Page 154 - A Little Bush Maid

down, facing the tail, and lay flat along the pony’s back; she assumed every
position except the natural one. She leapt to the ground (to Norah’s intense

horror, who imagined she didn’t mean to), and, running fiercely at the pony,
sprang on his back again, while he galloped the harder. Lastly, she dropped

a handkerchief, which she easily recovered by the simple expedient of
hanging head downwards, suspended by one foot, and then galloped out of
the ring, amid the frantic applause of Cunjee.

"Could you do that, Norah?" laughed Mr. Linton.

"Me?" said Norah amazedly; "me? Oh, fancy me ever thinking T could ride
a bit!"

One of the lovely ladies, in a glistening suit of black, covered with

spangles, next entered. She also preferred to ride standing, but was by no
means idle. A gentleman in the ring obligingly handed her up many
necessaries--plates and saucers and knives--and she threw these about the

air, as she galloped with great apparent carelessness, yet never failed to
catch each just as it seemed certain to fall. Tiring of this pursuit, she flung

them all back at the gentleman with deadly aim, while he, resenting
nothing, caught them cleverly, and disposed of them to a clown who stood
by, open-mouthed. Then the gentleman hung bright ribbons across the ring,

apparently with the unpleasant intention of sweeping the lady from her
horse--an intention which she frustrated by lightly leaping over each in

turn, while her horse galloped beneath it. Finally, the gentleman--whose
ideas really seemed most unfriendly--suddenly confronted her with a great
paper-covered hoop, the very sight of which would have made an ordinary

horse shy wildly--but even at this obstacle the lady did not lose courage.
Tnstead, she leaped straight through the hoop, paper and all, and was carried

out by her faithful steed, amidst yells of applause.

Norah gasped.

"Oh, isn’t it perfectly lovely, Daddy!" she said.