A LAKESIDE MUSING.

Thames Star, Volume XV, Issue 4952, 22 November 1884, Page 4

A LAKESIDE MUSING.

" Good-day, sir." A. young lady stood beside the horse reporter's desk. "I came up here," une said, "because I often read in the Tribune —papa takes it—about people tbat you give information to. Papa says I cau have a horse, and one of those iweet little Tillage carts. Won't it be just lovely ?" The horse reporter subscribed, by an inclination of his head, to the entrancing nature of the prospect alluded to. " And I want to find out," she continued, "just what sort of a horse I ought to buy, because papa doesn't know anything at all about such matters, and I've got to do the whole thing." 111 suppose you want a horse that you can drive yourself ?" " Yes. And it must have its tail square like those at the races. Weren't those lovely little horseys that ran last Tuesday ?—the cute things 1 I won a box of candy on that delicious little Wanda. Isn't she splendid ? Do you think I could get Wanda?" •• You don't want a racehorse," said the horse reporter ; " you want one you can drive. You can pet a bay filly with her tail banged, though, and that will answer the description of Wanda pretty well." "Get a what?" " A bay filly." 11 What's a filly ? Is it a new kind of horse, and are they fashionable ? " * "A filly/ replied the horse reporter, " is a girl horse." "Oh," said the young lady, blushing violently. " And do you think I'd better get a filly?" "It will do as well as any. I suppose you want a gentle one ?" "Oh yes. I want a sweet little horsey that won't kick, or run away, or anything like that. That would be perfectly ter» rible. Why, Belle Jones had a perfectly charming little donkey last summer, and the nasty little thing went right into the flower beds at Central Park with her, and ate up a lot of begonias and other things, and a policeman said she ought to get married and practise on her husband a year or two before trying to drive a real donkey ? Wasn't he mean ? " The scholarly forehead of the horse reporter was again inclined in an affirmative manner. " And so," continued the young lady, 'I want a nice horse—one that will do just whatever I want him as soon as he finds it out. And it must be a bay horse, with a square tail, and have white harness." i •'They are not growing harnesses with horses this year," said the horse reporter. •" They used to do it, but it is cheaper to let the horses grow up, and then have the harness made." " Why, of course!" exclaimed the young lady. " I ought to have known better than that. Why, Gen. Grant was a harness-maker, wasn't he? And that's how he came to be President. I remember papa saying that no matter how humble a station a man got on at he might attain any honor in this country.' ' Gen. Grant was not a harnessmaker, said the horse reporter, ' and your papa didn't say anything about a man getting on at a station. Prosperity isn't a railroad train.' " Well, perhaps he didn't, but anyhow I want a white harness, and a blue ribbon on the whip. It will just be too lovely "— and the young lady sat back in the chair and for a moment silently contemplated the ecstatic vision thus conjured up. Then she said: " What shall I call my horse ?" " Have you decided to get a filly P" " Well, there are plenty of good names. How does ' Beatrice' strike you P" •O, that would be elegant. And then I could call her ' Trixy' for short, couldn't I ? It will be simply ravishing to have that dear, darling little horse, and a cunning cart with yellow wheels, and I think you're awfully good to tell me all about it. And will there be an item in next Sunday's paper that Miss Lilian Smith appears daily on the boulevard driving a beautiful bay filly ?' • Yes, we'll have an item prepared.' " And will it be in the society news ?" " No ; we'll put it on the editorial^page where it will attract more attention." "O! You're just lovely. You must let me take you out riding some day." " Thanks said the horse reporter " but I love life with the strong, clinging love of buoyant youth—and I have seen women drive."