Daily American organ., 1856-02-27
WHOLE NO. 4O6.
The Gray-Bay Mare.


answer. The speaker, familiarly known as Big
Bill here rose from his seat the stove, in the
Horse and Halter bar room, and advancing toward
the man he first addressed, added
And now, Sitter, If you want TO trot your horse
kagbag, sgin my gray mare, Lady shinbone, say
the word, and Wen trotl"
Done !" said Sitter III trot my horse against
your gray mare, mile heat tomorrow afternoon.
weather permitting fifty dollars asde.p
This little affair settled, all parties at once RI
newed their legitimate business wbiskey drinking
and talking horse gs1Fgsss .@t
- never saw flies worse than they are now"
said Big Bill; they worry Lady Shinbones life
out of her. She 3 blood all over, and a mighty
thin skinned beast to that consequence Is the fits
peg il into-her like sixty. I'd give something TO
know how to drive them Off" $50
keep your stable dark" said a man with
white bat 'aa' ~ 1921 Il.
Keep a fly net on her" added the man who
struck Bill Patterson s.tsF @9f.it
!" Rub her with pen'r'yal," suggested an apothc
cary. 7R
Try pizzerinetum intment," suggested tho
apothecarys enemy. @hs
Use fly brush" slyIy iusinuated Uncle Ned
and as he spoke bright light shot into his black
eyes. There was an idea behind them. and as he
jerked the corners OF bis mouth down and looked
serious, lookeron in the Horse and Halter took
a little note of 1t. 'tsH2 Aee
few minutes afterwards he niotioncd to Big
Bill, and drawing him away from the rest of the
crowd into corner, said with mysterious air
know an infalble recipe, Bill There is no
use in telling the crowd of it, but as you are a
fiend will tell you, confdentialy, remember, con-
fdentaily."
Certain, honor bright" confirmed Big Bill.
"Wen, then, you 60 git "a lot of walnut leayes,
and make decoction just as strong as you can
make 1t. Wash your gray mare with il and to-
morrow you'll see if she don't look like d different
BEAST a# 1s aiNt3
Did you ever try 1t yourselfs" asked Bill
fesl J" answered Ned, ''my old bay horse owes
half his good looks to the decocton.S Whereup-
on Big Bill again Jined the social circle, and aft,r
a few firtations with the whiskey bottle rose up
and departed The decoction was on his mind. III
quor in his head, and the gray mare in the stable
As he got near home he remembered that a walnut
tree stood back of the road, near his house so
hauling down fence rail he made vigorous at
tack on the lower limbs Of the tree and soon had
leaves enough on the ground to keep the flies out
OF the whole State" MS he judciously remarked to
himself while employed in trying to gather up the
leaves. Never see such leavcs,n he soioauised.
!" they stick to the ground like AZ II they were
glued there lie said this after making. several
futile attempts at gathering up especially large,
that kept eluding his grasp. He made desperate
lunge at 1t, and over he went. s te@
Take care" old boy, said he, "don't 90 to cut
ting up such capers. Steady, now, steady" and
like the memorable Toodles, he balanced himself
on one thumb, preparatory to assuming the per-
pendicuar-hc assumed it. "Guess I've got
enough, no use taking more than you want. You
know" said he, as he cast longing look at the
big leaf which bad already caused him one tumble
"Old fellow, I'll leave you just where you are,
don't mind you" and closely grasping to his breast
all he had gathered, he cork screwed home. When
he had got there he had just two ideas left, one
was big copper kettle to boil the leaves in, and
the other was the gray mare; whether he had to
put the copper kettle into the gray mare, or the
mare into the kettle, was more than he could cy-
pher out. Luckily he stumbled over the pumr,
and finding bucket there filed with water, he in
stantly plunged his head in, cup to the handle"
several times; then taking breath he went in sew
eral times more finally, feeling as II somebody
had taken lot of blankets off his brainsn cooled
off; he boiled up the walnut leaves made the de-
coction, and going out to the stable by the light
OF the young new moon which kindly lent itself
Tor the occasion, he "soused the beast !" TO use his
own expression, till she hadn't dry hair ON her
hide" Now, my lady," continued be, "yo,l
won't be at home to receive no more fly calls, and
that tail OF yours will know little rest To-mor-
row you've got to spread yourself agin Ragbag,
mile heat. I've bet fifty on you, old woman; don't
dsappoint me-" And after this exhortation Big
BIN cleared out OF the Stable.
Next morning Big Bin went ont to the stable
threw open the door, looked in, the gray mare was
gone, and there stood a bay mare in her place
Bill opened his eyes till they reached the roots of
his hair, which stood up straight. What are you
doing here, my lady % asked he of the bay mare
peculiar switch Of the tail, a shake of her mane,
and side look from her large liquid eyes, induced
Bill to look closer at her. "By all the trots!n he
burst out "that cleans down everything I've heard
OF lately. A gray mare turnedinto bay. Some.
body hold me ! The end of the world the"-Bill
suddenly checked himself the walnut leaves
boiled. They did i'll" Yes they did it; aud Lady
Shinbone, the gray mare, was now a sight to be-
hold. She was of an ugly bay color, with stripes
something of the appearance Of piece Of mahog-
any veneering in the rough. Now continued
Bill you're a beauty, you are Nothing can
take the devil out of that eye of yours though
There's grit there; proof agin all walnut leaves,
past, present, and future" ~
In the afternoon Bill was on hand with his ''va-
riegated" mare, and having duly driven over to the
Horse and Halter tavern, he gave the mare in
charge of the hostler, first seeing her well blanket.
ed, and then went into the bar-room. Here he
found Sitter, the owner of the bay horse, Ragbsg,
who at once accosted Bill:
"Here am, you see ready for the trot Put
up your money. Col. Stubs shall hold the stakes
You are to trot your gray mare against my bay
horse. That's the agreement. Fetch out your
animal"
Bill had Lady Shinbone brought to the door:
the crowd gathered round 1870. -
Don't touch, q rag till l have the reins!r said
ne and, jumping into his light trotting wagon the
lostier at the moment pulled off the covers and
he Lady came up to the starting point in fine style.
lust at the same time Sitter came up with his bay.
Bill, why dontyer bring out your gray
mare ~ Gl}Fsrr8H s.gt 5aa
What do you call this ?" answered Bill, as he
held the lady in with a taut reiD
I" 1t may be zebra faint gray mare, this
'ide Of Jordan 7 replied Sitter
'"I tell yon says Bill "ths is INV gray mare -