INTROD UCTOR Y. 



him off the other way. Her drollery made the poor men so 



fond of her that she was rarely chastised, and such a wilful, 



intractable wild Arab it would be hard to find. Upon her 



I was daily mounted. Inexperienced in riding, untaught, 



unassisted, and wholly unable to lay any check upon so 



powerful an animal, with an awkward country saddle, 



which, by some fatality, was never well fixed, bit and bridle 



to match, and the mare's natural fire increased by high 



feed, behold me bound for the wildest paths in the wildest 



regions of that wild country. But you must explore the 



roads about Annapolis, and the romantic spot called the 



" General's Bridge," to imagine either the enjoyment or the 



perils of my happiest hour. Reckless to the last degree of 



desperation, I threw myself entirely on the fond attachment 



of the noble creature ; and when I saw her measuring with 



her eye some rugged fence or wild chasm, such as it was 



her common sport to leap over in her play, the soft word 



of remonstrance that checked her was uttered more from 



regard to her safety than my own. The least whisper, a 



pat on the neck, or a stroke down the beautiful face that 



she used to throw up towards mine, would control her ; and 



never for a moment did she endanger me. This was little 



short of a daily miracle, when we consider the nature of the 



country^ her character, and my unskilfulness. It can only 



be accounted for on the ground of that wondrous power 



which, having willed me to work for a time in the vineyard 



of the Lord, rendered me immortal till the work should be 



done. Rather, I should say, in the words of Cooper, which 



I have ventured to slightly vary — 



*' 'Tis plain the creature whom He chose to invest 

 With qiicen-'^v^ and dominion o'er the rest, 

 Received her nobler nature, and was made 

 Fit for the power in which she stands arrayed." 



Strongly as I advocate early tuition, if a girl has not 



