Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-07-20
HORSE mo NLEDGE.
a Pony's Stratagcm--The Highway
mans Horse.

a curious, artful trick of shamming
lameness when he was driven in iii
rection he happened for some cause or
other, not to like He was a good TEN.
pered little animal, very pretty, and
would have been a fayorite only for
this perverse habit His pretended
| lameness was so real, and was so dis
| tressing, to witness, that every one felt
ashamed of driving him, lest by any
chance 1t was no longer make believe,
but nail that pricked him, or else that
he had sprained himself Yet no soon
er 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 artitice.
There We're two roads that he never
liked, one to mill and the other to a
village III the opposite direction to
Downham. But MS there was another
pony besides 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 pretended lameness,
dropped into walk, and feigned so
completely state of suffering, there
was nothing for it but to excuse 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
occasion, before he came to the farm,
been ill-used at the mill or in the VII
lage, 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 a former master or groom, for both
dogs and horses are capable of being
made the accomplish, and were active
co-operators in crime, as several in
stances ON record prove.
1t is stated by Mr.. Harrison Weir
that between 1850 and 1860 a Scottish
lawyer made a journey to London. At
that period such journeys were usually
performed with horses, when the tray
eler might buy horse, and sell him ut
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 had reached that
place. When the time for his return
arrived he went to Smithtield, then a
horse market, to purchase hackney
for his journey. Not finding one mt
first to his mind, he waited till toward
dusk, when handsome animal was
offered, but at 80 low price, consider
ing his appearance, that he immediate
ly suspected there was some secret
blemish or defect that would not bear
the daylight. However, after much
examination, none such being found,
and being himself a good Judge Of n
horse, he consented to become its pur-
chaser.
The next morning, still better pleased
with the Appearance of his bargain, he
again commenced his Journey. The
horse had excellent PAGES, and the law
yer, riding the first few miles on n
well-frequented road, and observing
that his horse was admired 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 that zine he had reached
Finchley COmmon--then noted resort
OF highwaymen-and coming to one spot
in a hollow which lay between two
slight ascents, he met clerical looking
gentleman driving to town in one
horse chaise. The road was solitary,
not a creature in sight, when the horse
astonished his rider by making sud
den maneuver, 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 completely
in the highwayman's art
The clergyman, believing to a GER
tainty that highwayman, as well as
the horse, was at hand, and, unfortu-
nately, not having pistol to defend
himself, or rather, as appeared, being
of a peaceful turn, produced his purse
at once, assuring the astonished law
yer that it was quite unnecessary touse
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
stage coach in solitary part of the
road, and again the horse prepared by
the same extraordinary maneuver, to
bring it to a stand. But here a differ
ent reception met him; blunderbuss
was leveled from the coach window,
with the denunciation Of death and de-
struction against the luclless rider,
who was now in his turn more terrified
than the unresisting clergyman had
been.
SO it went through the day. Wher.
ever an opportunity of robbing oc-
CURED the horse offered it to his master,
ana did the best in his power to aid
him. In fact, after his life had been
repeatedly endangered by the suspi-
cions which the conduct of his steed
naturally gave rise to, and his liberty
Lhreatnnnl ny tLn nnacn nfIicers VIII