The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-19
HOW GILPIN RODE
One OF the Adventures Of John
Gilpin, Junior.

No doubt you have all read 1.-The di
verting 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 Wan, and back. much
after the manner of the calender
horse. In fact. the verses are so lively
that / seriously believe John Gilpin
sr., is destined, POLITICALLY speaking, tc
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 1t serves my purpose-lived
In little town "out west" He had
great big shining gray eyes, a fresh
rosy face, and a rollicking laugh that
set everybody laughing who heard it.
When a 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 a
marble knocking out a 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 a butterhy-he was so bright
and innocent-and it seemed dreadful
TO punish anyone for being too happy;
but she must have order. IL 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
primary, that discipline was impossi-
bic. Besides, Miss Beach felt sure that
Johns father, being a minister, had
great respect for Solomon's advice as
10 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
10 prayer meetings on Wednesday
nights, to learn the formulas of some
good and Interchangeable brethren On
week days he was always going some
where-cEmbi ng up trees and ladders,
sliding down hili and rolling over en-
bankments. to miTaculously 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 SUD-
posed schoolhouse was called a
field" because it was in the country.
and because the women who sat in it
wore sunbonnets. He would wrirgie
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 skirted the school !
house. But it was the glorious buggy |
ride TO and from the field" which !
filed him with special and secular de- /
light. To be going, going, go |
ing" was his idea of bliss, ter
restrial 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-
gions He knows better now. He
knows that hearts can ache in a palace
ear and break in n great city. He is a
young, happy fellow yet-only he
doesn't break out into the rollicking
laugh of his early years. az wish 1
could" heard him say not long ago.
But to my story. II have seemed a
long time in getting started in it, re-
member that several years have passed
Dver Johns brown head since 1 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
semble under the white frame belfrv
for their semi-annual meeting, and
Johns mother felt that chickens, sue
prepared, must be in readi-
ness to support church counsels. Two
miles away lived Mrs Bird. who was
known to have excellent poultry and
10 sell it at reasonable rates, and
LhitheT 1t was determined to send John (
and odd Ponce" for supplies. John
was now eight years of age-which
" dS young IOE man, romeo was
sixteen-which was old for a
Iorse, but the two were init
nate friends. As for Ponce, 1
nay say that, as family acquisition,
re was second only TO John himself in
GENERAL esteem. He helped in a sub {
'rdinate but very important way-to
heer the respondent, to warn the
.rriug, to marry and bury people. and
o carry the gospel over q large area
# prairie-paganism. In the perform .
nee of this last duty he showed an
regard for denominatUnal
ourtesy. he knew at what gates to =
alt a nd what gates to pass delicately
Y. And If Johns father ever stopped
{ house with an alien creed, it was {
gainst the distinct remonstrance of
once. He was not a dangerous steed,
lnce Johns mother, slim. soft-speak-
lg woman. could drive him almost
nywhere. and turn round with him
the fire of colthood had not
holly died out He SHED OCCASION
lily at mysterious white ob5eats-as Il
10 had not entirely abandoned an
arly belief in ghosts, and he utterly :
efused to be friendly with railway :
locomotive. He would look it full in c
he face, but at a distance which :
howed great GOODNESS of feeling.