The One We Got From Riley

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 43344, 30 June 1908, Page 3

The One We Got From Riley

'•. ' / Jt yrcJing way. We .were sittin’ in the across the way ■ •». iWonderm’ whereabouts we’d go to for a drive th’other day, j Wo’d been there since early morning—drinkin’ lemonade” the while — • And we’d made a solemn compact that we’d finish up in'etyle. ;

Bo at last it was decided that we’d get a stylish crock, And we’d journey to the seaside, startin’ sharp ot ten o’clock, Each would bring along a donah with a tucker-basket full, . Which was quite enough we reckoned, for a single horse to pull.

I myself would hold the ribbons; that r • was settled on the spot ; . -/, ■ If they drove they told me candid, we’d \’-v /,•••.• ;, npset as like as not, ’Cos they couldn’t drive a donkey, let ' alone a proper prad, I didn’t like to tell ’em I was every /.? bit as bad. j

" Mormn’, Riley. Is-he quiet!”—as he ■J'-.y ''? '■ led the neddy out. <f Yes), he is, me friend,” he answered, and ’"* ■ ' he stroked-the horse’s shout; "He’s as quiet as they make ’em, if you ‘ ’* v. • sit and let bim rip ; But I tell yer straight Kerfurgus, don’t . • .you touch him with the whip !” ’ In a minute we were seated, trottin’ gaily V through the town ; ■'• I was p’raps, a trifle nervous, but I tried '• to keep it down, For the horse to all appearance knew his , business like a book, And I seemed to gather courage every stride the beggar took.

He was going like an engine when he reached the Ferry-road, Didn’t seem to want a “ breather,” or to feel his heavy load, For he “ scooted by the others just as if _ they all were dead, Barnn’ one—a rakin’ chestnut—who was fifty yards ahead.

. How that chestnut bounder travelled for the space of half-a-mile ; It was plain, instead of gainin’ we were ?losia’:all the while, And I’d very near decided that we’d lost the “ Sumner Stakes,” “When I altered me opinion in about a brace o’ shakes.

Holy Mo?es ! What had struck us ? It was like a gale of wind, And I turned to my Maria, but she only sat and grinned. " Oh, you silly fool !” I shouted; “ what v::; 111 thunder have you done ?” We were sailin’ by the chestnut like a bullet from a gun.

Hickey .Riley’s horse was boltin’. Goodness gracious, ho.w he flew ! While again shrieked, “ Maria, what a . 'filly tEfeig to do !” For she’d hit/him on the "tailboard” with'a swift, unerring aim— That’s the part beside the buggy—l V forgot the other name.

Little use to try and stop him, for the brute was nearly mad, And the others of the party now were -■ very near as bad; Every mother’s son among us sat prepared to meet his doom As the people in the distance pulled aside to give us room. .<* ■ r

:We could hear the beggars swearin’ ’s if v_. we tapped ’em rather hard ; We could see ’em all performin’ when we missed ’em by a yard ;• But the horse from Micky Riley’s only shorted all the more, He was takin’- us to Sumner like we’d never gone before.

And we sat a tiifle oloser, and a prayer was wafted up, ,As we dashed around a corner like the finish of a Cup; All was chaos for a moment, theu there came an awful shock : It was nothing much to speak of—only run against a rock.

Then of all the pretty pictures that a fellow ever saw Lord! I couldn’t move a muscle, I could only sit and roar: There was all our picnic party lyin’ tangle- 1 in a knot, And iny silly old Maria, she was under* ■ -neath the lot. •fa r.% « ’ ■

•jf* • , ► • , . at last we got divided, and a pretty L . , / wght we were, I was shriekin’at Maria, who was half iaclined to swear ; l Cos she somehow heard me mutter, as I I m dragged her from the wreck, I JThat " I thought I’d still be laughin’ if 1., she’d broke her bloomin’ neck ! ”

Then we turned towards the city, achin’ i__ --. hearts within our breasts ; 1 one and all decided that we’d L give the picnic best, 1 IFor we’d splintered Riley’s buggy when l ', - ihe olessed thing upset, lAnd the horse that licked the chestnut— I ■ .. well, I think he’s goin’ yet-