The northern tribune., 1848-04-25
From the st. Louis Reveille.
Joe Dunklin's Pony:
OR, THE WAY HE RUN HIS LEGS OFF!

| but monster. You could contemplate him,
in fact, with feelings of pleasure, for more
| benevolent. good-natured looking quadruped
never rambled upon legs-legs-aye, there's
the rub Poor Dicks were his only weakness.
To his otherwise faultless symmetry, these ap-
| pendages formed most striking and ludicrous
contrast, there being not more than six inches
of legs from each of the four joints to the
| hoots and when he was in motion, heaven
protect you from weak blood vessels or apo
plexy.
But Dick was his masters pet and pride.
Joe loved him for his very deformity
| The philosophic and scientific have way
of ther. own to explain these departures from
| the usual course of nature, but Joe, who was
more of wag than philosopher, and loved a
| joke better than any treatise on phenomena,
accounted for his favorite's pedal deficiency in
various ways, suiting his narrative to the YER
dancy of his auditors.
On one occasion, when Joe and Dick we're
in town, crowd collected to contemplate this
marvel in horse flesh and as it was free
gratis" exhibition, the size of the assemblage
was proportioned to the expenses incurred.
! While at its thickest, Joe emerged from a
neighboring bar-room, where he had just been
burying his nose in a julep, and elbowing his
way to the focus of attraction, addressed him
self to the nearest looker-on.
"Well, stranger, what do you think of that
critter; he's one of 'em, amt hes"
Certainly, most singular creature re-
piled the individual, with his eyes fixed on the
pony's legs; "these things happen frequently,
| however"
"They dos Well, I'll bet you gallon of
Mongahely agin pint of Jersey lightning
| there amt another case on record! !" said Joe.
"Oh, there may not be precise parallel,
but this is one of class of phenomena which
are not at all rare. You have no doubt seen
various monstrosities in the animal world, all
partaking of the same general characteristics. :"
"Exactly, stranger. have seen the Simese
twins, and the two legged bear-besides any
quantity of insects, from bed-bug to boa
constrictor-but / never saw one that run
himself into that predicament yeti" replied
Joe.
"You don't pretend to say that horse run
his legs off," SAID the individual, incredulous-
ly.
"I don't pretend to say anything else," re-
sponded Joe, looking the stranger full in the
eye.
You're joking, guess, my friend," said
the stranger, watching Joes countenance to
detect any sly twitch which might indicate a
| saw. DuL OuT utTO ledLufcS WClS 10 Solii
as mud hole in clear day, and as truthful
in their details as if he had just kissed the
book and was about stating fact to the most
intelligent jury that ever adorned box
cit might have been a joke to you, but l
didn't feel funny under the circumstances; I
would have sold myself for two bits, and
thrown in my night shirt. sooner than forfeit
ed my bargain. Why, stranger, my life de-
pended upon those legs, when they aoere legs,
and there's what eft of EN- when it was saw
ed"
| "Well, if that is a fact, it is the most re-
markable instance 1 ever heard Of said the
stranger, scrutlnizing the pony more intensely
than before.
| "You don't insinuate I'd lie, do yous" said
Joe, turning upon the stranger glance that
! implied he was on hand to back his assertion,
if necessary.
"Not at all, sir, not at all" replied the
stranger, siding off out of range OF Joe's
arm "but if you have no objection, would
like to hear the story
"Well, if you're anxious, and will stand the
liquor, I'll edify you."
! "Goit!" shouted the crowd in a breath.
"Give US the yarn, and you shall have liquor
enough to swim in"
YOU'RE too kind, gentlemen" said Joe,
looking round with a very placid smile; sal
though do wade into it pretty deep, have
too great respect for the extract to dirty it
by any such nasty proceedings"
"The yarn the yarn tell US all about
the pony' reiterated the crowd.
"Well, well-it's an old saying, "give an
inch and you'll take an ell" A minute ago
YOU wanted to know how his legs were run
off, and now you wish me to tell you all about
him. Gentlemen" said Joe," shaking his
head slowly, "that pony's history remains to
be written. There's more incidents in it than
you could find in the biggest volume of Baron
Munchausen or Sinbad the Sailor"
"Well be perfectly satisfied if you confne
yourself merely to the legs, this time," said
the individual whom Joe had first spoken to-
Enough said !'-and Joe squared himself
having by this time brought his imagination
| - w. md hAno