Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1894-08-30
A WONDERFUL RIDE.
One Of the Adventures Of John
Gilpin, Junior.

No doubt you have all read "the d.
verting history" of John Gilpin's Ride
"a holiday jaunt of hundred years
ago. The sad Mr.. Cowper's gay ac-
London down-to Wan, and back, much
after the manner of the calender's
horse. In fact, the verses are so lively
that I seriously believe John Gilpin,
ST., is destined, POLITICALLY speaking, to
race up and down to the end of the
English language. My hero's story
must amble along in the most unas-
Stunning of prose.
John Gilpin, Jr.-that was not his real
name, but it serves my purpose-lived
in n little town tout west" He had
great big shining gray eyes, a fresh
rosy face, and a rollicking laugh that
set everybody laughing who heard it.
When funny thought struck him, he
had to break out, no matter if he was
in school with the teacher looking
straight at him; whereupon the laugh
would go round the room-just like
marble knocking out line of mar
bles, one striking another-and then
the teacher would start him home to
receive due punishment there. She
couldn't whip him any more than she
could butterfy-he was so bright
and innocent--and it seemed dreadful
to punish anyone for being too happy;
but she must have order 1t happened,
however, that John seldom reached
the door before the teacher relented-
the little face looked so sober and con-
trite, the little trowsers so short and
ble Besides, Miss Beach felt sure that
Johns father, being minister, had
great respect for Solomon's advice as
to the rearing of children, and that he
would try to do his duty-a proceed
ing she couldn't, for two consecutive
minutes, think of furthering.
John went to Sunday school and
church on Sunday forenoons, went up
stairs and read some chapters in the
Bible in the afternoons, and went to
church in the evenings. And he went
to prayer meetings on Wednesday
nights, to learn the formulas of some
week days he was always going some
Understanding up trees and ladders,
sliding down hill and rolling over en-
bankments. to miraculously escape
death about every ten minutes of his
life. And every night, at precisely
five minutes after nine o'clock, he went
to sleep. Now and then, on bright
Sunday afternoons, his father would
take him to points in the field which
must be cultivated" And John sup
posed a schoolhouse was called a
field" because it was in the country,
and because the women who sat in it
wore sunbonnets. He would wriggle
through the sermon trying to under
stand what ''adoption" meant while
watching the free grace of squirrels
darling up and down, in and out, of
the trees which slzirted the school
house. But it was the glorious buggy
ride to and from 1.-The field" which
filled him with special and secular de-
light. TO be ''going, going, go
ing" was his idea of bliss, ter
restrial as we'll as celestial. The
cars which rolled twice day through
his town stirred wild longings as they
came and went across the prairies.
They seemed to him to be carrying
happy travellers into enchanted re-
gions. He knows better now. He
knows that hearts can ache in palace
car and break in great city. He is a
young, happy fellow yet-only he
doesn't break out into the rollicking
laugh of his early years. 81 wish
could!' heard him say not long ago.
But to my story. If have seemed a
long time in getting started in it, re-
member that several years have passed
over Johns brown head since l began
to introduce him to you.
g,. An important event neared the town
of Plainview. In twenty-four hours
ministers from far and near would as
semble under the white frame belfry
for their semi-annual meeting, and
Johns mother felt that chickens, sue
culently prepared, must be in readi-
ness to support church counsels. Two
miles away lived Mrs. Bird, who was
known to have excellent poultry and
to sell it at reasonable rates, and
thither it was determined to send John
and ''old Ponce" for supplies. John
was now eight years of age-which
sixteen-which was old for
horse, but the two were init
mate friends. AS for Ponce, I
may say that, as a family acquisition,
he was second only to John himself in
general esteem. He helped in sub
ordinate but very important way-to
cheer the respondent, to warn the
erring, to marry and bury people, and
to carry the gospel over large area
of prairie-paganism. In the perform
ance of this last duty he showed an
answering regard fog denominational
courtesy. He knew at what gates to
halt and what gates to pass delicately
by. And if Johns father ever stopped
at house with an alien creed, it was
against the distinct remonstrance of
Ponce. He was not a dangerous steed,
since Johns mother, a slim, soft-speak-
ing woman, could drive him almost
anywhere, and turn round with him
too!-but the fire of colthood had not
wholly died out. He SHE'D OCCASION
ally at mysterious white objects-as if
he had not entirely abandoned an
early belief in ghosts, and he utterly
refused to be friendly with railway
locomotive. He would look it full in
the face, but at a distance which
showed great GOODNESS of feeling.
What right had tia one-eyed thing
to go snorting CONTEMPORARY along
regardless Of everybody? Why he
would travel half mile around-if
necessary rather than even brighten
children at play!
speak Of Ponce's well-known good
ness of heart that you may understand
how it was that he was so implicitly
trusted to carry precious and perisha-
BILE family treasure to and from Mrs
Birds.
The saddle went on, John followed,
and pleasant trot along level coun
try road soon ended at farm-yard
gate. John stated his errand, and,
after some alarmed cackling died
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