Year: 1870

Ing polnt, Nucro morgan now
stopped of his own Accord
There was a hurried whispering
among the wicked ones, and a
succession ofvery curious winks
and knowing mods seemed to in
dicate that they understood.


"Upon my soul, parson, said
the leader of the abomination,
approaching the spot where the
minister sat in his saddle, he
having not yet sufficiently re-
covered his presence of mind to
dismount, "you ride well. We
had not looked for this honor"


',Honor, sir!" gasped Parson
Ridewell, looking blankly into
the speakers face.


"Ay-for tbs an honor. You
are the first clergy man who has
ever joined US in our Sabbath
evening entertainments"


M-I, sir! l joined your


"Ha, ha, ha! o, you did it
we'll your deacons really think
you tried to stop your horse but
1 saw through it; l saw how sli-
ly you put your horse up. But |
don't blame you for feeling proud
Of old Morgan, for | should feel
so myself if | owned him. But
you need not fear; | will tell all
who may ask me about it, that
you did your best to stop your
beast for would rather stretch
the truth a little than have such a
good jockey as you are suffer"


This had been spoken so loudly
that the good deacons had heard
every VOID, and the parson was
bewildered; but he soon came to
himself, and with a flashing eye,
he cried:


Williams, what mean YOU -
Why do ye thus


Hold on" interrupted one Of
the party, and, as he spoke, the
rest of the racing men had all
mounted their horses, ''bold Oh a
moment, parson. We are willing
to allow you to carry off the
palm, but we won't stand your
abuse. When we heard that you
bad determined to try if your
horse would not beat us all, we
agreed among ourselves that if
you came we would let you in
We have done SO, and you have
won the race in a two mile heat.
Now, let that satisfy you. BY
the hokey, but you did it well.
When you want to try it again,
just send us word, and we'll be
ready for you. Good-by!"


As the wretch thus spoke, he
turned his horses head, and be-
tore the astounded preacher could
utter a word, the whole party had
ridden away out OF hearing. 1t
was sometime before one Of the
churchmen could speak. They
knew not what to say. Why
should their ministers horse have
Joined in the race without some
permission from his master p
They knew how much he set by
the animal, and at length they
shook their heads with doubt.


"It's very strange" said one.


every answered second.


"Remarkable, suggested third


''On my soul, brethren" spoke
Ridewell, Il can't make it out"
The brethren looked at each
other, and the deacons shook their
heads in a very solemn and i'm
pressive manner.


So the party rode back to the
clergyman's house, but none Of
the brethren would enter, DOR
would they stop at all. Before
Monday had drawn to a close, it
was generally known that Parson
Ridewell had raced his horse on
the Sabbath, and a meeting of
the church was appointed for
Thursday.


Poor Ridewell was almost cra-
zy with vexation but before
Thursday came, Pompey found
out how matters stood, and he as
sured his master that he would
clear the matter up; and after a
days search, be discovered the
astounding fact that some of these
wicked men had been in the habit
of stealing old Morgan from the
pasture, and riding him Sabbath
afternoonsl Pompey found out
this much-but he could not find
out acho did it!


AS soon as this became known
to the church, the members con-
ferred together, and they soon
concluded that under such circum-
stances a high mettled horse
wpuld be very apt to run away
with bis rider when he found him.
self directly upon the track.