118 IN THE BIDING-SCHOOL. 



remember how you have been taught to go for- 

 ward, Miss Esmeralda. It is not enough to 

 frown at your horse. Now, prepare to trot ! 

 Trot ! " And then he repeats again and again 

 that series of injunctions which already seems 

 so threadbare to you, Esmeralda, but which you 

 do not follow, not because you do not try, but 

 because you have not full control of your mus- 

 cles, and then comes once more the order, 

 "Prepare to whoa. Whoa!" and a volley of 

 sharp reminders about distance and about the 

 solemn duty of keeping a horse moving while 

 turning corners, and once more the column 

 proceeds as regularly as possible. 



" I observe," says your teacher, riding close 

 to you, " that you seem timid, Miss Esmeralda. 

 Do you feel frightened." 

 " No," you assure him. 



" Then it is because you are nervous that you 

 are so rigid. Try not to be stiff. Give your- 

 self a little more flexibility in the fingers, the 

 wrists, the elbows, everywhere ! You are not 

 tired? No? Be easy then, be easy!" And 

 you remember that you have been likened unto 

 a poker, and sadly think that, perhaps the 

 comparison was just. 



