The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1865-03-16
The Old Mans Colt.
a rtw rEAn's ADVENTURE.

ihe youngsters were enjoying the tau
In the roads, the country sledges were
ru'tling by filed with rosy checked girls
and merry lads ; the more elegant turn
outs from the city--iourtecn miles distant
--oceasionally fitted by the tavern dopr,
where | was tarrying, temporarily, aud
inc season was peculiarly gay, os the
holidays were passing away.
In the bar.room OF the country hotel
where | sCiourned, had right heartily
enjuyed the various samplcs of human
character met, and had for week,
Jay and evening. had the opportunity Of
listening to the "yarns" of .he yilitqers,
tr the numerous visitors who congregates
In the old tayern, which had for many
long year been the resort o, hundreds Of
farmers, COW boys, horse jockies, aud
travellers, en- route to uuu from the city
lor homeword bound.
| had given out among the settlers
lth0t | wished to purchase good hvrse--
iif one chanced to turn 40 during my stay
at the tuvern--and all hands were Oh the
lookvut,Sor me for II was understood
that lYould pay for such an animal as |
foncied, liberal price.
i w Nhl VI wy INV mahN w
quaintances aided the seller or not never
knew but thers came along this very
afternoon alluded 10. the last ddy Oi
December, Is5--, a Young man from Vrr.
mont (soh,end aud guess be did) who
drove up TO the tavern door graysh
booking beast that attracted my attention
q, once, for he was good steppcr, aud
came IN gallant style.
/ "Who.a !" shouted the driver; aud he
jumped from the heavy old sleigh upon
the door step aud flung he reus careless.
y over the dash, as the stable boy came
IL look after the new arrival.
"Thats J,m S,ltum," said one Of the
bar room luungerr. "H - from Briitle-
bOro' aud has 20, good 'uu. He never
comes down with anything bit goud uns
eylhrr."
Perhap. this remark was intended fol
my benefit, aud prehaps not. | heard it,
but seemed not to observe il.
An hour afterwards, J LIN Siitum es
cunced himself before the great bir.rouu
fire, ordered mug OF flip,aud cOmmencrd ID
y surely TO smoke shor' six, IN sip h Z
"nrctar" us he callcu il had bcen uu.
to the stable ana examined his colt,
beautiful bright bay, with heavy iuil aud
mune, well put together in lim6 AID very
sly lish in action -nnd | concluded to
ieuy him. As ~, I had said nothtng Il.
Jem Saltum, however, aud ha observed
a marked silence ON entering the huu c.
! wuite'l tor him 10 open up to ,or some
one sronnd. but he smoked aud drank his
flip, and looked int, the grrat blazing FIRE
and finally seemed to be dropping into O
dozc.
twas cold night, the 3ist day oi
December, 1S5--. The snow hnd ceased
falling and the prospect Of glorious gnod
sleighing was never more promising. |
waited for him TO begin, but he srid not
u word about his horse, aud 30, a, last,
went TO him.
"a good looking mag you drove down
to-day" remurked by way Of comm nee
mcnt.
He did not reply, but opened his eyes
luzly, and then continued to seem 10 be
sleeping.
"a young 'un I" queried
"Did you speak to me, sir I" he ssked
looking up.
"I was saying you had a nice looking
colt"
"ob, yaus. That's the old mun'4, tAa'
is"
"For sale
"No--no, edzackly. That is, | rocto.
the old mLn wouldn't agree to sell hip
for no reasonable price,"
"Who Why he's my uncle thc
man live with"
"What are his qualities |"
Whose The old mans =
No; the colts'
'Oh, thought you meant my uuclc
Wal, the boss is what we call up'i
our country,u good 'uu. He gets n
well, all around, is five years old. cominI
six, square trUtter, way down in th
furties, sound as a dollar. good size, ,neve
sIies or bolts, 'fraid OF nolhin' but III
whip, and on ibe road takes Il all his owi
way. dou't think the old mun will sci
though, anyhow" continued Jem an,
he turned around aud begahto settle him
self down IN his chair for another nap
made up my mind to purchase iha
. coli--or, at east to try him-.o ] udde'
is'he fast =
| told you, just now, that he WI
nming six. aud could foot down in III
foTties--That'!l do. rcck'n, for fv
year old. stranger"
:; Yes. yes. Hsv you any objection t
! LEI me see him move 4"
None in the world, sir. Tomorrow
IL you wish
Yes. The slipping will be fine, aud
would like to buy goou horse add .
, 'if cni. huy one that suits me everywdy
aud ihat does not come too high
Jtm Saituni knew all this before. Bu
| did mol know whether b. wished to sell
hui shoughI he didn't.
; 'Yas. wal then, tomorrow we Will tax
turn with the colt, aud YOU shall Sc
: him 90. But as near as | can eal'lat
from what The old man said. when
. LETT home, he don't keer TO to eel hin
any way aab
And with iha. consolatory remark, h
fell sound sslcep Or appeared ~ bclor
the big bar room fire.
. Al an early hour next morning me
Jem agnin, aud gave him the custo
mary sBlitation o the season.
! Happy New Year, sir" ssid ! pleas
autly.
. 'Wal, yas so il is. New Years Da
Ian nice 'un il is.'
'How's the pony this morning III er
quired.
'oh, nicely, never better. Yss, Sc,
o YOU'RE the gentleman as spoke abos
= = him last night" - 81
yes. and we'll giye him n trial whe