14000 MILES 



us very closely. Perhaps he thought it was wicked to 

 help people on Sunday. At any rate, he did not offer, 

 and we did not ask, assistance. One of us took Charlie 

 by the bit, and trusted he would amuse himself dancing, 

 while the other ran ahead to the scow to see what could 

 be done. The small boy and barefooted old man did not 

 look very encouraging, but we still had faith there was a 

 way to cross rivers that must be crossed. We told our 

 dilemma, and said, "What will you do with him?" 



"Oh! he'll come along; we never have any trouble." 



"No," we said, "he won't come along, and we shall be 

 upset in the river if we attempt driving him on this pier." 



We walked back towards the carriage, the old man 

 saying, "I get all sorts of horses across, and can this one 

 if he don't pull back. If he does, of course I can't do any- 

 thing with him." 



This was small comfort, for we knew that that was just 

 what he would do. We asked about unharnessing him, 

 but the old man objected. We knew Charlie too well, 

 however, and did not care to see our phaeton and con- 

 tents rolling over into the river. Our courage waning a 

 little at this point, we asked how far we should have to 

 go to find a bridge. "Oh, clear to Hartford ! sixty miles !" 

 When Charlie was unharnessed, the old man took him by 

 the bit, and said to one of us, "Now you take the whip, 

 and if he pulls back, strike him. Boy, you take the car- 

 riage." This was simply impossible without help. It 

 was a grand chance for our one spectator, but without 

 doubt he believed in woman's right to push if not to vote, 

 so we pushed, and a good push it had to be, too. We did 

 not envy those bare feet so near Charlie's uncertain steps, 



83 



