72 OINEY O'SHKA. 



Orangemen's parade ride on a white horse if they can 

 get one. I knew something of the Boyne and London- 

 derry, possibly more than some of the loyal men who 

 were making game of me, but no matter. I said noth- 

 ing and led the colt to the stable where my other horse 

 was and canW home. When I named the gelding I 

 called him Conquering Billy, and if he is ever good 

 enough to run I mean by the powers to let them that 

 laughed at me remember it, through their wallets," 

 and he did. 



After Conquering Billy had been walked about the 

 yard for fifteen or twenty minutes he was taken into 

 his stall, where a light saddle and racing bridle were 

 put on him. Oiney then slipped the halter on 

 Spangler. As he hopped on his back Terry slipped into 

 Conquering Billy's saddle and followed his father to 

 the lane. By this time the sun was beginning to peep 

 through a strip of maple trees that lined the bank of 

 a creek at the end of the cow pasture, while the light 

 fleecy clouds of mist were rolling back from the fields. 

 In an apple tree near the post where Terry told me 

 they would finish a big robin was singing as though 

 his throat would burst, while a couple of chipmunks 

 with their tails over their backs sat on a rail and looked 

 at him. As the sun struck the dew on the leaves and 

 grass, the trembling drops changed colors like the 

 jewels you read about in the Arabian Nights, while 

 the crisp morning air made me feel like "picking my- 

 self up by the boot straps." 



In a few minutes I saw Oiney coming towards 

 me on Spangle. He was as he said "thawing him 

 out." As he jogged back he remarked, "You may 

 look for some flying next trip," and I did. In about 



