A RIDING LESSON
In spite of the Sturgeon's protests that "it was _most_ impolitic to
establish a precedent in the school," Tzaritza became a duly enrolled
member of the establishment, and from that moment slept at Peggy's door,
a welcome inmate of Columbia Heights. Welcome at least, to all but one
person. Miss Sturgis loathed all animals.
In the ensuing weeks Peggy and Polly slipped very naturally into their
places. In her own class and in the West Wing Natalie Vincent had always
been the acknowledged leader, for, even though the daughter of the
Principal, not the slightest partiality was ever shown her and she was
obliged to conform as strictly to the rules as any girl in the school.
She was full of fun, eternally in harmless mischief, and, of course,
eternally being taken to task for her misdeeds.
By the usual order of the attraction of opposites Marjorie Terry and
Natalie had formed a warm friendship. Marjorie the quiet, reserved,
rather shrinking girl from Seattle. She never joined in any of Natalie's
wild pranks, but on the other hand was a safe confidant, and if she
could not follow her more spontaneous friend's lead, she certainly never
balked or betrayed her. The other girls had christened them Positive and
Negative and they certainly lived up to their names.
The girls whom Peggy and Polly had discussed so frankly the night after
their arrival all roomed in the West Wing. Stella in her own large,
handsome room, for her father was manager of an immense railroad system
in the middle West. Rosalie Breeze and oh "cursed spite!" Isabel
Boylston--"_Is_-a-bel," as she pronounced it,--roomed together and
squabbled incessantly. At least, Rosalie did the squabbling, _Is_-a-bel
affected the superior, self-righteous air which acted upon Rosalie's
peppery temper as a red rag upon a bull. It was Miss Sturgis, of course,
who had advised placing them together. Isabel was a great favorite of
Miss Sturgis, and Rosalie was the reverse.
Mrs. Vincent had not entirely approved the arrangement, but the school
was unusually crowded this year and two of the girls' parents had
insisted upon single rooms for their daughters. Juno Gibson, from New
York, had announced very positively that unless she could have a room
to herself in Columbia Heights School she would pack her three trunks
and go elsewhere, and Papa Gibson was not in the habit of disputing his
daughter's will or wishes unless they conflicted with his own. In this
matter he didn't care a straw, so Miss Juno was not compelled to have "a
dozen girls eternally under foot and ruining my clothes by crowding the
closets full of theirs."
Lily Pearl, "Tootsy-wootsy," as her companions had dubbed her, roomed
with Helen Gwendolyn Doolittle, "Cutie," and a sweet, sentimental pair
they made, though Helen spent every possible moment with the latest
object of her adoration, Stella Drummond, for whom she had instantly
conceived an overwhelming infatuation; a pronounced school-girl "crush."
Of the other girls in the school only a passing glimpse need be given.
Saturday afternoons were always perfectly free at Columbia Heights, and
the girls could do practically as they chose. There was one rule, or
rather the absence of it, which had appealed very strongly to Mrs.
Harold and gone a long way toward biasing her choice in favor of the
school. If the girls wished to go into the city--that is, the girls in
the Sophomore, Junior and Senior grades--to do shopping or make calls,
they were entirely at liberty to do so unattended by a teacher, though
Mrs. Vincent must, of course, know where they were going. With very rare
exceptions this rule had always worked to perfection. The very fact that
they might do as they chose, and were put upon their honor to uphold the
reputation and dignity of the school, usually acted as an incentive to
them to do so, whereas the eternal surveillance and suspicion of the
average school acts as a mighty inspiration to circumvent all
regulations.
Another pleasant feature of Saturday afternoons were the long riding
excursions through the beautiful surrounding country, with a groom
accompanying the party and with one of the girls acting as riding
mistress. Besides Peggy and Polly, Stella was the only girl who had her
own horse at Columbia Heights, the others riding those provided by the
school. They were good horses and the riding-master, Albert Dawson, was
supposed to be a good man, conscientious, painstaking, careful. He was
conventional to a degree. He taught the English seat, the English rise,
the English gait, and his horses were all docked and hogged in the
English fashion. Dawson would doubtless have taught them to drop their
H's as he himself did, had he been able to do so.
When Shashai and Silver Star arrived upon the scene, manes and forelocks
long and silky as a girl's hair, tails almost sweeping the ground and
flowing free, poor Dawson nearly died of outraged conventions, though he
was forced to admit that the Columbia Heights stables held no horseflesh
to compare with these thoroughbreds.
"But oh, my 'eart, look at that mess o' 'air and mind their paces. They
lopes along for all the world like them blooming little jackals we used
to 'ave bout in Hindia when I was in 'is Lordship's service. They'd ruin
my reputation if they was to be seen in the Row," he deplored to Jess,
who was grooming his pets as carefully as old Mammy would have brushed
Peggy's hair.
Jess gave a derisive snort. He had lived a good many more years than
Dawson and his experience with horseflesh was an exceptionally wide one.
"Well, yo'-all needn't be a troublin' yo' sperrits 'bout de gait ob dese
hyer horses. Dey kin set de pace fo' all dat truck yonder, an' don' yo'
fergit dat fac'. Yo's got some fairly-middlin'-good ones hyer," and Jess
nodded toward the stalls, "but dey's just de onery class, not de
quality. No-siree. Now, honey, don' yo' go fer ter git perjectin' none
cause I'se praisin' yo' to yo' face. Tain't good manners fer ter take
notice when yo's praised. Yo' mistiss 'll tell yo' dat," admonished
Jess, as Shashai reached forward and plucked his cap from his head. "Yo'
gimme dat cap, yo' hyer me!"
But Shashai's teeth held it firmly as he tossed it playfully up and
down, to Jess' secret delight in his pet's cleverness, though he
outwardly affected strong disapproval, after the manner of his race.
The horses were like playful, fearless children with him, and Jess was
bursting with pride at the result of his handiwork. And certainly, it
was worth looking upon, for no finer specimens of faultlessly groomed
horseflesh could have been found in the land.
"Yes, but think of the figure I'll be cutting when I take my young
ladies for a turn in the park or on the havenue," protested Dawson.
"Couldn't ye just knot hup them tails a bit, and mebbe braid that
fly-away mane down along the crest? If I'm bordered to take my young
ladies into the park or the city this hafternoon, I swear I'll hexpire
of mortification with them 'orses."
But this was too much for Jess. Dawson had at last touched the match,
and he caught the full force of Jess's wrath:
"Sp-sp-spire ob--ob mortification! Shamed ob dese hyer hosses! Frettin'
cause yo's gotter 'scort a pair of animals what's got pedigrees dat
reach back ter Noah's Ark eanemost! Why, dey blood kin make you-all's
look lak mullen sap, an' dey manners, even if dey ain' nothin' but
hosses, jist natchelly mak' yo' light clean outer sight. Sho'! Go long,
chile! Yo' gotter live some. Dar, it done struck five bells--_dat_ mean
ten-thirty, unerstan'--an' you's gotter git half-a-dozen ob yo'
bob-tailed nags ready fo' de ridin' lessons yo' tells me yo' gives de
yo'ng ladies at _six_ bells,--_dat's_ eleben o'clock,--Sattidy mawnin's.
I's pintedly cur'us fer ter see dem lessons, _I_ is. Lak 'nough befo' de
mawnin's ober _yo'll_ take a lesson yo'-self," and Jess ended his tirade
by throwing an arm across each silky neck and saying to his charges:
"Now, come 'long wid ole Jess, honeys. Yo's gwine enter high sassiety
presen'ly, and yo's gotter do Severndale credit. Yo' hyer me?"
Poor Dawson was decidedly perturbed in his mind. Hitherto he had been
the autocrat of "form and fashion," the absolute dictator of the proper
style. Under his ordering, horses had been bought for the school,
cropped, docked and trimmed on the most approved lines, until nothing
but a hopeless, forlorn stubble indicated that they had once boasted
manes or forelocks, and poor little affairs like whisk-brooms served for
tails, or rather did not serve, especially in fly-time. But that was a
minor consideration. Fashion's dictates were obeyed.
With the aid of his grooms Dawson soon had five horses saddled and
bridled, curbs rattling and saddles creaking. There were only two cross
saddles. Then he turned to Jess.
"Ye'd better be gettin' them hanimals ready, for I dare say I've to give
the young ladies their lessons too."
"Hi-ya!" exploded Jess. Then added: "Come 'long, babies, an' git dressed
up. Yo' all's gwine git yo' summons up yonder presen'ly."
Shashai and Star obediently walked over to the bar upon which their
light headstalls hung, sniffed at them with long audible breaths, then
each selecting his own carried it to Jess in his teeth.
"Well, Hi'll be blowed!" murmured Dawson.
Jess pretended not to notice, but saying unconcernedly: "Dat's all
right. Now put 'em on lak gentlemen," he held one in each hand toward
his pets. They took the bits in their mouths, slipped their heads into
the headstalls and then waited for Jess to buckle the throat-latches,
for that was a trifle beyond them. "Now fotch yo' saddles," ordered
Jess, pleased to the point of foolishness. The horses went to the saddle
blocks, selected their saddles, lifted them by the little pommel and
carried them to Jess like obedient children.
No mother was ever more gratified than Jess. "Now honeys, yo' stan'
right whar yo's at twell yo' summons come from over yander. Yo's gwine
hyar it all right," and with this parting admonition to good behavior,
Jess went unconcernedly about his business of putting away the articles
of his pets' toilets.
"They'll be a-boltin' and raisin' the very mischief if you leave them
alone," warned Dawson.
"What dat yo' say? I reckons yo' ain' got _yo'_ horses trained like
we-all back yonder got _ours_. Paht ob dey eddications must a-been
neglected ef dey gotter be tied up ter keep 'em whar yo' wants 'em fer
ter _stay_ at. Yo' need'n worry 'bout Shashai and Star. _Dey's_ got
sense."
Dawson vouchsafed no reply. One must be tolerant with garrulous old
niggers, but he'd keep an "hey on them 'orses" all the same.
The riding school used in stormy weather and the circle for fine, were
not far from the house. At five minutes before eleven the girls who were
to have their Saturday morning lessons prior to the ride in the
afternoon, went over to the school and an electric bell notified Dawson
that his young ladies awaited their mounts. With due decorum and
self-importance he and Henry, the groom, led the horses from the stable,
Dawson calling over his shoulder:
"You'd better come on with your Harabs, I can't be waitin' with my
lessons."
"We-all'll come 'long when we's bid," was Jess' cryptic retort.
Dawson scorned to reply, but mounted on his big dapple-gray horse, Duke,
body bent forward and elbows out, creaked away. When he reached the big
circle where a group of girls stood upon the platform for mounting,
Peggy and Polly, in their trim little divided skirts, looked inquiringly
for Shashai and Silver Star. Peggy asked:
"Are our horses ready, Dawson?"
"Yes, Miss, I believe so, Miss, but your man seemed to think I'd best
let you ring, or do--well, I don't rightly know _what_ 'ee hexpected you
to do, Miss. But 'ee didn't let me bring the 'orses, beggin' your
pardon, Miss."
"Oh, that's all right, Dawson; Jess is just silly about the horses and
us. You mustn't mind his little ways. It's only because he loves us all
so dearly. Besides it isn't necessary for anyone to bring them. I'll
call them," and placing a little silver bo's'n's whistle to her lips
Peggy "piped to quarters." It was instantly answered by two loud neighs
and the thud of rapid hoofbeats as Shashai and Silver Star came
sweeping up the broad driveway from the stables, heads tossing, manes
waving and tails floating out like streamers. The girls with Peggy and
Polly clapped their hands and shrieked with delight.
"One bell, Shashai! Halt, Star!" cried Peggy and Polly in a breath.
The splendid animals came straight to them, stopped instantly, dropped
to their knees and touched the ground with their soft muzzles in sign of
obeisance. The girls all scrambled off the platform as one individual,
riding lesson and everything else utterly forgotten; here was a new
order of things hitherto utterly undreamed of in the school. It had been
a case of "pigs is pigs" or "horses is horses" with them. That the
animals they were learning to ride _à la mode_ might be something more
than mere delightful machines of transportation had never entered their
heads.
"Oh, how did you make them do it? Will you show us? Will any horse come
if you know how to call him? Can they all do that? Didn't it take you
forever and ever to teach them? Aren't they beauties! What are they
trying to do now?" were the questions rattling like hail about Peggy's
and Polly's ears.
For answer Peggy opened a little linen bag which she carried, handing
to Polly three lumps of sugar and taking three out for her own pet. The
horses crunched them with a relish, their light snaffle bits acting as
only slight impediments to their mastication.
"Do you always give them sugar? Oh, please give us some for our horses,"
begged the girls.
"Young ladies, I don't 'old with givin' the 'orses nothin' while in
'arness and a-mussin' them up. They'll be a-slobberin' themselves a
sight," expostulated Dawson.
"But Miss Stewart's and Miss Howland's horses are not slobbered up,"
argued Natalie.
"They've not got curb bits. Just them snaffles which is as good as none
whatever," was Dawson's scornful criticism.
"Well, why must ours have curbs if theirs don't," argued Juno Gibson,
whose habitual frown seemed to have somewhat lessened during the past
five minutes. If Juno had a single soft spot in her heart it was touched
by animals. She did not have a horse of her own, though she insisted
upon always having the same mount, to Dawson's opposition, for he
contended that to become expert horsewomen his pupils must change their
mounts and become accustomed to different horses. In the long run the
argument was a good one, but Miss Juno did not yield readily to
arguments. Therefore she invariably rode Lady Belle, a light-footed
little filly, with a tender mouth and nervous as a witch. Her big gentle
eyes held a constant look of appeal, she was chafed incessantly by the
heavy chain curb, and if anyone approached her suddenly she started
back, jerking up her head as though in terror of a blow. But with Juno
she was tractable as a lamb, and the pretty creature's whole expression
changed when the girl was riding her. Juno had a light, firm hand upon
the bit and in spite of Dawson's emphatic orders to "'old 'er curb well
in 'and perpetual," she rarely used it, and Lady Belle obeyed her
lightest touch.
"Our 'orses are 'arnessed as they had orter be, Miss Gibson, and as the
Queen 'erself rides them in the hold country. 'Hi'm doing my best to
teach you young ladies proper, and I can't 'old with some of these loose
Hamerican 'abits. They wouldn't be 'eld with for a minute in the Row."
"Oh, a fig for your old Row, Dawson! _We're_ all American girls and
there's more snap-to in us in one of your 'minutes' than in all the
English girls I've ever seen in my life, and I've seen a good
many--_too_ many for my peace of mind. I lived there two years," broke
in Rosalie Breeze. "I'll bet Miss Howland and Miss Stewart can show you
some stunts in riding which would make your old queen's eyes pop out.
Why don't you quote Helen Taft to us instead of Queen Mary? We don't
care a whoop for the queen of England, but Helen Taft is just a Yankee
girl like ourselves and we can see her ride almost any day if we want
to. She is big enough for us to see, goodness knows. But come on, girls.
Let's do our stunts," and Rosalie scrambled upon the platform once more,
ready to mount Jack-o'-Lantern, the horse she was to ride.
Meanwhile Lady Bell sniffing something eatable, had drawn near Peggy,
half doubtful, half trustful. At that instant Peggy turned rather
quickly, entirely unaware of the filly's approach. With a frightened
snort the pretty creature started back. Peggy grasped the situation
instantly. She made a step forward, raised her arm, drew the silky neck
within her embrace, whispered a few words into the nervously alert ear,
and the hour was won. Lady Belle nestled to her like a sensitive,
frightened child.
"'Ave a care, Miss Stewart! 'Ave a care! She's a snappy one," warned
Dawson with bristling importance as he turned from settling _Is_-a-bel
Boylston upon a big, white, heavy-footed horse, where she managed to
keep her place with all the grace of outline and poise of a meal sack.
Now Peggy had been sizing things up pretty thoroughly during the past
fifteen minutes, and her conclusions were not flattering to Dawson.
There was a cut upon Lady Belle's sensitive nostril which told its
little story to her. Jack-o'-Lantern's hoofs were varnished most
beautifully, but when he lifted them one glimpse told Peggy the
condition of the frogs. The silver mounting upon "The Senator's,"
Isabel's horse's harness were shining, but his bit was rusty and untidy.
A dozen little trifles testified to Dawson's superficiality, and Peggy
had been mistress of a big paddock too long to let this popinjay lord it
over one whom he sized up as "nothin' but a school girl." Consequently,
her reply to his warning slightly upset his equanimity.
"You need not be alarmed, Dawson, but if Lady Belle turns fractious I'll
abide the consequences."
"Yes, Miss, yes, Miss, but _'Hi'm_ responsible, you understand."
"What for? The horse's well-being or mine? I'll relieve you of mine, and
give you more time to care for the horses. Lady Belle's muzzle seems to
have suffered slightly. Jack-o'-Lantern's hoofs need your attention, and
at Severndale a bit like the Senator's would mean a bad quarter of an
hour for _some_body. So, you'd have a hard time 'holding down your job'
there. That's pure American slang. Do you understand it?" and shrugging
her shoulders slightly, Peggy cried: "Come on, girls! We're wasting
loads of time. Attention, Shashai! Right dress! Right step! Front!
Steady!"
As Peggy spoke, Shashai and Silver Star sprang side by side, then stood
like statues. At "right dress" they turned their heads toward the group
of horses. At "right step," they closed up until they stood in perfect
line beside them. At "front," "steady" they stood facing the two girls,
waiting the next command.
"Come up to the platform. Come up and be ready to mount, young ladies,"
ordered Dawson.
"We'll mount when you give the word," answered Polly, her hand, like
Peggy's, upon her horse's withers.
"You'll never be able to from the ground, Miss."
A ringing laugh from the girls, sudden springs and they were in their
saddles. "Four bells!" they cried and swept away around the ring, their
gay laughter flung behind them to where their companion's horses were
fidgeting and chafing under Dawson's highly conventional restraint,
while that disconcerted man whose veneer had so promptly been
penetrated by Peggy's keen vision, forgot himself so far as to mutter
under his breath:
"These Hamerican girls are the limit, and I'm in for a ---- of a time if
I don't mind my hey. And she Miss Stewart of Severndale, and I not hon
to that before! 'Ere's a go and no mistake."