Getting a Ride.

Auckland Star, Volume VI, Issue 1671, 26 June 1875, Page 5 (Supplement)

Getting a Ride.

The Abcadian Boy withaßeoad White

FoEEHEAD AND A SOFT BSOWN EYE. YotrifG Coville was out looking for a ride on Friday afternoon. He had his sled with him, and he wanted to fasten it to a horsesleigh. An opportunity finally presented itself. It was a farmer who was driving, and he had two good horses. His son sat in the back of the sleigh, watching the various village boys. He was a pale boy, with a broad forehead and a soft brown eye. No one can read character as well as children, and when Master Coville looked into the open countenance of the farmer lad, he put after the sleigh with all his might, and catching up to-it, threw himself on the tail-board, keeping his eye firmly fixed on the farmer boy. Then the farmer boy suggested that young Coville get on his own sled and he would hold the rope for a little way. The offer was accepted at once, and Master Coville mounted hij own sled, where he rode in triumph, to the envy of every boy he passed. Getting toward the suburbs, the farmer, who was quite deaf, harried forward his horses, and Master Corille tried to look ahead without smiling ; but it was impossible, the speed was so exhilarating. When the party got to Grannille avenue young Coville told the farmer boy that he guessed he'd be going back, and if he'd kindly drop the rope he'd confer a favor. The farmer boy smiled a rural smile, but didn't relax his hold on the rope. Young <4pville smiled too, but rather feebly, and again repeated the request. But the, soft brown eye was musing, and the rope still remained in the owner's grasp. Young Coville began to look scared. It was after five o'clock, and would be dark in an hour, and here he was sailing out into the country at the rate of five miles an hour. 1 Let go of there, why don't you ?' he asked.

The farmer boy smiled—one of those blossoming smiles which told of green dells and moss-fringed brooks. ' If you don't let go of that rope I'll just get into that sleigh and mash yer darned old snoot!' suggested young Coville,Ivrhich wasaveryimprudent statement in view of the fact that every muscle was engaged in keeping his seat. But the farmer lad did"not let go.' He kept his hold of the rope, and kept up the smiles, the waving grain and blooming daisy smiles. , Oh, I'll make you laugh on the other side of your mouth if you don't let go of that rope/ shouted young Coville, as he saw the paved sidewalks give way to footpaths, and gardens dissolve into broad, snow-clad fields.

On they went, the farmer lad smiling so beautifully, and young Coville grating his teeth, and shouting the awful things he would do in the future.

About four miles out' of town, and as they were passing through a heavy wood, the farmer boy smiled a broad smile, and let go of the rope, and as the sleigh darted away, the rope passed under the sled, bringing it up so suddenly as to throw young Coville heels over head into the snow. When he got up, the sleigh was going over a hill, and his tormentor was throwing Agricultural kisses at him.