The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1894-08-31
A WONDERFUL RIDE.
Ono of the Adventures OF John
Gilpin, Junior.

Gilpin, Junior.
No doubt y on have all read "the di
serting history" of John Gilpin's Rid
"a holiday jaunt of hundred year
ago The sad Mr.. Cowper's gay &C
count of this expedition races from
London down to Wau. and back, mucl
after the manner of the calender's
horse. In fact, the verses are so lively
that 1 seriously believe John Gilpip
ar, lis destined, POLITICALLY speaking, t.
sace mp and down to the end of the
English language. My hero's story
must amble along in the most unas
suming of prose.
John Gilpin, Jr.-that was not his rea
name, but it serves my purpose-liveo
I'm little town tout west" He had
great big shining gray eyes, fresh
rosy face, and rollicking laugh that
set verybody laughing who heard 1t
When funny thought struck him, he
had to break out, no matter il he was
in school with the teacher looking
straight at him; whereupon the laugh
would go round the room-just like a
marble knocking out line of mar
bles, one striking another-and then
the teacher would start him home to
rescive due punishment there. She
couldn't whip him any more than she
could butterfly-he was SO bright
and innocent-and it seemed dreadful
10 punish anyone for being too happy;
hut she must have order. 1t happened.
lhowerer, that John seldom reached
che door before the teacher relented-
the little face looked so sober and con-
trite, the little trowsers SO short and
primary, that discipline was impossi-
BILE Besides, Miss Beach felt sure that
Johns father, being a minister, had
great respect for Solomon's advice as
tn the rearing of children. and that he
would try to do his duty-a proceed
ing she couldn't, for two consecutive
sninutes, 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
flights, to learn the formulas of some
good and Interchangeable brethren. On
week days he was always going some
up trees and ladders,
sliding down hill and rolling over en-
5anhments, to miraculously escape
death about every ten minutes of his
tile 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 schoolhouse was called q
field" because it was in the country,
and because the women who sat in it
xxore sunbonnets. He would wriggle
through the sermon trying to under
stand what adoption" meant while
watching the free grace Of squirrels
darling mp and down, in and out. of
the trees which slSirted 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
Inx'' was his idea of bliss, ter
resfrial as well as celestial. The
cars which rolled twice a 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-
zions 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 1
eouldT'' heard him say not long ago.
But to my story. II I have seemed a
long time in getting started in it, re-
member that several years have passed
over Johns brown head since I began
10 introduce him to you.
An important event neared the town
of Plainview. In twenty-four hours
ministers from far and near would as
se,nble under the white frame belfry
for their semi-annual meeting. and
Johns mother felt Chat chickens. sue
es,lently prepared, must be in readi-
ness to support church counsels. Two
miIes away lived Mrs. Bird. who was
known to have excellent poultry and
20 sell 1t at reasonable rates. and
thifher it was determined to send John
and .fold Ponce" for supplies. John
was now eight years of sRe-which
was young for man; Ponce was
sixteen-which was old for
horse, but the two were inti-
nate friends. As for Ponce. /
may say that, As family acquisition,
he Was second onlyt to John himself In
general esteem. He helped In = sub