The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1854-09-30

My father. besides being in the n,crc.n
tile line and keeping tho village tavern
also ran = freight wagon to Norwalk, and
kept small livery stable. lis was fond
, of joke, and had sly. peculiar kink il
, his nature, which led him frequently tc
! turns Of some pretty cute tricks On one
occasion a young man named Nelson Beer;
applied to hin FOR horse to ride to Dan
bury, distance of three miles. Nelson
was an apprentice to the shoemaking ;usi
ness, nearly out Of bis time was no,
/ overstocked with brains, and lived n mile
and n half east Of our village. My father
thought it would be better for Nelson 10
make his short Journey on foot, than to
be at the expense of hiring horse bat
horse named "Bob." that having reached
nm age beyond his teens, was turned out
in an old bog lot near our house TO die
He WAS literally living skeleton and
was much in the same condition of the
Yankees nag, which was so weak that his
owner :.ad to hire his neighbours horse y
help him draw his last breath. NV father,
therefore, in reply to Nelson's application,
told him that the livery horses we're all out
and he had none at nome except famous
Grace horse which he was keeping in
low flesh in order to have him in proper
trim to win great race soon to come off.
"Oh. do let me have him, Uncle Phile
will ride him very carefully aud no, in>
urc him in the least, said Nelson Beers.
lie is too valuable AN animal to risk
in the hands of young man like you,
responded my father.
Nelson continued to impor,unc and my
father to play OF. until il was finally agreed
tina, the horse could be had on the coud
ton that he should in no ease be rode fas>
ter than walk or slow ,rot, aud that he
should be fed four quarts OF oais at Dan
bury Mellon started on his Rosinante
looking for all the world II. II be- were ON
mission to the "cafflon crows but he
lelt every inch man, for he laucicd hp.
self asuide of the greatest rice horse in
the country, sud realized that great re-.
spoushlliy WAS resting upon his shoulders,
tor the last words OF nay father to him
were: " Nelson, If any accident, SHOULD
happen to th5 animal while under yoar
charge, sou could not p'y tbe damage in
a lie time of labor"
Old Bob was duly Dated aud watered at
Danhgrv, aud at the end ol several hours
Mr. Beers mounted him aud STATED for
Bethel He concluded 20 take the Qrea,
pasture Road hume, that heing the uame
Of new road cut through the swamps
and meadows. as shorter route to our
village. Nelson, fpr the uoucc forgetting
his responsibility. probably tried ,Ie speed
Of his race horse, aud soon broke hin,
down. At MI events something occurred
to weaken old BOb's nerves Tor he came
to II stant>stll, and Nelson WAS forced to
dsmount The horse tremhled with weak
ness. and Nelson Beers tremhled with
fright. small brook WAS running thro'
the bog at the roadside, and Beers, think
ing that perhaps his "race.horse " needed
a drink. led him into the stream. Poor
old Bob got stack in the mrd, and not
having strength to Withdraw his feet, qniet-
" closed his eyes, and like a patriarch as
he was. he dropped into the soft bed that
was awaiting him, and gave up the ghost
without single hlck.
No language can describe the constcr.
,.,;o,, If nonr Heers lie could no, be
li.,, his e,es He tried to omen those of
III, horse but it WAS no 90. He placed
Lis an, 8, the month Of moor old Bob. but
,ool !, away aynin in utter ,iismny, The
h,onh h,d ceased Atlast Nelson. pronn
;n,, az Le ,bnupbt of mee,inp NV father.
and ,onds,,,, whether eternity. added to
time would b. long enough for him TO earn
~" ,.loa If Inc horse ,ooh the bride from
the " dead head" aud unbncklng the girh,
A.. ar tho s.Iile and ,laring il on hi.
o,,, hocl, t,ndped gloomily towards our
y;,a,e
II ,.s .ho,t s,ndowp when my father
espled his victim coming IN the stree, with
,he .,Jdle and birdie thrown across his
sL,,,'la,s lis f,e, va,,i,, q, look of the
nos, comnlete desosir Nv father was
,a,,,;, ,h,, Old Bob had denst,ed this life,
and be chuckled inwardlv and quietly, bu,
Instantly assumed a most serious COUNTIES
"anea Poor Dee,s appro,ched more slow
IL and rnournlully than il he was following
Jaa, r,ie,d IN the grave
When he came within hrihng distance.
,v r,th.r called ont; "Whv, Beers. is il
.'a.su,la ,o, h,ye heen so careless AS to
/, ,b,, ,,,c, RIM AWAY from ynuin
ON vors. than that, worse than that,
Ir,cIs pbils :" cronned Nelson.
"Vor than that, Then he has been