The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-04-12

to me-. But I'd lend her to you-see.
ing it's you-maybe, if you wouldn't
ride her too hard. What's the game?"
When told him he swore he
wouldn't take any money. 1t was aa
good as a play, he said, and he hc-ad
I'd tell him all about 1t the next day.
You see, when you touched Nancy's
flank, ever SO lightly, she'd run round
and round like a spinning wheel until
you got dizzy and tumble@ of. And of
course, none of those country jays
who tried to- ride her for the te dollar
prize had sense enough to keep his
heels OF of her..
Cant let you have Beauty today.
sir" told Mr.. Faulkner the next
morning. "She's little of her feed,
sir But I've nice little mare h Sc
quiet as q babe and At for a lady,"
says, knowing he was a coward with
horses. For only coward would have
misused Beauty so. But don't spur
her." l added, because If she is
little slow she does her best, and she
amt so young as she was"
You see, mister, had to give the
fellow his chance. / warned him
that's fair. knew he'd tear her TANKS,
but ! wasn't going to let Miss Millicent
suffer If could help 1t.
"Mr. Drew" says that same morn.
ing, III you was to take a little ride
out to Holmes Height about eleven
o'clock, maybe it wouldn't come
amiss."
What d. you mean, Hicks?" he
asks, sharp as q needle.
Nothing more than that, sir" I an.
swered. "Take Beauty. sir. She's
been mishandled and she'll like to feel
she's carrying gentleman again."
He grinned. II don't quite follow
you, but I'm on, Hicks" he says. And
SOL saddled my little mare and rode
out with Miss Millicent and Faulkner,
and fell behind, as groom ought to
when his young lady has a beau.
I fell good ways behind that day.
and when we reached Holmes Height
they had disappeared over the rise.
knew Faulkner would just about have
got up courage to try his spurs by the
time the trick mare was winded. And
sure enough, hardly had got to the
top when I heard Miss Millicent
screaming-not with fear, but with
laughter. T1
There sat Faulkner, clinging to the
mares neck with both hands, his feet
working like windmills, and the little
mare going round and round and round
In a lot as big as a circus ring. His
coat tails was flying, and he was swear
ing and hollering, and presently he
flew over the mares neck and she
stopped stock still and watched him
land in pool Of the stickiest mud
anywhere in the neighborhood. And
just at that minute Mr.. Drew comes
riding along and stops and picks
Faulkner out Of the mire. But he
wouldn't get on the mares back any
more. So Mr.. Drew sees Miss Milli-
cent home, and Faulkner and fol-
lows, me leading the mare and him
walking. But I noticed Miss Millicent
and Mr.. Drew leaning inward on their
saddles again like they used to.
That's all, sir, except this gold
watch Mrs. Drew gave me the day
they were married. II understand.
Hicks" she said to me. And what do
you think she did? If she didn't put
her hands in mine and cry with hap
piness. Yes, me, sir. I'm her head
coachman now, but when Miss May
gets little older I'm going to take
her riding and teach her to handle
horses. You see. it comes out in the
blood, mister.
Copyright. 1918, by ". q. Chapman.)