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

That sleighing party was one long
TO be remembered. There was a ten
mile drive TO the farmhouse of .
wealthy old Scotch gentleman. The
roads were a CLEAN of well-beater
snow. the crisp air was laden witt
glistening frost flakes, and a cleal
moon gave light that was so reflected
that its power seemed doubled.
drove the Morgan mare and the spirit
Of 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" 10 the party she took us al
lively clip. "Adonis" was out witt
his blacks, but no opportunity offered
TO Try issues and we reached the great
brick farm residence without acct.
dent. The Scotchman was q whole
souled, jovial representative of hi
class, hard headed, soft hearted and
of unstinted hospitality. His round
red face was CHEEKY welcome and il
beamed that wholesome good humor
which years cannot eclipse. His
sturdy SONS and handsome daughters
were well educated and had that in
herited refinement which culture alone
can never supply.
had forestallcd 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 Q
quiet satisfaction in noting that some
fatality led him 10 ask for nearly all
the sets that | had spoken for in adj
vance. And how we did dancel The
pleasure obtainable was the one thing
sought for and it was merry, rollick-
ing party from start to finish. Foi
the venerable Scotchman, whose leg:
seemed rejuvenated by the inspiring
music, we served such venerable relics
as the Virginia Reel and Money Musk.
1t was Il sight worth witnessing TO sec
him get up and down the middle and
vigorously introduce the quaint step;
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 lie collided
with "Adonis" and the latter made q
semi circular fall and landed full
length on the floor. Everybody
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 .lle
sleighs were called for.
As handed my partner into the
cutter, and while the high-strune
Morgan was champing her bit and i'm
patiently paving the snow, the jolly
host patied her neck, called her {
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 uppel
hand, lad. She's we'll ready for run
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 oper
gateway and headed homeward at {
rafting 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 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
FL tire them down"
/ was inconsiderate enough for 6
moment to look upon the whole thing
as ruse to give him the lead, but thC
second thought was a more worthy
one, and just as the maddened black
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 JUS
as l was about to swing the marc into
the road once more, myself, my COM
panion, and all the loose belongings o.
the cutter were piled into n miscel
laneous heap. We had pitched heaC
foremost into an apparently bottom
less ditch of snow, and the more we
struggled the deeper we seemed to go
had instinctively chung TO the lines
but one strong lunge of the marc hat
jerked them from my grasp. When
had dug my way out and then dug tn
snow from my eyes, l looked upoi
the vanishing whill of cutter and mare
going like an express train. l coult
hear her heels beating tattoo on tn
dashboard aud l groaned in anguisl
when thought that would have I,
settle for the cutter, and, what wa
far worse, settle with my father foI
running away from college, runnin,
away with his favorite mare and thel
allowing her TO run away, Had w
been in any condition | would hay