The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-11-13
A GOOD HORSE STORY.

The '.Nicholas Mare" was beast of extra
ordinary speed ofendurance. Like most rare
animals, whether human or brute, she was &C.
centric in her habits 1t matters not who
owned her at the time of the incident We are
about to relate. Suffice to say that her own
er was a sensible man, and thorough horse
man; his predilcction for horse fesh more
than anything else, having driven him into
the livery business. Next to the wife Of mis-
bosom he loved the Nicholas mare, fact of
which both females were seusible, without be-
ing at all Jealous of each other. For this rea,
son the mare was hired only to particular Gus
toners; and when let, the party hiring was
always carefully instructed as to the peculiar
tiles of the animal. A particular friend, un-
acquainted with the mare or her habits and
troubled with an impeachment in his speech, as
well as with a native infirmity of temper,
which prevented him from exercising any
charity for living creatures of slow or tardy
motion, once applied to our livery man for
horse, for journey of a dozen miles or so,
undertaken for the purpose of bringing his
wife home from her fathers house on visit.
The contract ran thus:
81 w-w-want a horse, a good 'un; one that
II st-st-start the minute you s-s-sa-say pw
pwh-pwhist, anil go like thunder"
"Suit you-I guess" was the reply.
"We-we-well, out with her then"
The marc was put between the thills of a
nice light buggy, her harness thoroughly adj
justed by the owner, the reins carefully laid
over the dashboard. and the usual chapter of
advice opened concerning her management.
"Oh, 'g-g-gt out with your directions;
ocean d-drive her ! guess" interrupted the
lossec,) and picking up the reins, he sprang
for the seat, but landed heels up, upon the
buggy bottom. The marc was off! but the
driver being game, had gained the command,
as he thought, through the recovery of the
lines upon which he pulled as though resolv-
cd to "do or die" A slight smile was vis-
bic upon the demure face of the lessee, rs
the vehicle receded from sight, at killing
pace, and nothing more was known until the
next day, when our friend with the impedi-
ment made his appearance with the mare, but
withom his wife. AS he drove up a cloud
o'erspread his face, as he saw the lessee at the
stable door.
"W-w-what k-kind of an incarnatc BIB
brute dye c-call this?"
"aBest horse in the stable.p
"W w-well / started for D.
ayes, know it."
"W-well before | couldstop, went to H
(23 miles,) drove back this morning. You
k-ln-know fathers dooryard-half milo
| vide 7"
eyes, wellr
| "W-w-well-old man-me-b-br-brothe
Jim, hired man and visitor, besides, t-t-tri
tried for two hours to get w-wi-wifc into the
wagon--and couldn't do it.; d-d-dc-devlish
critter danced college hornpipes all r-ro-round
an-an-and opcr some of us--but not passcn-
ger could We get in"
"How, then, did you get in"
"Tell you. Old mans as foxy rs lawyer
Told me to take her out. did. Told me
to g-g-get in. did, and after 4 gotin they
Mtched the mare, and h-he-her-here be-
W-w-wo-would'nt give Spanish dollar fol
the marc, though she did come the twelve
miles in f-for-forty minutes"
"WhyT
"Look at my hands,"
They were ono blister. The lender smiled
"If you had listened to me-. all this would
have been avoided; allow the lines to remain
untouched until you are seated, and she new
or starts until you tell her. Drive her with
slack rein and she will go as you desire"
The truth of the statement was at once
tested by trial, and resulted as was asserted
precisely; but the driver was punished fol
his mpcrtincncc, and ever from that day in
sists upon having horse that wont st-st-star'
the minute you say p-ph-phwist--and go like
| n