all her curls under o little black vel
vet hat, around which was a long, black
"aiiss Oates looked like a thunder
cloud. She had expected to see the
child on her little mustang and in the
old black calico habit skirt she usually
wore. Henry smiled and went to her
instantly with o loving word, and l
knew the clouds had disappeared for q
time.
down, around this way and back that,
under the coppery sky the ladies rode,
then paused. The judges were undo.
cided, so they went through the PAGES
again. No decision. The ladies would
please change horses.
"Cap was of Rondo in an instant, but
many Of the ladies demurred. Miss
Oates positively refused to mount any
thing but her own thoroughly trained
animal. The contest narrowed to Gap
and two other plain-bred girls, but
v o they dared not mount Rondo.
Cap rode each OF the six horses IN turn.
As she changed the seventh m last
time 10 Rondo she rode to mt.
"'Uncle, don't you smell the prairie
SSsyes I REALIZED: ibut it's across the
creek; II can't reach u.s. :,
"Iwas thinking Of the school house,
she replied hurriedly as the judges
called. School began In Heury's dis.
trict yesterday, and his sister let her
little daughter 60 with Rose Williams
today and then she rode into the ring.
az looked ut my watch-3:40-then
E inen m ~ black lac and thick. could see an
ootine line Of red. Tho sun was begin
ming to look like a yellow haze, and
the mir was dense and heavy with the
odor Of burned grass. If the winds
should rise-iust then n puff lifted my
hat, Yos. the school house was insgreat
donper Il the wind yesred a point or
twn 7 heard n shout Of pleasure, and
tmrned to sea the Judge hand a silver.
mounted whip to Gap. She turned her
head 10 look at me, and over beyond
mr. saw the clouds OF smoke. She
hrouvht the whip down on the TANKS
of the marc. and ouivering with fright,
Rondo reached mo in two leaps.
ItThe Gil school house. gasped Cap,
MS she pointed with her whip.
nTo that moment. the prairie fire, so
common a thing. had not been noticed.
In n moment all was confusion. Miss
Oates screamed. Miss Merriam, Hen
wa sister. tainted and his mother
tyrned white. In an instant Henry
Was ont Of The buggy with his hand on
Rondo's neck.
1'May l take her. Cappie? Nellie is
over there
ICqp slid down. The saddle was
arno off and cutting tho mare with the
siIyermounted handle OF the whip Cap
thrnst in MS hand Henry was off, fol-
lowed bv half a dozen mounted men.
",Just then CAP heard a winner, and
n cold nose was thrust against her face.
MWith a scream Of low she threw her
arms about Bret's neck. Tho faithful
little mustang had broken Its lariat
rons and followed its mistress. Catch
;nP the trailing rome. Cap tied it bride
faShion in the halter. then, slipping out
81 her velvet ridine skirt and tearing
off her cantlets, she said to me as she
inmned on Bret: Il know a short cut
below the ford; maybe l can help and
was of.
az followed in the buggy
"Can reached the schoolhouse. The
sre onards were forty feet wide. and tho
teacher and his pupils Ind burned'the
Grass about the building and felt safe in
she schoolhouse. Tho teacher said he
wsul1 not let the children 20 till all
DANGER wns PASSED,
"GSn asked for N Merriam.
she cried to 90 home, SO I per-
mitted her to do 40 about 8 O'clock
1.-THE teacher told me afterward that
iI l. - 49,. nts,ai, h, I;oLt.