The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-03-06
TIE Persons rrotter
Going to an Appointment ct q 2;4o Gait

Parson Bracket had been settled
over The first PARISH OF Rustfield foI
several wears and staid, solemn. and
temperate man, yerging toward the
trosts Of three.score and ter. re
was a kind hearted friend, a faithful
counsellor, and q very acceptable
preacher. Once upon tune the
parsons horse died. and he must
purchase another. Ills salary vas
small, and no could not spare many
dollars for anything luxurious III the
wav OF horseffes.y. His neighbor
Richards had a, horse in pasture
which he thought would answer the
parsons purpose, Said horse mad
been sent up from Portland by Bah
cock il. the spring, with instructions
to the farmer that il he lived to be
worth selling he might be cold for
what he would bring. The animal
hal come upon the farm with spawn
and heaves, and to all appearances
essentially used up, ami, more than
this he was old aud blind OF an eye.
But with the coming Of autumn
the old horse had picked up wonder.
fully, and Richards believed, would
answer the Parsons purpose an well
a. a better. Richards wrote to Bah
cock, stating the case and George
wrote back ward that the parson
might have the animal Tor lIst what
he was willing to Pay. Aud 20 Par,
son Bracket became the owner oi
the horse.
Now there was bit Of history
connected with that horse which had
not been communicated to the tar
mer, and which was not know6ln
Rustfield. The animal had been, III
his day, a noted trotter, and for ten
years, at least, he had been one OF
the bright particular stars at Cam
brise, having been pitted against
both Nae and Lady Suffolk; ana it
had been remembrance OF this
brilliant career which led the former
to secure a good home tor the beast
in his old age.
On bright, bracing Sabbath
morning in October, Parson Bfack-
EFT sst from his home to preach in
Oxford. The distance was about
twelve miles, and he was thankful
as he rode onward, that he had -
good a horss, for the animal crept
over the ground at a grand rate con
sid-rirz his age and the price which
had been paid 10, him.
Upon the outskirts ofthe town of
Oxford the road struck level
plain of intervale, reaching thus tor
tull two miles to ;he village, and just
as the Parson reached this point two
Young hoods, with fast horses and
snlkies, came up behind him, shout
ing in tho heat ct race, and a.
tempted to drive past him. The old
racer smellcd the battle in a mo-
msnt. He gave prolonged snort
Their shook his mad-then reared
when he came down he
closed his teeth against the bit and
shot off like canon ball. The Paw
son was a man OF nerve end courage
hut he knew nothing OF race horses.
He did just the thing which he ought
not TO have done. He drew upon
hc reins with all his might. and
hallowed whoa whoa! as loud as
Ice could.
Away went the old racer. at trot
square and honest, but fearfully rapid
and behind came the youthful bloohs
whipping their horses to a gallop
and the welkn rang with thu noise,
the Parson laundering his whoa !.
whoa y while the pursuers whooped
1nd hsrrahed.
The noise reached the village and
the people were out to behold the
cause; and ere long Parson Bracket
came flying IN behind III. trotter,
leading the running horses by sever
al rods. and when the Deacon relt.ed
mn at the rnhlic-houss thu old horse
came to stop az orderly and quit
y az though nothing had happened
out Of the way.
At first the good people OF Dix.
port were SO shocked that they were
tempted not TO allow Parson Brack
ct. to preach TO them; but before
the time for the service arrived he
had so explained matters that tho
weight Of blame was lifted from mis-
shoulder. He preached on that
Sabbath, and on the following day
i, sold his trot,er at big advance