The Florida agriculturist., 1907-06-26

the sun made an effort to get rid OF
the heavy veil over it's face. Then
I began to get everything ready for
starting back to school, to which my
parents strongly objected.
"But I must go back today" I de-
clared; indeed, I must. I can ride
that old Badly mare you bought late
y. Her back is broad enough to
carry my budles. I know it is too
muddy to drive, but it isn't too muddy
to ride there" [ was very near to
tears.
"It isn't SO much the mud as the
water" my father answered. Little
river will be all about the bridge on
every side, I am afraid
"But not very Deep I stoutly in
sisted. "You know that I can man
age a horse in water. [ like to swim
a horse into deep water"
"Certainly, I understand your dar-
ing with horses. We had sample of
that when you were warned not to
wear a riding skirt when you rode
the black horse, and was carried in
nearly smashed to pieces because you
dared to show him you would ride
him in a long, Tapping skirt. We also
knew it when you drove young and
untried horse into the very cowcatcl1-
er Of fast coming train, and the
buggy and harness paid the penalty
of expense, though you, by luck, came
off safe" he said with quiet sarcasm.
Il will let you go, but understand, if,
when you get to the top Of Indian
hill you see the water running this
side Of the bridge, yotf are to turn
and come back home. That bridge is
just ready to go down. L can't see
why the commissioners don't put a
safe structure there
Had my father oiven Jamie to un-
derstand that we must not cross the
river if the water ran between the
hill which stood above the bottom
lands and the river there would have
been no attempt made to cross it, I'm
less [ had gone alone, which most
likely [ might have done had [ known
what to do with the horse [ rode
after [ reached the town. But Jamie
had not heard the order, and my
father did not notice that I made him
no PROMISE He knew the dangers of
that bridge and river so we'll that it
did not enter his head but what [
would take his word for it and obey
his order
And so we set out, the big, broad,
old, bald-faced mare, with bundles
Of provisions tied to the back of the
saddle and fastened tightly to her
with rope, while 7 carried bundles
Of the same piled on the knee that
went over the horn Of the saddle.
The horse Jamie rode was but half
broken, and refused to take on even
a small basket, but he was Jamie's
own new horse, and if Jamie thought
best to ride him, my father let it go
at that
Merri1y we sp1ashed along over the
muddy country road until we came to
Indian hill, and then such an expanse
Of water as met my eyes! From the
foot of the hill on as far as we could
see, it looked like one vast lake with
but the tops Of the trees and the
bridges showing Jamie's eyes were
sharper than mine. "The other end
Of the river bridge is either down
altogether or under water The bridge
isn't half as long as it should be-
The water has gone clear to the
canal and filled in with it. We must
90 back home" he said.
"But we will not go back home"
I declared in vexed tone. "Litt1e
coward! The water is not deep on
this side the bridge, because that is
the highest ground, and the current
Of the river is close to this end Of the
bridge. That's Just food water on
the other side and will not be hard to