The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-07-19
"A Pony,s stratnsein-The Highway
mans Horse.

There was q pony on farm tnat haQ
curious, artful trick Of shammtng lameness
when he was driven in direction ne nap
pened, for some cause or other, not 10 Ike
He was a good-tempered little animal, very
pretty, and would have been taVorlte only
for this perveTse habit. HIS pfetenoed
lameness was so real and Was:so distressing
tn witness that every one felt ashamed ol
driving him, lest by chance itrwas no longer
make believe, but nail that pricked him,
or else that he had sprained himself. Yet
mo- sooner was he put lib the field than ne
was All right again, and would even frlsk
ahot,t as if delighted with the success Of bis
artitlea. -.
There were two roads that he never
liked-one to mill and the other to vii.
lage in the opposite direction to Down.
ham. But rs there was another pony be.
sides himself, he was generally excused
from these two Objectionable roads. II,
however, after an interval of six or eight
months, or even more, he happened to be
driven toward either of them, he again
and feigned so completely a state Of suffer-
ing, there was nothing for it but to excuse
! him and turn back. He had been beaten,
poor fellow, for his falsehood, but 1t made
no difference, and it was thought probable
that be had on some former occasion, be-
fore he came to the farm, been ill-used
ut the mill or in the village. and never
being'able to forget it had bit 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
IcapabTe Of being made the accomplices,
several instances on record prove.
1t is stated by Mr.. Harrison Weir that
between 1850 and 1760 Scottish lawyer
made journey to London. At that period
such Journeys were usually performed with
horses. when 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 riddent to London as soon
as he had reached that place. When the
time for bis return arrived he went to
Smithtcld, then horse market, to pur-
chase hackney for his journey. Not find
ing one at first to his mind, he waited till
toward dusk, when handsome animal was
offered, hut at so low price, considering
his appearance, that he immediately sus-
pecte1 there was some secret blemish or
defect that would not bear the daylight.
However, after much examination, none
such being found, and being himself u good
Judge of horse, he consented 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 WellIrequented
road, and observing that his horse was ad.
mircd by nearly all he met, he did not fail
to congratulate himself on mis- good luck in
having obtained so admirable steed at so
low price. By this time he had reached
Finchley Common-then noted resort oil
hghwaymen-a coming to one spot in a
hollow Which lay between two slight ascents,
he met 4 clcrical-looking gentleman driving
/ to town in q aODe-horSe chaiSe. The road was
solitary-not 4 creature In Sight--when the
horse astonished his rider by making Il sud
den manGuvre, by which he brought his
headquarters close to the chaiSe, and sc
stopped, proving ut once what the probes
sion of his former master had been, rs vel
rs his own completely in the highwayman'S
art.
rhe clcreyman, believing to 4 certainty
that Il highwayman us well us the horse wa:
behind, and, unfortunately, not having :
pistol t. defend him, or rather rs appeared
being of Il peaceful turn, produced hl'
purse at once, aSSllrin" the aStoniShcd law
yer that it was quite unnecessary to ust
violence, as he was not about to offer resist
ance. The lawyer spurred up his horse
and. with many apologies to the terrific
clergyman, resumed his journey. In :
while, however, they met Il stage coach il
another solitary part Of the road, and agall
the horse prepared, by the same cXtraordl
nary mauGuvrc, 10 bring it TO stand. Bu
here Il different reception-a blunderbus
was leyclled from the coach window, Will
denunciation of death and destruction
against the luckless rider, who was now il
his turn more terrified than the unrcsistin:
clergyman had been.
So il Went through the day. Wheneve
an opportunity OF robbing occurred th'
horse offered it to his master, and did th
hest in lis power to aid him. In fact, afte
his life had been repeatedly endangered by
the sllspcinns which the conduct of hi
steed naturally gave rise to, and his libcrt,
Threatened by the officers, who were abou
| to take him up rs notorious highway man
| to whom, rs i truth, the horse had for
merly belonged, the lawyer was obliged t
part " ith him Tor tritle, and TO purchas
one in bis stead, which, though far les
beautiful. had not been trained to thos'
criminal habits in which the other had be
come perfect adept.