The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1871-09-08
HORSE KNOWLEDGE.
A POny's StTatagem--The Highway
mRl's Horse.

A POny's StTatagem--The Highway
maR's Horse.
There was a pony on a farm that Epd q
curious, Ortlul trick of shamning Ame'
nes when he was driven in a direction
he happcned, for some cause or other
not To- like. lie was gOOd.tempered
little animal, very pretty, and would have
been a fayOrite only for this pGrveTsg
habit. His pretended lameness was so
real, and so distressing TO witness, that
every one felt ashamed to drive him, lest
by any chance it was no longer make be-
lieve, but u nail that pricked him, or else
that he had sprained himself. Yet No
sooner WINS he put in the field than he
was all right again, and would even frisk
about Us II delighted with the success oil
his artitiCe.
There were two roads that he never
liked, one to the mill and the other to u
village in the opposite direction to Down
ham, But rs there was another pony
besides himself he was generally excused
from the 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, dropping into q walk,
and leigned so completely state ofsul.
lering, there was nothing for II but to
excuse him and turn back. lie had been
beaten, poor fellow, for his talsehood, but
it made no difference, and 1t was thought
probable that he had, on some former oC.
casion, before he came to the farm, been
jll.used at the mill or in the village, and,
never being. able to forget 1t, had hit upon
this device to save himself from ever go
ing there again. lie might, it Is true,
have been taught this trick by former
master or groom, for both dogs and horses
are capable Of being made the accomplish,
and were active cO.Operater in crime, rs
several instances on record prove.
II Is stated by Mr.. Harrison Weir that
between 1850 and 1850 Scottish lawyer
made a journey TO London. At that Pc
Rod such journeys were unusually per-
formed with horses, when q traveller
might buy u horse, and sell him at the
end Of his journey,
The lawyer in question had sold the
horse on which he had ridden TO London
rs soon as he had reached that place.
When the time for his return arrived he
went to Smithneld, then horse market,
to purchase hackney for his journey.
Not finding one at first 10 his mind, lie
waited till towards dusk, when q hand.
some animal was offered, but at so low n
price considering his appearance, that ho
Immediately suspected that there was
some secret blemish or defect that would
not bear the daylight. However, after
much examination, none such being
found, and being himself good judge Of
a horse, he consented to become Its pur.
chaser
The next morning, still better pleased
with the RppearanCcIof his bargain, he
commenced his journey. The horse had
excellent PAGES, and the lawyer, riding
the first few miles on u well freQuentcd
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 time, he had
reached Finchley COmmon-then anoted
resort OF highwaymGn-and coming TO
one spot in u hollow between two slight
asCGnts, he met clerical looking gentle.
man driving TO town in one.horse Chaise.
The road WIS solitary one, not crea.
ture in sight, when the horse astonished
its rider by making q sudden maneuver,
by which he brought his hind quarters
close to the Chais6, and so stopped II,
proving Mt once what tho profession Of
his former master had been, rs we'll N |
his own completely In the highwayman's
art.
The clergyman, believing to n certain.
ty that n highwayman, as well as the |
horse, was at hand, and, unfortunately,
not having pistol to defend himself, or
rather, as appeared being Of q peaceful
turn, produced his purse at once, assuring
the astonished lawyer that II was quite
to use such 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 journey. In while, how.
ever, they met stage coach In n solitary
part OF the road, and again the horse pre-.
pared, by the same extraordinary maneuv.
or, to bring II to stand. But here diff.
fCrent reception met him, q blunderbuss
WIS lCNCleu lTOln tllC COhCH WlHuOW, Will
the denunCiation Of death and destruction
against the luckless rider, who was now
in his turn more terrified than the unre.
sistlng clergyman had been.
SO It went though the day Whenever
an opportunity Of robbing occurred the
horse offered Il to his master, and did the
best in his power TO aid him. In fact, Of.
tor hia life had Lppn rnnpaipdiv endanOnF. |
ed by the suspicious which the conduct Of
his stecd naturally gave rise to, and his
liberty threatened by the peace officers,
who were about to take him up as a nOtO.
rlOus highwaymRn, to whom, of truth,
the horse had formerly belonged, the law.
yer was obliged to part with him for q
lrihe, and to purchase ono In his stead,
which, though far less beautiful, had not
been trained to those criminal habits In
which the other had become perfect
adept i1...