Beat'em All

The Eev. Soluuion Stoddard, of Northampton, the ancostor of all the Stoddards and a troop they are of worthy sons of a worthy sire- had a black boy d his employ, wlio was, like the most of black boya, full of fuu aud mischief, and up to a joke, no matter at whose expensa. He went with the parson's horse every morning to drive the cows to pasture. It was oa a piece of table land some little dis tanco from the village; and hero out of sight, the neighbor's boys were wont to meet hiin and '[ race hoxses" on Sunday momine he told Bill he would rido the mare to pasture with tbe cows, and b.6 (Bill) might stay at homo. Bill knew what was in the wind, and taking a short cut across the lots, was up in the pasture away ahcad of. tlie parson. lbo boys were there with their horses, only waiting for Bill and his master's ware. He told the boys to be ready, and as tbe old gentleman arrived to give tlio word, "Go!" Bill bid hiraself at the other end of the field, whero the race always ended. Tbe parson'oaine jogging along up, and the boys sat demurely on their steeds, as if wniting for "service to begiu." Kut as tbc good cid man rede into line they cried "Go !" and away went the mare with the reverend rider sticking fast, like Jobn Gilpin, but thora was no stop to her or him. Away, ahead of all the rest, he went like the wind; and at the ether end of the field Bill jum'ped upfrom under the feuce, and sunjr out, "I know'd you'd beat, massa ! I know'd you'd beat !"