Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1876 — Feminine Drivers. [ARTICLE]

Feminine Drivers.

There were two of them, both young ladies, and yesterday they procured an animal whicn through courtesy we will call a horse, which was attached to a low, rattling, but substantial open phaeton. They having been assured that the horse was as safe and as little liable to be frolicsome or shy as the one which had his eyes picked out “one by one,” they started for a pleasure drive down Fifth street south. One of the young ladies handled the ribbons with a grace that would have done credit to an elephant at a “German,” now ducking like a setting hen with one chicken, and alternating quick, short jerks on the hit with that peculiar slapping of the horse’s back with the lines which no one but an amateur female driver can ever hope to attain to. The other young lady grasped the cushion firmly with one hand and the side of the sdat with the other, gathered ready for a spring at a moment’s notice, ana encouraged the fair driver with a running account of all sorts of runaways both real and imaginary, directing how the reins ought to he handled, and intimating how much better she could drive. Everything went smoothly till a cow was observed lying beside the road about two blocks off, demurely chewing her cud. The result was a detour of four or five blocks to avoid the bloodthirsty bovine, the fair occupants of the phaeton congratulating themselves and each other upon their presence of mind in avoiding the impending danger. A stray stone in the road was safely passed, only two of the four wheels running over it; but, hor-

ror of horrors! the railroad track was only one block ahead, and both of them could hear a train coming plain as day, there nould be no mistake about that. One of them concluded the safest way would be for her to get out and walk to the crossing, and from that point she would signal the other if there was no danger. The driver kept her seat about half a block further,, and then she, too, got out and drove the horse, .she walking beside the vehicle, for if anything should happen it would be so much safer. ‘ A strange gentleman happening along the street, and the fair driver’ assuming as bewitching a smile as her terror at the ordeal would allow, asked him if he wouldn’t please lead the horse over the track and she would walk. Of course he would; but an amused grin spread all over his face as he gallantly took the animal by the bit. While helping the ladies into the carriage on the other side of the crossing, he naively remarked: “I guess they’ll get the streetcars running over this Seventh-street track to-morrow.” And those two young ladies now stick to it that they knew it was the horse-car track all the time, and that they only got out to rest. Afraid ? The idea!— Minneapolis Tribune.