The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1906-08-10

lighting n1eS Win MS futile stump OF
0 tail, as obstinate white morsel Of
horse-fesh as ever took bit in his
teeth, and, though so far from his
colthood, still as full of fire as he had
been in his best days. He greeted
his mistress by laying back his ears
and nipping at her sleeve, but she
understood him perfectly and only
said; None of your tricks, Billy"
As she backed him between the thills
she added, alphabetically: There,
boy; never mind! 1t amt far, an
you'll have grass for dinner, an oats.
too, like enough"
Aunt Harriet had been quoted as
saying that Billy only needed to be
managed to be as good as any
horse" but his management was both
its fundamental principle was Go by
contraries." When Aunt Harriet
planned to visit Franklin, which is
south of Centerville, she headed Billy
north, toward Brooks's Corners; but
if she really intended to go to
Brooks Corners she faced him as IT
for Franklin. In the same way, if
she wanted him to stand still, she
would give him smart slap with the
lines and say, Cit up, Billy!" and
Billy would brace himself as if to
say. Come one, come all; this rock
shall fly" etc. But when ready to
go she had only to pull on the reins
and say, soothingly, Whoa, Billy;
whoa, boy" and Billy was off like the
wind. 1t seems simple, and so it
was in theory, but it's application to
special occasions was an art mastered
only by Aunt Harriet herself
There was always a row of interest
ed little boys on the fence to see
them start; but this particular morn
ing the event was more exciting than
usual. Billy had not been driven for
several days, and Aunt Harriet had
barely time to Chamber into the seat
and sieze the lire from the dashboard
when, with backward leer of one
dim old eye and a prolonged neigh,
he gave l1nge forward and, turn
ing so short circle that the two out
side wheels were lifted clear of tbs
ground, tore off like mad, strictly ac-
cording to rule, in the direction op-
posite to the one toward which he had
been headed.
1t was a perfect day in midsummer
and his driver was too content to be
tried by his vagaries The daises
nodded to her gaily and the bee hum
med in the sweet red clover. The
men in the hay field by the side of
the road were sharpening the knives
of their moving machine and a saucy
bobolink perched on fence post and
"twee-twee-tweed" at them before 60
ing off in very riot of glee. Billy
himself gave another little kick with
one hind foot, and his mistress in
advertently said, Whoa, there" at
which he put down his head and ran
till he was forced to stop to take
breath.
Dear suz!" chuckled Aunt Harriet.
What a fool you be, Billy" Then
she leaned back and gave herself up
to the pleasure of the ride.
Half a mile from Centerville the
road to Brooks Corners crosses the
railroad, and the morning train for
Franklin was due at that point ten
minutes after Aunt Harriet started
from home. Whether she had en-
tirely forgotten this, whether she had
miscalculated, or whether Billy's squirt
brought them to the crossing sooner
than she expected no one ever knew;
but it is certain that as she was
her favorite hymn and occasionally
Ticking a fly from Billy's side, she
was suddenly aroused by a roar, a
changing bell and a shrieking whistle.
She leaned out of the carryall to see
what was the matter, and there, not
ten rods away, it's pistons pounding,
! it's ponderous wheels grinding, its
employees frantically waving and COM
ing as if racing with them to see which
would reach the crossing first, was
| the express.
| Now, according to her own under
oIduuluS OL DIZZY, lACIC was UuL OllC
| logical thing to do. She should have
slapped him with the lines, give him
a sharp clip with the whip and shout
| ed Cit upi" What would have hap
pened had she done so is problem
in pure speculation. As matter of
fact, she did nothing OF the sort. In
her terror Billy's idiosyncrasy was
quite forgotten, and she reverted TO
the usual course of procedure under
such ircumstances-that is, she pull
ed him with all her strength and call
ed, Whoa, Whoa, there, Billy! Whoa,
there! Whoa!' while Billy, consist
ent to the death, threw up his head,
kicked up his heels, gave triumphant
flourish of his stump of tail, as II
to say, "All right, Aunt Hattie; we'll
try it," and made straight for the ap-
preaching train.
1t was an exciting race. The Cen
treville wag told afterward that one
of the brakemen remarked, 'I'll bet on
the gray" But that is only tradition.