The news flew to Woodburn. Sukey Priddo told it that evening on the way from the class-meeting to Betty Trapps, and Betty told it right out to Letty. As she waited on the family at supper, she said, “Well, Mr. Thorsby is a fine playful boy yet, is not he?” “Is what?” said Letty, eagerly. “A fine, frocksome boy,” said Betty. “What do you mean, Betty?” added Letty, alarmed. “I mean only that he has whisked his hat over his head, and made Mr. Qualm’s pony send _him_ over his head.” “Are you dreaming?” said Mr. Woodburn, somewhat angrily. “No, sir, I am not dreaming, what I say I say; and there lies poor Mr. Qualm in bed, all shaked to a mummy, and the doctor’s bled him and said it is a bad case.” All called on Betty to explain how it took place, and Letty was greatly agitated. “Oh!” said George, “I see how it is. Harry has taken off his hat to the Friends as they passed, and that scamp of a pony has shied. But he cannot have hurt the old man; falling from that little brute is only like falling from a chair.” “What does a sober man like that ride such a skittish thing for?” asked Mr. Woodburn. “Because,” said George, “I was going to say, he is an old fool; but the fact is people always do ride animals like themselves.” “What! Do you think a man like a horse?” exclaimed Ann. “To a certain degree,” said George, “a little podgy man like David Qualm is sure to select a little podgy horse, a tall slim fellow fancies only a tall slim horse, and so on. It is the same with sticks; men always carry sticks very like themselves, slender or stout, clean or knotty and gnarled: and dogs too, have always a certain resemblance to their masters. And wives—people wonder that husbands and wives are often so alike. It is because men see a likeness to themselves in a woman, and that delights them. They fall in love with their own dear selves in falling in love with a woman. But enough; you can discuss this bit of philosophy while I run up and see how poor old David really is.” “Oh, thank you, thank you, George!” said Letty, as George took down his hat and disappeared. In a very short time he returned, and said— “I’ve seen Qualm. He has not much amiss with him, but he is very angry with Harry, who, however, only seems to have taken off his hat to compliment the gentlemen as they passed. True, David says they cried out to him to keep his hat on, but the fact was, the hat was off when they cried out. You might as well tell a man not to shoot when he has already pulled the trigger.” “I don’t see, then,” said Letty, “that Harry was really to blame; it was only his courtesy.” “Of course not,” said George; and Letty, much relieved, went off with the other ladies to bed.