The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-10-14
The Thirty-Nine Dollar Mare.

mother beast, when the right kind of an animal
mi ght fall in his way.
1t CHANGED soon afterwards that there came
to the door of his little shop, one day, gray
mare-a long. lcan-bodied wench-thc owner of
which desired to have her shud. The black
smith looked in her mouth. (as horscmen some
times WILLY and then he tried her dock. lie
stood in front of her, and then beside her and
then examined her icet--and then went to work
to shoe her.
''How old is she?' he asked quietly, as he
proceeded to trim and pare her hoofs.
Give years come spring." said the owner.
The blacksmith looked in her mouth again.
and said: Yes, you dan warrant that
Warrant: well, she S Il good beast, anyhow"
responded the owner.
us she sound?''
'.As fresh hick'ry nut"
"Kind?'
AS corset sheep
Maybe you'd sell herr" continued the black
smith. slowly. as he finished her last foot.
Yes replied the owner handing the black
smith dollar for his job. "les I'll sell her."
"llow much money-cash down.
"Forty five dollars
then
..Shc is a good enc
Say forty, stranger, and III vcntur' to take
her.
The bargain was closed the stranger walked
away with his old saddle on his arm. and the
gray mare walked into the blacksmith's little
She'd stable. 1t was heap of money for him to
put into single horse, but he thought she had
good points in her making-up. notwithstand-
ing the fact that she hadn't been over fed Of
late. or to carefully groomcd.
4 little care and grooming soon developed
her more satisfactorily, and the purchaser
CHANGING to be "a dozen miles from home one
night, hurried up her cakes on his way lack
and led Il noted three minute pelter strai ght in
to town. Ike open and shut!
well done. well done, old Thrty-ninc"
said the blacksmith enthusiastically as he APP
piled two huge straw whsps to her rocking
sdes--nor left her while single hair was turn
ed upon her body. well DONE old oman. I'll
take you round to Walnut hill, and will see a.
bout this.
And he did take her thcrc--Oncc twice thrice
fifty times: Lut he said nothing, only that
the mare was a COOL crectcr to draw, and he
was content with her"
At the end of four months the old man took
leather pouch, shut up shop. and rode his
gray mare into Bostou--haltng at the old Eas-
tern Stage House, in Ann street. Here he re
manned quietly for three or four days, scarcely
showing himself, and never speaking of his
mare.
One evening, he overheard some of the boys
in the bar room talking horse" and he list
ened earnestly.
''Go said one of them, Il rather think he
can-in two fifty, sure
lila hal! reared the rest. for three minute
horses, even, were not very plenty at that pc
Rod
I'D like to match him against something
that can trot. Your wigglcrs and rackcrs and
runners are not the thing.
Give me a square trottcr and | can just
leave him--that'S all
ly.
The company turned about and saw an I'M
shorn, rougl-visagcd man sitting in his shirt
sleeves, to whom the Young buck did not reply
at all. Our black smith for it was he. continu-
ed to smoke his pipe. The boys put their heads
together for a lark. and the foremost asked:
"Pcrhaps You have got horse that you
would like ~ exercise lttle.''
"Ia-as." responded the rude dressed strang-
cr. 81 dosn' t mind little exercise for the old
mare: but you don't bate nothing on it, take
it,"
"Why. yes; for the name of the thing, we'll
20 five hundred or so.
Five hundred what" exclaimed the green
'un. jumping from his chair and smashing his
pipe at the same moment.
Five hundred dollars to be sure.
80 git aou,. You're .jokin.'
Awe can io' jim SNORT Vi that' IL
woudn' tpay."
.'Wal. look here. nabur. I'll tell you what
III do: I'll trot boss agin ho,s-yourn agin
mre-in harness.
No, sir. that won do.
"nu. i've hundred. lone; say MY mat ;
enough rainy
Du' t,lere W'!Siio o'hc' way ana me niack-
smith placed MS money at last ii, me landlord
hahds. the SharpeTs instantly covered
you hnoM HIM. 'icy aSheu' as INC Ola
feliow moved on.
. NO, sa'u inc ho:t. lie mas just como Ill
from oaicn' ne says
me pfcilhiharieS were i"achiy arranged
ana inc AFTERNOON Out one io'ioMihS Wa a.
Srceu ior me uut' o,cr INC Ppcr MIL
na'i fcao. Every oooy n'o hei'ra OF iheIueer
pct Geiorc inc next evening" ana the ROAD was
lihci WIN pedestrians ana CARRIAGES. Inc
chailehg'nS parry ilvcu IN ohaflcstowh, anu
inc morse .hcE had named was the crack oil inc
tihie' so 'iey cafcu ,io'ii'nS apou' "nat was 10
ifn n a@1lhs. nm anu a>Ncd no questions;
ne u'f was cir"l anu cooi. a, r, We D'acA-
Siillt llau Dccu upon iull TWO hours.