A Mountain Ride

Of conree we hls all pitied Rnchel Tinkhain, but we never quite mude hor one of us. Slie was such a shy üttlo thing, and blushed f you spoke to her, Mid acted afraid of lier own voice, niid wore print dresses all of (lic time, and nevur was invited to our parües. iSho livod in a tunible-down oíd house which had been a very grand nmiisioii once. The Tinkhams had been great people in 111 y grandmother's day. Noihinji was left of thoir grandeur iiuw, however, for thora had been wino in one geiiL'raüon, and wliiskey in tlio iiext, und deliruui treuiena in the llCNt. Ilüy's father was the tliird. Slie had a wrotched keep! lig home lor liini. Her niother was d-eud. "We" wcre the girlá in Mrs. illund's priva ie Sehool. A dozen of us were out on Ihe front veranda one moriiing. We were all t:i]lvitir at ome. iSomo one liad said the lnjh school girld weiu better cholars thnn we were. 'Very well. So they are." Ttiis was Iva te A very, and sho was Blanding by the laiLice whero the luoiniug-glory vines gnfxr, and where a liundiX'd clusters of liitlo bells twung - blue and pUTplo and rosepink. lf Kilto wus anything, sho was iiouest, tliough she was luuiiisoinc loo. "We have niusic and French conversiition, and Lou has a phSBloil, and 1 have t o donkcj s, and Queeii'U has been to Lurope, Iml," lowering her voice, "iis au awful secret, thougli it'a the truth, the high scliotd rirlg are miles and miles bcyond us in Laliii and m.itiieinaiics." "liulced tliey are," said I. "I'm what the niaihinioiselle calis au 'idgU' in ari th me tic. Ireilly 8Uppo3 that two and two inake f our, but if one of those girls was lo teil me that they made live, 1 shouldii't dart) dispute her." -The fact is,"' said Kate, "little Tinkliain is the Ollly one wlio is sure of lier uiultiplictitioii LuIjIc. Uut tlicii shedoesn't really bolong to ns. Bjie would iiotbe hcre l fit wera not lor Bweeping and ditsting to pny Iit tuition. Tlicie slic i tliis minuto." Asimll tireil looklug liirure in a conree tlrosa camo in riglit arouiMl tlie coriior; It was llacliel witli a load of bookfl in Uer liands. "8I10 has worii tliat dros cvorv day for three months," s:ihl Lou Bleadmnu ; "1 vorily lielieve slie goos to bed when is dono up." "My dcsr, shc cnn't, slie lias towash and Iroii it lerselL Oh. thore is Queenie," crieil Karc. It was a ftcntle, gnioeful trirl who came wnlking fustto overtáke Ray, oauglit step as ehè overtook her, aud boga to talk ploasantly to hor. "Does shc not lookuiceiu that scal brown suitV- And isu't it just liko lier to curry ltay'8 books?" Quecn e's real name was Alice. You would have known why wo cal led her (ueenie, ifyou had seeu lier walk busule litüc ïiukham this moniiiig, open the "ate, st md slill, crect, wiüi that grand way of liors tbr llie girl to pass through. I boliove wc all ra t her worehiped Queenie. Kute met llicui willi her forelicad all tied ujp in liard knots, and Rsked Hay, "didn't slie 'want to be nu angel,' and help her wuli thoso dreadí'ul íract Lona.?" So tliey two sat on tlio doorstcp, and the rest went into the schoolroom. Theu Lou callad out to itay to come and dust hor desk. She said it "wasu't half dusted." Quecnie taid : "Hay is busy, I will do it;" and slic ■ilent, and lookiug proudfli1 th.au ever, dusted Jjon's desk licrself. It waa that rnorning, Friday, tliat Mrs. Dland told ns tliat to-morrow would be "Mountain Day." All the schools in onr town drive to the mountain once a year. Our dayalways comes in Soptember. ïhis tiine Mrs. B.aud couldn't go, so she sent along hercousin toniatronize us. Sho was a üdgety person al'raid of spiders and no good any way. 'Weareto start at niño o'clock," Queenie suid. "Jiay can you be midy bo carly V" Queenie was a new scliolar. She didn't know that Kay never went vvith us to sucli places. Now she flushed and replied : "1 doii't think i can go to thc mouutain." 'Certainly, you are going," Alice said in her queenliest way. "lt" you can't fío to-iuoiTow we will put olí' tioing." "Öaturday is my day to clean the Bchool-room," Hay answcred. "We will clean it. Let's begin this minute," and oíi' carne (aeenie's cuft's and Kate's, all the cuffs, in l'act. AVe went to work and liad such luns weeping nnd Bcrubbing. Just imagine ate and Queenie washiajü thc lloor. They did ib well tuo. "NoW, reiiieiulwr." Cin unió suid llio laat thiiifi, ''overybody i to wcur liur olde8t (ress. And, ttny, woulil you be kiiitt enuugli lo briiig harii-boi e l c' s lor your ItiticliOOHÏ O.io ipiece tor us uH rouiniy Nuw Ithink it wasiusi benutilulol Qucen e 10 tliink of ili.tt. Olie knew little ïiiikliam coiil In't briiig Irosie.l axko and Fronoii roiits is uiv icst of us tío siie spoko of the Cirg.-i. AV'c all i-i nuMiibiTud ilnt lUy htul wonerttil cliickens. lam ■uro the word ahout oid drcawB, loo, wus ttteauC 10 help Tlic ïx'xt momiiig Obed ïainior ciiine round willi liis uiicovcrcd oiiuiil,us;ind II is two gruut lioi'scs and picled ll. : went aflcr Ray bist. Slic w:is Btandiiig in front of ihi! old house, beeide iho tuiiiblo-down guie, wiih lier ba-kot of i'ggs in lier h.-uid. olie luoked perl'ecily Itnppy.anii her dress WB8 so clean and siiioolIi Kalo whispei-ed lo llie; "Tliat dress lias boen washed and iron'ud sii.ee last lughL Just ihinkof itl" It was a clcnr -vfmn morntttg, " every ono was in such a rlw of pirits. I thl'nk wc wc re all glad that wo had Rachel wilh us. But if it hiuln't boon for Qnfienie, lïny wouM ucvur havo ono; and it Ray hftdn't gone tho rest ot' us woula havo como homo, and tliis story -tor there is a story - would uever have bciui tolil. It 1 eight miles to the monntnin, aml tliore is a carrUgo road to tho top. The list two miles aru very hard aiul stoep, bocau-o yon riso noaiiy a hundred feet aliovo tho Connecticut ïivor in that distance. But übed was a steady, gooddrivev, and 1Ú3 horses wure steady, good horses. AV'e always drow lots for llie scat bcsido übod, and it was ono of onr treats to j;et hiin talking about his "team," as lic called it. "VVhat are tbeiï names?" asked Qneenic. "re)[" a pause, übed was a slow taiker, but he had a greut deal to say. "ïlie off ono tliere is Cfflsur, au' tuo nigh ono he is AloXAltiler." 'Are tlicy afraid of the cars?" "Ain't afraid o' notliin' in natur." Obcd pauíed for u.s lo llunk Ülll over, unit Uien ent on : 'lvnow too ïiuicli, thctn crccturs do. They have curie! a load lo theniounlains tour linit'B a week all Buminur. - TheyM take ou 'boni's wcll efl was uut aloug. Tliojr know-well- beats ill wlmt thoiuauiiualikuow. Undersiaml't I'in laikin' 'boat 'em tliis luinit's wcll's you do. Tney're used to beau' talked to. My wit'c, slio tliinksa siglitofeai. Bcaualll Öiie'll goto the b-a-n, and she'll wirry 'eni apples, and she'll be all over 'cm ; one wuek wheu slie was sick, and kep' in the house, you o'n believe it or not, it's a faot i.liut llieui oreciurs lost. Ucsh. ÜUe braids uj) thoir front liair tbr retntnnd ties it Wllü : i'ed ribbon onu day, and tlicn tlio next dav she unbiaids it, and U's orimped in the tasüiou, you u uuderstand. As ibey was i coming to i toa party to-ilay, thuy'vc got theuhairscrhnped." lint alas tbr Casar and alack tor Atcxauder. lt was a. terrible pieco of vvork you cawe neiir doing that day, tlioiign we giils liever sliail l'uel thai you wero niucli to blaine. You Met bat Ibis was wlwthappencd. Wu woro U tucked into the wugou H8 tigttt as ttgs in fi box, ütat alteriiüoii, ranly to start, tor honx', wliüii Luu willed out that slie luid lolt br itamsol. Olie must got out and ruil up to tlic luwer nudjret it. 'Vou jast keep y'r sutin','' said Obed, "111 ïetcli yt-r uiubriil;' and hu BUinetl tor ilie ioer. Jt was aliout ten rods oiF. The towcr aiiJ suiule are built iu a sniall e.earod space at the top of the niouutain. All aiouiKt and oöloW are Uliuk wouils and yrunt rock-;. Onod bad list gono out of siuht when Quuuiuu gave a linie HCïuatu, and [in l Uur ii'Mid Lo lier eye. "ooiiiutbiiig lias stuugmu," slie said, and tiien, tnat insumí, winle we Wure looüili al fiel', it happenen. 'i'ae nor-cs boih ii-arwl, and Uien guvu ii piunye, tlie oinniuud suemed lo ri-u ïroiii ino giviiiid wuli a grevt Ie ip, aa.i, sou nor ilmii 1 can teil il, we Wt-ra si i i I)eiii4 bunio at in uWtul spoed ilowu iliat luirruw ruuKy runa. 1 jilauoiM tuWant (:es;ir and. Ale.vandor, atul mw i lorriolo laiï of wild animáis, i looked tuwaiM the girU n ml uw two eowa of wliito, lViliienod faces. Tho reina wuro dmgging on tlio ground. tionie of us wero sliriekiug Whoal" A luw ot' us.wcre ge.tiug rciiiy to j 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 . All thisiiiau itiütiiui, mul Lhen suudcnly, abuvo lliü noise or Lho wiioclsund ui evwyihing eidc, wc huMrd a voU.o lin.u' uut, uteur: "itstill, gii-4tl 1 tlíUife I can stop thu liurse.s!" Ituas ltiy Tiukham, of all pcople in tlic workl . tilín siood up witli a sicady look in liur oyes. 1 must explain hcrc that tlus road from the tower vuns down a frentle slopo for half a nülo, and tlicn comes a sharp turn. Deyontl tliat is a hill, the sloopost. most dánoious part of' the way. Kate seizud my hand. and wliispored : "If the horses aronot stoppod before they got to the turn, we shall all bo kil'ed." Uay was climbing over the driver's ppat, Slic always eould clïmb anywhei-e 1 i ke a cat. Sho d'uln't pause un instnnt, but shc callciil back to me : "Natty Broek, put on tho brute. The rest ot' you sit still, only pmy as hard as yon can." I sprang to tlio driver's eeat, and Jamnied down the hnndle of tlie brake. I prayod too. I believed I should never pray aain. 1 saw and thought of a huivlred things at oiico. 1 sawthegreat tree tnuiksan.l thehuge black focks close npon us. I reineinbered the clematis over the front door at home, :md wonc'ereit who would teil niy l'ather that I wms dead. Meanwhile Ray wa over tlic dashboard, and down witli her l'eet over the wliiilletree. How alie iUd it, I shall ncver know, but the next we saw of her, she was creeping along tlie polo botweeu tho horses, steadying uerself witli her hands on theil' backs. Tlie horses went tearingon likc wild horses, their manes flyiug, and their great bodies quiveriutf all over. Every instant tlie lrlswero becomiii- more exciie 1. Cneenie was bolding Mrs. BlniuVs OOUSin witli both hands, to prevent I her leaping out. Kate orled : "We are alinost lo the turn. AVhat is Ray doiugï She will irightou tho Uorsea woi-se thau ever!" and she covercd her eyes. Tlicbrow oi' the lxill was uot í'orLv fret oll. Kar boliind w coiild hear Oucd's voicc scrtüiiiiiii x io tlio li 'rscH 10 uii. The korpur oí tho towur was living towanl uu. 'lint ilioy were too far away to uo nny gool." Thora weined not 0110 chance in atliousan.l for iis. Uutthiit yary insuiut, wiiuii wo 11 bolioved we woro lost, wo looKOil at Hay. NVo siiw lier reicli lorward witli ono hiinil, iiid grasp tlie reiilS wllioll juiiioil lIiü heiids of the liui-81 tojp't lier. JiMt wlioi-o tlic c oiucutiiiK ! croseotl oiiü aiioüiur liar liujfurs clulcu011 llioni. Ono sliiirp, fierce Jork of tliose w-oat licails l)iiükWiilil, au l llio hoi'iiOS sl;u-,keneil speed, umi in uu iusúiiit uiore .siOpmi. Tlio wagon stood still, although ino orenuin wora siiirtliig and plungiMg vet, lint tliat Miiall hand of liay'd held on witli i iluatli grip, tind in n luoinout Inoro Obed caugla Uio horcos by tlioif htads. His iace was as w-liite a ovor it coulrt bc, and Uü BpoKU one word oiily. it was : "liornots !" Tlio liorscs dail been atung in more tliuti twey piaccB. T.ioy woro miImmesüud ai oucc, and we woio all out on kho grouud direcily. Wc lauglied and we criod, and Mrs. BUuid's eousiu ilistiHguialied hertelt' bv tainting away. '1 don't blamo the horses in the least," Queeiiiu siid. "One stillig is bad cnongli," and she showed wlioro her oye was bezinning 10 swull. '"The hornots cuino gwanuilig out of tlio woods thcre." As lor Oued, he was a liuiiiihiUccL man. "But L was the one to bl.amc," ho Miid. "1 tliought tho hoïscs wou ld 'a stood till tliu'ir huios tlroiiped üH'n ihe'r riba ; but 1 teil ye tlier nuver was the teain bltclied up yet that 'ud stand liornots. Blarst tlia cruetunt" Uc addod, in au uiidertoue. "But ltay Tinklniml" ci-icd Kale, and ülie went up to whcre the littlo thin was sitlin on a rock, lookini palor '-You s;ivod us all, you blesscd cliilil. llow did you ever Ihiuk oi doinr that?" "Aiy grandmother stopped sonic runaway hur.sos in that way once," gasped ltay. "1 didu't know wliothcr ï could stop these. I knew sohipWI? must do Romething, ov we sliould all bc dashed topicecs." "W'cll " spoko Obcd, "I've known o' that beiu' done just once aforo in my litbtiine, bnt it'was a boy that did it. ThereVe a saying 'mongst toamin' men that, when yoii hain't got the rcins you can stop a runaway it' you walk out on tho pole and grip hold o' the briilles, but taiut every horso that'll stand it." "Butwasn't it splendid of Iwy I cricd Lou, going over, and putting lier arm iround lier. "Nover knew a frW Cd have so inucli ïiluck," answered the driver. - 'lí'slie hadii't a' boon lilit on her icol, ai id le vol in 'er lieail Bhe ncver e'd V done it. .1 teil you it' these liorsea badn't been nnooiummi rood horsos, noi hin' OU airtii would '&' Stopped thcni." And liay 1 I ncver moant to make so long a story ot' it, but 1 must teil you tíiat we gave hor a pavty aftor ibis. All the falliera, and niotliors, and brothera went, and we cari'ied her a carpe t tbr lier rooni and a now eli-iinbor Bet, and Hice new olotlios all tiu-oiigii ; and a low of lbo gentlemen gavn hut a bank book, wliatevei1 Üwt may mean. 1 only kiiow that she was to liave thc incomü iif certaiu money, and l hut was enough to edúcate her thoroiiiihly. We li.-id ihe best time that niht, and Queenie's fiitlier took Kay out to Stlpper, and sliis sat at bis ligllt hand, and cverybody treiU'd licr as thouh shc been a yriucoss oí the blood. 1 do i -elievc thcre ncver was a. happier girl ouearth iban liaehol.