Book-bot.com - read famous books online for free

D'Ri and I by Irving Bacheller
page 101 of 261 (38%)
mansion at Ogdensburg and owned so much of the north country those
days. He was a gentleman when the founders of the proud families
of to-day were dickering in small merchandise. Indeed, one might
look in vain for such an establishment as his north of Virginia.
This side the Atlantic there was no stable of horses to be compared
with that he had--splendid English thoroughbreds, the blood of
which is now in every great family of American horses. And, my
faith! he did love to put them over the road. He went tearing up
hill and down at a swift gallop, and the roads were none too smooth
in that early day. Before leaving home he had sent relays ahead to
await his coming every fifteen miles of the journey: he always did
that if he had far to go. This time he had posted them clear to
the Harbor. The teams were quickly shifted; then we were off again
with a crack of the whip and a toot of the long horn. He held up
in the swamps, but where footing was fair, the high-mettled horses
had their heads and little need of urging. We halted at an inn for
a sip of something and a bite to eat.

"Parish," said the general, rising on stiffened legs, "I like your
company and I like your wine, but your driving is a punishment."

D'ri was worn out with lack of sleep and rest, but he had hung
doggedly to his saddle.

"How do you feel?" I asked him as we drew up on each side of the
coach.

"Split t' the collar," said he, soberly, as he rested an elbow on
his pommel.

DigitalOcean Referral Badge