A Slow Canter, 37 



heart! he will learn better. As his months in 



the saddle increase, he will find his seat as well 



as his place. We Americans are the making of 



an excellent race of horsemen. It is a pleasure 



to see the increase in the number of promising 



riders who seek the western suburbs every day. 



We shall all ride, as we manage to do everything, 



well, — after a while. There is of course a lot of 



rubbish and imported — rot, shall we call it ? 



But what odds 1 so there is in art, music, politics, 



religion. 



VIII. 



You see the corner of the lane, Patroclus, while 

 I have been thus musing, and your lively ear and 

 instinctively quickened gait rouse my half-dazed 

 thoughts. Here we are. Shall we take our accus- 

 tomed canter .? You always wait the word, though 

 you are eagerness itself, for you do not yet know 

 when I want you to start, or which foot I may ask 

 you to lead with. Though, indeed, you will some- 

 times prance a bit, and change step in the alter- 

 nate graceful bounds of the passage, to invite and 

 urge my choice. The least pressure of one leg, 

 and off you go, leading with the opposite shoul- 

 der. And you will keep this foot by the mile, 

 Patroclus, or change at every second step, should 

 I ask you so to do. You need but the slightest 

 monition of my leg, and instantly your other 

 shoulder takes the lead. I see you want to gallop. 



