The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-11-27
Tho arey-Bay Marc,

as Big Bill, here rose from his seat near the
stove in the Horse and Halter barroon, and
advancing towards the man he first address
ed added, "And now, Sitter, IL you want 20
tHt your horse, i,agbtg, ugin my grey mare
Lady Shinbone, say the word, and Wen
trot!"
"Donc (" said Siher, I'm trot my horse
against yofF grey mare, mile heat, to-mor-
rog aitelLoon, weather permitting, FiiiS
This little affair httlcd, all parties at once
renewed their legitimate busines-whisky
drinking and talking horse.
81 never saw flee worse than they are now y
said Big Bllj they worry Lady Shlnbone's
life out Of her. She's blood all over,
and mighty thin skinned beast, at
that consequence IL, the dies peg II into her
like eixty. I'd give something to know how
tn drive thum oh
"krrp your stable dark, said a man with
awhile nat.
keep lly net on her" added the man
who struck Billy Patterson,
"ltub her with pcuryal," suggested an
apothccary.
"Ty pizzerinc,um intment," said the
apothecary's enemy.
Use Nv brush, silly insinunted old uncle
Ned, aud rs he spoke, bright light shot in
TO his black eyes, there vas Rh idea behind
them, and as be jcrkcd the corners OF his
mouth down aud looked serious, locker On
in the Horse aud Halter took littlo note of
IL. few minutes afterwards he mptoncd
To Big Bill, and drawing him away from the
rest of thr crowd into a corner, said with
mysterious air
81 know an infallihle recipe, Bills but
there sno use in telling tir crowd Of il, but
ns YOU are friend, will tell you con-iidon-
TALLY, remember, cou-fdeutully"
Certain, honor bright" confirmed Big
Bill.
"Wcll, then, you 20 and git lot of wal.
nut leaves and make a dccoclion. just ~
strong as YOU can make H. Wash your
grey mare with it, and tomorrow YOU will
see il she does not look ikc di6ocm
bsHyf"
did you ever try it yerself'" inquired
nnl.
YES" answered Ned, my old bay horse
owes half his good looks TO the dccocuon.r
Whcrcupon, Big lill again joined the social
circle, and aiicr few ilirtations with the
whisky bottle, rose up ant departed. The
dccoclon was on his mind, liquor in his head,
and the grey mare in the stable. As he got
near humr hr remembered That walnut tree
stood buck of the road near his house, 80
hauling down fence rail he made vigorous
soon had leaves enough on the ground 10
keep the flies out Of the whole state as lac
iudiciuusy remarked To himself, while em-
ploycd in trying TO gather up the leaves.
"Novsr Gee such lc1Ves,' hc sOliloquiZed,
"thcy stick to the ground like as If they we're
glued there" lie said this after making
several futile attempts at gathering up one
especially large one that kept eludiug his
grasp. He made desperate lunge at it, and
over he went "lake care, old boy said he
.-ti,,tst -ssli;i4.l gGch- Steady
now, steady" and like the memorable loodle,
he balanced himself on ono thumb prepara-
tory TO assuming the pcrpcndicular-he as.
sumed it. Guess I've got enough, no use
taking more than YOU want, you know said
he, as he cast a longing look ut the big leaf
which had already caused him ,,oue tumble.
"Old fellow, III leave you just where you are,
don't mind you," aud closely graspiug To his
breast all he had gathered, he corkscrcwcd
home. When he had got there, he had just
two ideas left, one was Il big copper Kettle TO
boil the leaves in, and the other was the gray
mare, but whether he had To put the copper
kettle into the grey mare, or the grey mare
into the kettle was more than he could cy-
phcr out. Luckily hG stumbled over the
pump, and finding bucket there filed with
water, he instantly punged his head in cup
to the handle,' several times then taking
breath he WenI in seN eIat times more, ffnAtly
feeling "as il somebody had taken a lot of
blankets oil his bransw Cooled off, he boil
ed up the walnut leaves, made the dccoc,ion,
and going out 10 the stable, by the light Of
the young new moon which kindly lent itself
for the occasion, he "soused the beast" To use
his own expression, IT'LL she hadn't dry lElir
on ner hide" "Now, my LADY," continued he,
"you wont be at home to receive no more fly
tnil of NNl ~
rest. Tomorrow you've got to spread your
self agin Ragbng, mile heat. I've bet fifty
ata- re.sr-eld -sEeFHatii don't -disaRpeiHt
And after this -exhortation Big Bill cleared
out of the stable.
Next morning Big Bill went out to the sta
bic, threw open the door, looked in, the grey
mare was gone, and there sto od 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 la
dy P' asked he Of the bay mare. A peculiar
switch OF the tail, a shake of her name, aud
side look from her large liquid eyes, induced
Bill TO look closer at her. "By ali the trots "
he burst out, "thnt cleans down everything
I've heard of lately, grey mare turned into
bay; somebody hold mel the end Of the
world -" Bill suddenly checked himself,
1.-THE walnut leaves boiled. They did it ~
Yes, they did it; and Lady Shinbone, the
grey mare, was now a sight to beholdj she
was of an ugly bay color, with stripes, some
thing Of the appearance of mahogany veneer
ing in the rough. "Now," continued Bill,
you're beauty, you aro!" Nothing can
take the devil out Of that eye of yours.
though there's grit there, proof ugin all
walnut leaves, past present and future
In the afternoon Bill was on hand with his
"variagatcd" mare, and having duly driven
over to the Horse and Halter tavern, he gave
the mare in charge of the hostler, first seeing
hex well blank eted, and then went into the
bar room. Here he found Sitter, the owner
of the bay horse, Ragbag, who at once acsost-
ed Bill;
Here l am, you see, ready for the trot,
put up yourymoney. Colonel Stubbs shall
hold the sttittes.- Yo,i are to trot your grey
mare against my bay horse that's the agree
ment. Fetch out your horse.