The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-19

tnen, with gay flourish OF horseman-
ship, he turned homeward Ponce
picked up his ears and trotted down
the lane at a brisk pace. By the time
ne mad reached the main road his gait
was hvely-very lively, indeed-but q
morse going home to good meal of oat:
was known to travel well. so John
wasn't surprised. Ponce. however,
was COMPOUNDED. Fe was accustomed
to the Tapping against his TANKS
OF saddle-bags weighted with cleanli-
ness on one hand. and goodness on the
other-that is to say, with fresh linen
and religious iterature-but what
could be the meaning OF these dread
full neckbags? He stopped, shook his
head, and paved the ground. These
| proceedings did not help matters-as
ne evidently hoped they might-for
down the bridle-rein began to slide
| the terminated and hapless pullets.
What were these monstrous things fly-
ing across his vision and cackling I'M
der his very nostrils? He tried TO
jump seven-railed fence, while John
chung to saddle and name like a barna-
Gle to the hull of ship; he pulled like
Ieviathan-if anyone knows what
that Is like; and then he dashed mad
~ down the country road There were
no travellers on the highway, which
was fortunate circumstance, as Ponce
In his temporary insanity would have
been quite as regardless of human life
as the most despicable of steam
engines. Not soul was in sight to
watch the mad ride. Indian corn
stared tall and green from both sides of
the fence, and sparrows looked outfrom
the hedges-these were the ONLY living
things to see the weight carving
race of my dear little John Gilpin- Off
lew his hat, but no matter-he had a
better one at home! On went his
steed, the affrighted missionary!
There was wild satisfaction in going
so fast-it was like flying, and he had
always wished to fly. Mr.. Wales farm
was passed. And could that vision of
white and green be Mr.. Stron's-so
soon? Really, this was going as fast
as he cared to go!-a pleasure from
which he had hitherto been debarred
by his parents and the parish. He felt
startled. l think if he had known .
that, in addition to the linear fight
Ponce was treating him to. the earth
was whirling him around its axis, and
sweeping him around the sun, and .
carrying him around some wonderful
center, the compound multiplication
of motion would have seriously
alarmed him; but as he knew nothing
OF the wheels within wheels. and
the sturdy spirit of the west was
in his veins he was not dis
mayed. That red blur must be Mrs.
Perkins barn! 'Only half a mile,
Poncel So! Sol" he said, soothing
~. But Ponce would listen . no ca
JoIement, even though a friendly lit
tie voice poured it directly into his
ear. What with those unheard-of
things Tapping into his very face? He
gave an indignant heave, and John.
realizing that his ride was over. loos-
ened his feet from the stirrups and
slipped deity off-with the saddle.
Onward plunged Ponce, and, in few
minutes the exhausted animal halted
at the parsonage gate to beg, with al
most human cries, for deliverence
rom the unaccountable burden swing
ng under his dilated nostrils. As
nay be supposed, the arrival of the
'lderIess and frenzied horse plunged
he parsonage and its neighbors into
IN agony of fright; but John was soon
net trudging buoyantly homeward,
md then came tears and laughter.
hiding and thanksgiving. What an
excitement for everything and every-
'ody-Pullets, Ponce, parsonage and :
'arish-all because of an innocent ex-
in physicist
To this history one item alone re.
mains to be added. In the years that
ave followed hard upon the sunny
corning of this story, my hero has
aiken many merry gallop but he has
ever repeated the ride of John Gilpin,