80 LADIES ON HORSEBACK. 



I once asked a little mannikin, who had 

 given himself the name and airs of a great 

 rider, if he would be kind enough to pilot 

 me over an intricate piece of country with 

 which I was unacquainted. The creature 

 pulled his little moustaches, and sniffed, and 

 hemmed and hawed, and finally said, *' Aw, 

 I'm sure I should be delighted, but you see I 

 ride so deuced hard, I should not expect a lady 

 to be able to keep up with me.'' I said 

 nothing, but acted as my own pilot, and took 

 opportunity to watch my hard-riding friend 

 during the course of the run. He positively 

 never jumped a fence, but worked rampantly 

 at locks of gates, and bribed country-folks to 

 let him pass through. The last I saw of him 

 ho was whipping his horse over a narrow 

 ditch, preparatory to scrambling it himself on 

 foot. 



And this man was only one of many, for 

 the really accomplished rider never boasts. 



