PARK AND ROAD RIDING. 65 



I must not forget to mention the comic side 

 of the adventure as well as the more serious. 

 It struck me as being particularly ludicrous 

 upon that memorable occasion that an old gen- 

 tleman, crimson with wrath, actually attacked 

 my servant in the most irate manner because 

 he had not clattered after me during the 

 progress of the mare's wild career. ^' How 

 dare you, sir," cried this irascible old gentle- 

 man, "how dare you attempt to neglect your 

 young lady in this cowardly manner ? " Nor 

 was his anger at all appeased when informed 

 that I as a matron was my own care-taker, 

 and that my attendant had strict injunctions 

 not to foUow me in the event of my horse 

 being startled or running away. 



My next adventure was much more serious, 

 and occurred also within the gates of the 

 Phoenix Park. 



Some troops were going through a variety 

 of manoeuvres preparing for a field-day, and 

 a knot of them had been posted behind and 

 around a large tree with fixed bayonets in 

 their hands. Suddenly they got the order to 

 move, and at the same instant the sun shone 



5 



