V. 



ROAD HORSES. 



AMONG- the irregular acquaintances of my boy- 

 hood, I remember a certain Ed Hulbert, who 

 was wont to express his notion of felicity in the fol- 

 lowing concise and oft-repeated phrase : " A smooth 

 road and a sharp trot ! ' There may be nobler ideals ; 

 pursuits might perhaps be thought of which combine 

 pleasure with intellectual improvement to a greater 

 degree ; and certainly it must be admitted that a 

 young or even a middle-aged man should always be 

 provided with an excuse for driving instead of riding, 

 such as that he is lame, or has already taken an equiva- 

 lent amount of exercise in some other form, or desires 

 to be accompanied by his wife. But, these difficulties 

 surmounted, (or shall we say disregarded?) the com- 

 bination of "a smooth road and a sharp trot" will 



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