New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-30
AGAINST HUMAN NATURE,
BY MARIA LOUISE POOL.
(c,pyroM: 1872, By The United Press.I
A HORSEBACK RIDE.

England
Almina weary, and faint and dazed, looked
about her The great hills standing here and
there almost frightened her at this moment. In
the distance were blue or cloudy peaks-Almina
had lived in a fiat country. She could hardly
breathe as she looked at these mountains. For
an instant she forgot that any one was TO meet
her
Don't you know wha, 90 gwne?" asked
the other woman, hesitatingly. Cos II yo
don't. come long of me. an I'll fry We some
meat an cakes You'll he welcome.
The last words with an indescribable drawi.
There was no mstaking the genuineness of this
hosptabe offer.
Almina turned. She felt so desolate that she
tried to draw herself up With pride.
MY friends will come she answered. Then
she choked with sheer homesickness. You're
dretful kind" she added but guess better
wait right here"
She watched the of the scoop as she
walked down the yellow road. She went with
slouchng. long stride.
Almina turned away and fell more forlorn than
ever. She went and sat down on her trunk She
tried not to the mountains. Nothing should
make her stay In such a country as this. Ivy
had been right. She ought to have known enough
to stay IT home
A lOnR-Deardeu man followed ny '"o HO"'iN
dogs came stumbling from the other end of the
platform. He fixed a contemplative gaze upon
the women sitting on her trunk
''Waitin'?" he said at last.
Yes"
Having received this answer the man shamoled
into the station The dogs came up and care
fully ard exclusively shifted at Almina' theh
they also went into the station.
AIu,ina pazed faverishly ND and down the road
which crossed the track. and seemed TO lead
eventually into dreadful. mountainous wild
spaces.
Within fifteen minutes time two small loads
of wood passed. They were not at all like New
England loads.
Amina wished that she had never accustomed
herself to drinking coffee because If she mad not
done so she would not suffer so for the want
Of it,
No mules visible anywhere. There was white
pony with woman on It's back coming at
furious rate along the road at the left hand.
But this pony DID not interest Almina in the
least She watched II. however and very soon IL
became plain that 1t was coming to the station
The animal kept up its headlong speed until the
very instant II stopped. and then its rider was
apparently discharged from it's back instead OF
dismounting as is the custom. She landed on
she was girl of twenty. perhaps, though her
dress gave younger appearance. Her skirt was
short of some kind OF faded red stuff she wore
a black velvet garment which did not fit, and
had the appearance of being really a mans sack
coat The sleeves were very long and turned up
at the wrist so that the wearer's hands might be
unfettered.
These hands were bare. and tanned TO the very
last degree OF provinces. 1t was a startling
thing to see on the left hand quite magnihcen'
diamond ring. A soft felt hat was on her head
Brown leather !eggings were on this girls
ankles and dapidated congress boots covered
her feet There was spur attached TO one OF
these boots
This person advanced straight to the woman
sitting on the trunk and stopped before her
"Alnina X. Drowdy?" she said In an interro
gative manner.
Alm.na jumped up.
That's my name" she answered.
II thought you couldn't be anybody else.
said the girl: and she added with the utmost
frankness: II made sure when l was coming
down the road there that nobody but Yankee
could sit like that on trunk
The Yankees tired face flushed a little and the
Yankees eyes darted unpleasant fire.
oh please don't look that way!' exclaimed
the girl. you'll have to make up your mint
not TO get mad with me. for II you do you'll be
mad most Of the time. And really. I'm powerful
good at heart"
Here the speaker laughed. She stopped laugh
ing Immediately. AMI looked intently at her com
panion. She advanced step nearer.
I'm going to like you. / do believe" she said
"Tm mighty thankful for that getting
along well enough without anybody, though
reckon you know who am"'
Almina replied that she could guess, but tina
she didn't feel called upon to guess.
Temple Crawford" vas the answer. I'm
no. much to look at. but there's most awfu
lot 10 me when you come to know me- anothe
laugh.
II was lookin for mules" now remarked Al
nina.
She had entirely forgotten her hunger and he
fatigue In her interest in what she prvatel!
called ",he specimen before her. She wondered
what the people Of Hoyt, Mass. would cay t.
this girl
For muels?" repeated the girl. "Oh. know
II. I was coming with the muels and tn
wagon: only when went to harness couidn'
nnd the gea-s-that is. only part Of the gears. go
one mule hitched to the wagon. and had to Civ
Il IN. Sally was gone. and Bartholomew wa
gone. and so there was end to It, for tn
gears were gone too But Thimble was left
That's my pony. So saddled and bridled. and
picked I'D my ne ,dles and flew; and here
am"
IL would be quite impossible TO imagine an
one more free from shyness or embarrassment
OF any kind than this girl And yet she did no
strike Miss Drowdy as being bold; only as utter
" without circumstances The woman
hardly knew whether to be shocked or not.
You see," remarked Temple Il didn't pu
Buncombe County on IT,"
What"
"Why. Buncombe County on my direction L
you when you wrote. But got your letter al
the same You look about tainted away. II
make 'em give you some breakfast over yondei