So situated , she was powerless to check Jo , who seemed possessed by a spirit of mischief , and talked away as volubly as the lady . A knot of heads gathered about her , and Amy strained her ears to hear what was going on , for broken sentences filled her with curiosity , and frequent peals of laughter made her wild to share the fun . One may imagine her suffering on overhearing fragments of this sort of conversation . `` She rides splendidly . Who taught her ? '' `` No one . She used to practice mounting , holding the reins , and sitting straight on an old saddle in a tree . Now she rides anything , for she does n't know what fear is , and the stableman lets her have horses cheap because she trains them to carry ladies so well . She has such a passion for it , I often tell her if everything else fails , she can be a horsebreaker , and get her living so . '' At this awful speech Amy contained herself with difficulty , for the impression was being given that she was rather a fast young lady , which was her especial aversion . But what could she do ? For the old lady was in the middle of her story , and long before it was done , Jo was off again , making more droll revelations and committing still more fearful blunders . `` Yes , Amy was in despair that day , for all the good beasts were gone , and of three left , one was lame , one blind , and the other so balky that you had to put dirt in his mouth before he would start . Nice animal for a pleasure party , was n't it ? '' `` Which did she choose ? '' asked one of the laughing gentlemen , who enjoyed the subject . `` None of them . She heard of a young horse at the farm house over the river , and though a lady had never ridden him , she resolved to try , because he was handsome and spirited . Her struggles were really pathetic . There was no one to bring the horse to the saddle , so she took the saddle to the horse .
My dear creature , she actually rowed it over the river , XXXXX it on her head , and marched up to the barn to the utter amazement of the old man ! ''
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