The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1871-02-17
TURNING A SCREW.

- With whistle AZ the close
TURNING A SCREW.
"But you won't sell him, Tom p
said Mrs. Tozer.
By-the-way, my name is Tozer-the
Reverend Thomas Tozer, II. A, for
merly of Caius College, Cambridge, and
now of Stogglesby Rectory, Lincoln
shire-Mrs. Tozer being my wife.
"My DEAR said, " humanity is
humanity, but incomes are incomes
and though the former says no, the lat
ter says yes. I cannot afford to turn
the paddock into hospital for decayed
horses. This lameness decides 1t and
old Prince must 60"
"But where shall you sell him?"
"Wen I shall not sell him at all /;
Mr.. Tomson Will do that for me at
HoFncastle Fair tomorrow. / ana going
to drive him over. / dare say Prince
can hobble that distance
"And what do you suppose you Will
get for him ?n said Mrs. Tozer.
"Oh, not more than ten pounds" 1
replied.
s'Dear, dearl What shame it
seems to part with poor old Prince for
ten poundsl"
"My love- said, decisively, in that
tone which always closes a discussion,
''it is not the ten pounds, but the cost
of keeping the old horse If you like
20 do without our having another, well
and good. Stout walking boots suffice
for me in the winter. -ass
But Mrs. Tozer seemed to think that
it would be a pity to let our four
wheeled chaise grow mouldy in the
coach-house; and the consequence was
that the next morning at eleven O'Clock
/ was drixng my church-warden,
Farmer Tomson, over the half dozen
miles that intervened between Stog-
glesby and the world-famed horse fair;
but very slowly, for Princes limp in
what horsey people call "the off fore
legn was rather marked.
Perhaps you'd like me to do the
other bit of business for you, Master
Tozer 2" said my companion.
"Well, no thank you, said. 'gf
you'll do the selling part, 1 shall be
obliged. think I'd rather buy for
myself. / don't boast, mind but if
there is any thing secular / do know
little about, / think it is a horse.
Farmer Tomson chuckled.
'sWell, well, he said; "dont get
took In, for they're a rough lot down
here at fair-time.
q That's precisely why want you to
sell Prince for me. / know they would
get him from me, and then there would
be some difficulty about payment; and
IL II 70, ha
mixed up with any unplsasantness.
And besides, you see, the class of men
who go about buying lame horses are
not those with whom l care to have
dealings"
"An right, parson, all right, said
Tomson; "only don't blame me if I
don't get enough for him. / promise
yoa though, that I'll bring back the
ready cash. y"
ts Do your best Tomson, do your best,
and l shall not complain, said, for I
had implicit confidence in him, his only
failings being too great a leaning to-
ward gin-and-water, and tendency to
familiarity, as eyinced In his address
ing his pastor as tParson. n ~
We reached the head inn; brought
out a halter, and Mr.. Tomson led off
poor old Prince, the chaise and harness
being left In charge of the hostler,
fresh man.
As the old horse was led off he seemed
to give me mournful look, as though
he would have said, "Do you turn your
back like this upon your old friends 2''
And then he went hmping out of the
ward, whisking his gray tail about In a
melancholy manner; and I thought of
the many times those four white stock
ings had gone over the road with our
modest conveyance; never too fast
never taking fright; never shying; new
er being inserted, as to the hind stock
inCs, In fierce kicks through the splash
board And l thought that If, for the
fiye-and thirty pounds had placed as
the outside sum, could get as good a
steed to dwell with us for the next ten
years, Ishould do well.
/ went into the coffee-room to await
Farmer Tomson's return, AID somehow
/ rather regretted that had not called
in a veterinary surgeon, and given
Prince a months rest; but the next
minute drove away the thought, and
stood at the window, looking out at the
busy turmoil of the little town during
the horse fair.
NY wife had stipulated for horse as
much like Prince as could get; and as
L stood gazing out, l saw one or two
goodly looking cobs, with one, two, sd
even three white-stockinged feet, but
not one, like old Prince, with four.
"But can't study that" I thought
to myself "a good sound horse is
what require, and black-legged cob
3 is likely to be the more durable. n-lzE
Before / had waded half through the
day before's Times, Farmer Tomson
was back.
"Wen, how have you got enl" 1
said.
ooh, Just as well as 1 expected, par
son; the regular thing for an old horse
pound a leg;n and he dashed four
sovereigns down upon the table.
was disappointed, for had expect
ed double, but did not say so. Tom
som saw it, though.
y SIT was It's real value, parson, he
said quietly; "the horse was lame,
e dead lame. ~ eA-A
"Don't say another word, Tomson,
pray said, hastily. :" I am indeed
much obliged"
fsYou're quite welcome, parson.
shall look in on you in the morning
about that bit of wall in the church
yard, and then you can show me you
new horse purchase"
"But won't you let me drive you
back2n said.