RUBY. 61 



lustily — so I heard — because " one of them 

 French coveys " was afraid to run him a quar- 

 ter for five dollars. It appeared that a cleanly 

 European was always supposed by this gentry 

 to be French ; and in the army at large I was 

 better known by the company I kept than by 

 my New England characteristics. 



Naturally, Ike thought that, while Ruby was 

 engaged in this more legitimate occupation, he 

 ought not to be ridden for mere pleasure ; and it 

 was only when a visitor was to be entertained, 

 or when I went out on plea of duty, that I 

 could steal an opportunity to leap him ; but he 

 took one fence that fairly did him credit. It 

 was a snake fence measuring four feet and two 

 inches, with a deep ditch on each side cut close 

 to the projecting angles of the rails. Ruby car- 

 ried me over the first ditch into the angle be- 

 tween the rails, then over the fence into the 

 narrow space on the other side, and then over 

 the second ditch into the field. It was the most 

 perfect combination of skill, strength, and judg- 

 ment that was possible to horse-flesh ; and I think 



