254 SOWING WILD OATS. 



most young gentlemen are, we had among other 

 quadrupeds an immense and most voracious sow. 

 This said sow I used frequently to mount, and on 

 these occasions she would sometimes turn sulky, stand 

 still, and attempt to catch hold of my toes ; but when 

 she did go, she went like a devil, and tried to get 

 rid of me, which sooner or later she invariably did ; 

 for Allen M'Donough could not have kept on, so no 

 impeachment on my so^^'manship. This was capital 

 fun ; perhaps it taught me not afterwards to mind a 

 fall from a horse : but one unfortunate day, perhaps 

 the pace had been too good, sowey shut up, turned 

 round and round till she got me off, and was making a 

 charge at me : however I escaped her ; and finding her 

 dislike to steeple-chasing was likely to end in some- 

 thing to my serious disadvantage, I never mounted 

 her again. I was beat ; had sense enough to know 

 it, and to keep out of harm's way. Thus far I took 

 a hint, as I advise my friends to do ; but I will now 

 show where piggy did not, and suffered from it. I 

 have said that Madame Sow was voracious, and so 

 she was ; for no sooner was her meal in the trough 

 than in went her long snout, routing to the bottom 

 and from end to end ; and instead of leaving the 

 tidbits with maternal affection to her numerous and 

 interesting family, up she gobbled all, and in truth 

 in one instance gobbled up family and all. Now as 

 my mamma never did anything of this kind, my 

 feelings of respect and duty satisfied me that Ma- 

 dame Sow's general conduct must be very hoggish 

 indeed, and I resolved to punish her. I had not 

 forgotten, at the same time, her obstinacy as to steeple- 

 chasing. The next time she was fed, I, in conjunc- 



