Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-05-25
FOur-FoOted HypOcrites and Crimi-
nails.

THERE was a pony on the farm that had
a curious artful trick of shamming lame
ness when he was driven in a direction
which he happened, for some cause or
other, not to like. He was a good tenn
have been favorite, only for this perverse
habit. His pretended lameness appeared
so real, and was so distressing to witness,
that every one felt ashamed of driving
him, lest by any chance it was no longer
make believe, but nail that pricked him,
or else that he had sprained himself Yet
no sooner was he put in the field than he
was all right again, and would even frisk
about as if delighted with the success of
his artifice. There were two roads that he
never liked, one to a mill and the other to
a village in the opposite direction to Down
ham. But as there was another pony be-
sides himself, he was generally excused
from these two Objectionable roads. If
however, after an interval of six or eight
months, or even more, he happened to be
driven toward either of them, he again
pretended lameness, dropped into walk,
fering, there was nothing for it but to ex-
cuse him and turn back. He had been
beaten, poor fellow, for his falsehood, but
it made no difference, and it was thought
probable that he had on some former oc-
casiOn, before he came to the farm, been
ill-used at the mill or in the village, and
never being able to forget it, had hit upon
this device to save himself from ever going
there again. He might, it is true, have
been taught this trick by former master
or groom, for both dogs and horses are ca
pable of being made the accomplices, and
were active co-operators in crime, as sew
eral instances on record prove.
1t is stated by Mr.. Harrison Weir that
between 1850 and 1760 Scottish lawyer
made a journey to London At that Pc
riod such journeys were usually performed
with horses, when the traveller might buy
horse and sell him at the end of his
journey. The lawyer in question had sold
the horse on which he had ridden to Lon
don as soon as he reached that place.
When the time for his return arrived, he
went to Smithfeld, then horse market,
to purchase a hackney for his journey.
Not finding one at first to his mind, he
waited till toward dusk, when handsome
animal was offered, but at so low price,
considering his appearance, that he imme-
diately suspected there was some secret
blemish or defect that would not bear the
daylight. However, after much examina-
ton, none such being found, and being
himself good judge of horse, he con-
sented to become its purchaser.
The next morning, still better pleased
| with the appearance of his bargain, he
again commenced his journey. The horse
had excellent PAGES, and the lawyer, riding
the first few miles on a wellfrequented
road, and observing that his horse was ad-
mired by nearly all he met, did not fail to
congratulate himself on his good luck in
having obtained so admirable a steed at so
low price. By this time he had reached
Finchley Common-then noted resort
of highwaymen-and coming to one spot
in hollow which lay between two slight
ascents, he met clerical looking gentle
man driving to town in one horse chaise.
The road was solitary; not creature was
i'll sight, when the horse astonished his
rider by making a sudden manouvre, by
which he brought his hind quarters close
to the chaise, and so stopped it, proving at
once what the profession of his former
master had been, as well as his own COM
plicity in the highwayman's art.
The clergyman, believing to certainty
that highwayman as we'll as the horse
was at hand, and, unfortunately, not hav-
ing pistol to defend himself, or rather as
appeared, being of a peaceful turn, pro-
duced his purse at once, assuring the as
tonished lawyer that it was quite unneces-
sary to use violence, as he was not about
to offer resistance. The lawyer spurred
up his horse, and, with many apologies to
the terrified clergyman, resumed his jour-
ney. In a while, however, they met a
stage coach in another solitary part of the
road, and again the horse prepared, by
the same extraordinary manouvre, to bring
it to stand. But here different recep-
ton met him; blunderbuss was leveled
from the coach window, with denuncia-
tions of death and destruction against the
luckless rider, who was now in his turn
more terrified than the unresisting clergy
man had been.
So it went through the day. Wherever
an opportunity of robbing occurred the
horse offered it to his master, and did the
best in his power to aid him. In fact,
after his life had been repeatedly endan-
gered by the suspicious which the conduct
of his steed naturally gave rise to, and his
liberty threatened by the peace officers,
who were about to take him up as noto
| rious highwayman, to whom, of a truth
the horse had formerly belonged, the law.
yer was obliged to part with him for a
tri1e, and to purchase one in his stead,
which, though far less beautiful, had not
been trained to those criminal habits in
which the other had become perfect
adept.-Our -Four Footed Friends.