Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-06-02

Oaks accepted their apologies in the
peculiarly happy and graceful man.
ner which renders him SO popular,
and told them little story, very
much to the point, upon the beauty
Of civility, and as Miss Jennie came
down stairs just then, dressed in
heavy black silk visiting suit, he
called to her, and she came forward,
introduced her with his old-fashion-
ed courtly grace as, "My daughter,
gentlemen! The mistress Of her
old fathers house, and the pride of
his heart" They bowed awkward
ly, sprang into the carriage which
was waiting, and drove rapidly
down the mountain road. A friend
coming in soon after had met and
recognized them in the ravine, so
that our curiosity in regard to their
names and occupation was gratitied.
Four-Footed Hypocrites and Crimi-
nails.
There is pony on the farm that
had a curious artful trick of sham
ming lameness when he was driven
in direction which he happened,
from some cause or other, not to
like. Hc was agood-tempered little
animal, very pretty, and would have
been a favorite, only for this habit.
His pretended lameness appeared
SO real, and was SO distressing to
witness, that every one felt asham-
ed ofdriving him, lest by any chance
it was no longer make-bclieve, but
ANAL that pricked him, or else that
he had sprained himself. Yet no
sooner was he put into 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 mill and the other to a vii
lage in the opposite direction to
DeAvnham. But as there was anoth-
er pony besides himself, he was
generally excused from these two
objectional roads. If, however, af-
ter 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 a walk, and fcigned so com
pletely state of suffering, there
was nothing for it but to excuse him
and turn back. He had been beat
en-, poor fellow, for his falschood,
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-uscd 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 capa-
bic Of being made the accomplices,
and were active co-operators in
crime, rs several instances on re-
cord prove.
1t is stated by Mr.. Harrison Wicr
that between 1850 and 1860 Scot
tish lawyer made a journey to Lon
don. At that period such journeys
were usually performed with horses,
when the traveller might buy horse
and sell him at the end of the jour
ney. The lawyer in question had
sold the horse on which he
had ridden to London as soon as he
reached that place. When the time
for his return arrived, he went to
Smithfeld, then horse market, to
purchase hackney for his journey.
Not finding one at first to his mind,
he waited till toward dusk, when a
handsome animal was offered, but
at so low a price, considering his
appearance, that he immediately
suspected there was some secret
blemish OF defect that would not
bear the daylight. However, after
much examination, none such being
found, and being himself a good
judge of a 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 well-frequented
road, and observing that his horse
was admired by all he met, did not
fail to congratulate himself on his
good luck in having obtained SO adj
mirablc a steed at SO low price.
BY this time he had reached Finch
ley Common-then noted resort
of highwaymcn-and coming to one
spot in hollow which lay between
two slight ascents, he met cleri-
cal-looking gentleman driving 10
town in y one horse chaise. The
road was solitary; not creature
was in sight, when the horse aston
ishcd his rider by making sudden
maneuvre, by which he brought his
hind quarters close to the chaisc,
and SO stopped 1t, proving at once
what the profession of his former
master had been, as we'll as his own
completely in the highwayman's art.
The clergyman, believing to a
certainty that ahighwayman as we'll
as the horse was at hand, and, un-
fortunately, not having pistol to
defend himself, or rather as appear
ed, being of peaceful turn, pro-
duced his purse at once, assuring
the astonished lawyer that it was
quite unnecessary to use violence,
as he was not about to offer resis-
tance. The lawyer spurred up
his horse, and, with many apologies
to the terrified clergyman, resumed
his journey. In = while, however,
they met stage coach in another
solitary part OF the road, and again
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