Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-10-26
DRIVING FROM THE BACK SEAT.
\ IRVING a horse il one Of those

\hNAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNtNNeesl
~ IRVING a horse IL one Of those
| simple processes, like sailing .
- boat which anyone can master
without previous experience. Every.
body knows that there Ii nothing din.
cult about It, and those that have never
done It arc perfectly aware Of their
ability to do 1t, II they choose.
But driving from the back seat" II
quite different thing; that ID q grave
az 9erious affair, an undertaking Of
tragic intensity. There Is not one mo-
Went Of calm. peaceful enjoyment for
those 80 employed. Every circumstance
and incident to them IL vital and mo.
mentous; each turn In the road bids fair
% be o certain pathway to destruction;
every slgnboard is o false, deceitful
snare set to mislead them, while each
movement OF the horse IL but An index
Of vicious prOpenslties about to be 70.
vealed. In fact, this method Of driv.
Ing II not only physically exhausting,
but mentally depressing ana spiritu.
ally demorallzlng. and not alone does
the driver suffer. but also all who are
unfortunate enough to find themselves
In the same vehicle with such q one.
Perhaps a brief description Of my
own will best serve to illustrate my
theme.
had run down to spend O couple Of
days with my friends the Graders, who
were occupying q charming country
place for the summer. On the after.
noon Of my arrival my hostess sug.
gested that possibly I might enjoy q
drive over to Pine Knoll, which they
deemed a most desirable point from
which to view the country round about.
], Of course. expressed myself delighted
with the idea Of quiet country drive
after the rush and turmoil Of the city,
from which had Just escaped.
Immediately after luncheon Q light
two-seated wagon drawn BY . pair Of
spirited bays appeared at the door.
Mrs.. Grazier and took our seats be.
hind and Mr.. Graxier. springing into
the seat In front, took the reins and
W were whirled away down the long,
smooth driveway, beneath rows Of dne
old elms. glanced admiringly at them
- We passed along and turned to my
hostess Enthusiastically, "What magni.
acent trees these are" I calculated.
She, however, failed to respond, and
I noticed that her lips were tightly
compressed. "Be careful, Willard,
when you turn into the road" she said
warningly. and I perceived that We
were approaching the picturesque
stone gateway, over which much 81.
perb English ivy was gracefully twin.
Ing.
"we're very proud Of that Ivy" Mr..
Graxier remarked, cycling It with salts.
faction. as the bays turned smoothly
cut into the road.
ut 10 beautiful" I murmured, trans.
fsrring my attention to his wife. who
waS holding her breath and firmly
grasping her side Of the wagon.
"Are you timid about driving" I ask.
Cd. alphabetically.
"Oh, no." she returned, "only my hus.
band absolutely disregards every sug.
gestion Of minc," and she sighed deep
".
Indeed" I said, lowering my tone,
% that It might reach her ears alone.
while I eyed the bays unsasily. land
isn't Mr.. Grax.er used to driving,"
HE ought to be-" she responded,
''for he has driven since he was q boy"
I felt relieved, though still pushed.
sBut you are great horsewoman your.
sslf. then" ! persisted.
She shrugged her shoulders. 'Not
in the least. never touch the reins II
] can help It," she concluded.
At this point became convinced that
Mr.. Grasier had very sharp ears, for.
- I continued to regard her question.
ingly, he remarked lightly, "Mrs. Ora.
der drives from the back seat. )
laughed with all the fervor Of one
who does not see the Joke. wondering
meanwhile what he could mean. Be
fore the afternoon was over, however;
] understood his meaning perfectly.
"Willard, here comes one Of thoss
dreadful coaches" bis mentor began
almost Immediately. "Be sure that you
turn out more than you did the Other
afternoon. ! never saw . man take
such risks"
In . few minutes one Of the horses
whisked his tail over one Of the reins
which was promptly freed by Mr.. Ora.
sier; this gave bis better half . chance
to suggest that tighter rein would
have prevented the catastrophe. "Some
one was telling me the other day, VII
lard" she went on, shat when horse
gets bis tail over the reins no one knows
what he may do; In fact, he is just Al
likely to run away az not"
A little later we reached the shore
Of q beautiful lake and ! exclaimed
with rapture over the glimpse Of the
verdant hills rising najestically upon
the other side.
"This is indeed an ideal spot"
burst forth, but Mrs Graxier had NJ
eyes for the beauties Of the landscap.
Just then.
"Willard. what is the matter with tn,
horse on this slds3 He looks vsry
strange"
Hes all right, my dear; only the diei
bother him little" and Mr.. Grasisl
waved his whip lightly over the offend
ing animals head.
"Willard. bow can you do that, whss
you know he y V nervous unless