The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-08-03

WELL said Reuben, the story-teller, "fath-
er always wanted horse because the folks in
Greene live scattered, and he has so far to 90
to attend funerals and weddings and visit
schools, you know; but he never felt as if he
could afford to bny one. But one day he was
coming afoot from Hildreth, and a stranger
asked him to ride. Father said, "That's a
handsome horse you are driving. l should
like to own such horse myself. "What will
you give ior him % said the man. ''Do you
want TO sell?" says father. "Yes do, and
I'll sell cheap, too" says he. "Oh, WELL" SAYS
father, 'it's no use talking, for l haven't the
money to buy with" Make me an offer.n
says he. ''Well, just TO put an end to the
talk" father says, "Ill give you seventy-five
collars Tor the horse" You may have him.
says the man, as quick as a flash, ''but you'll
repent OF your bargain in a week. "Why,
what ails the hOrse?" says father. sails
him? He's got the sod Nick" in him, that's
what ais him." says he. 'If he has will to
go, he ii go; but if he takes notion to stop,
all creation caI't start him. I've stood and
beat that horse till the sweat run off me in
streams. Pve fired gun close TO his ears !;
I've burnt shavings under him. might have
beat hin. to death and roasted him before he'd
have budged an inch" "Ill take the horse ?,
says father. "Whafs his name ?" George"
says the man. Il shall call him &c eorSie. .
says father.
swell, father brought him home, and we
boys We're nightly pleased, and we fix
ed place Tor him in the barn, and curried
him down and led him well, and father said,
Talk to him, boys, and let him know you
feel friendly" So we coaxed and patted him,
and the next morning, father harnessed him
and got into the wagon TO go. But George
wouldn't stir step. Father got out and pat
ted him, and we boys brought him apples and
clover tops, and once in while father would
say, Get up, Geoigie," but he didn't strike
the horse blow. By-an-by, he says, "Ths
is going to take tme Well, George, wen see
which has the most patience, you or |, SO he
sat in the wagon and took out his skeletons
-"
"Skeletons?" said Poppet, inquiringly.
"Of sermons, you know. Ministers ALWAYS
carry round little book to put down things
they think OF when they are out walking or
riding, or hoeing III the garden.
Well, father sat full two hours before the
horse was ready 10 start; but when he did
there was no more trouble for that day. The
next morning twas the same thing over again,
only George gave in little sooner All the
while it seemed as if father couldn't do
enough for the horse. He was round the sta
BILE, feeding him and fussing over him and
talking to him in his pleasant way, and the
third morning when he had fed and curried
and harnessed him with his own hands, some
now there was different look in the horses
eyes. But when father was ready to 90,
George put his feet together and laid his ears
back and wouldn't stir. Well, Dove was play
ing about the yard, and she brought her stool
| and climbed up by the horses head. Dove,
tell what you said to George that morning.
II gave him an awful talking to-" said the
little girl. II told him it was perfectly 'edic-
ulous for him to act so, that he had come to
a real good place to live, where everybody
heiped everybody, that he was minister's
horse, and ought to set a good sample 10 all
the other horses, and God wouldn't love him
if he wasn't a good horse That's what /
told him. Then kissed him on the nose"
Sand what did George do?"
"Why, he heard every word 1 said, and
when got through he felt so 'shamed of him
| sell, he couldn't hold up his head; so he Just
| dropped it, till it most touched the ground,
| and he looked as sheepish as if he had been
| stealing hundreds of Sleeps"
"Yes," said Reuben, "and when father told
him to go he was off like a shot, He has
| never made any trouble since. That's the
way father cured balky horse. And that
| night, when he was Embarrassed, he rubbed
| his head against his fathers shoulder, and
| told him as plain as horse could speak, thai
he was sorry. He's tried to make it up to
| father ever since, for the trouble he made him.
When he's loose in the pasture, father has
| only to stand at the bars and call his name,
and he walks up as quiet as an old sheep.
| Why, Pve seen him back himself between
the shafts of the wagon many a time to save
father trouble. Father wouldn't take two
hundred dollars for the horse to-day. He
eats anything you give him. Sis very often
| brings out some of her diuner to him."
"He likes to eat out of plate," said Dove
cit makes him think he's folks"