The Van Buren press., 1874-10-20
MISCELLANY.
Miss Putnam's Colt.

CBtCuluk paic dIuOcI itSutS III tHeiI HiRu.
est curves, but every hair tened down to
sobercst chestnut at the ends
1t had large, soft eyes; 6ne, slender
limbs, aud u graceful. arching Ineck; and
no enc knew its good points better than
Its owner, Miss Irene Putnam.
She was staunch, straightforward,
New England spinster, as proper and
Puritanic as her name, and very brief
acquaintance would show any one that
she had her own ideas of lfe's proprie
tics. as stern and changeess as the
La'"s CT The Mcdes and Persians.
This dainty colt was q part ofthc fsrsn
stock, and 50 was counted in among Miss
Putnam's possessions, without any cs
peGial valuation. for the farm had been
left her by her father, and she carried it
on as successfully as he had ever done.
But Doctor Walden, living mile
away, had looked with longing eyes upon
the colt; his own horse was growing old
and dull, he felt that it would be like
glimpse of new life to hold the rens over
that glossy back, to watch the set of
those hne ears, the arehing Of the grace
ful neck
"Thou shalt not cOvet he suid to
himself, and laughed at the schoolboy.
ish reproof; but all the same, he wanted
the colt
At last he gathered'up his courage, and
stopped, one warm summer night, at the
cow.yard barn, just as Miss Putnam was
coming out with five or six shining tin
milk pals on her arms, to milk the cows
that she would not trust to any other
hand
"Good evening, Miss Putnam" said
the doctor.
The woman turned, not swift, or slow
but with . firm, decided motion, and
looking the speaker full in the face, said
lis anybody sick down to Hiram's p
mo, oh no; in fact, the village is re-
markably healthy this season, and there
are very few people sick anywhere. -
@ am glad to hear it. You spoke SO
sudden, you startled me-" and as though
that settled the matter, she moved on.
The doctor coughed, whistlcd few
notes, and then said:
miss Putnam y
She rose with the milking stool in her
hand, and fixed her clear, questioning
eyes on him, but did not speak
II was a.thinking-that is, l don't
suppose it's any sort of use to say any.
thing about it, but | was a.wondering il
you had ever thought Of selling that sor-
rel colt Of yours.
A keen, satirical light shot into the
gray eyes, and with almost laugh, she
answered him:
II don't know as there's any law
against mans buying horse II he
wants TO. You needn't stammer 80 over
it ="
"Thou you will sell him :"
~ did not say SO. +"
but you meant it--you implied it ?"
mo" The word was prompt and
decisive, and the tone had q dash Of bit
terncss in it. THAT colt was born and
brought up on this farm-same as was,
and here be will do his work, and live
and die-same as l shall.
She sat down again as she said this,
and the doctor, still leaning on the bars,
could hear the soft cheel, ehcel, cheel.
will cheel, IS the milk streamed into the
pail, forced by the firm grasp Of Miss
Putnams strong, yet gentle fingers.
He thought how invaluable such a
calm, active, self possessed woman would
be among sick people, especially children,
whose mothers were generally panic
stricken, and utterly useless.
He knew her house was neat as wax.
work, her farm we'll cared for, but seldom
the voice Of kith or kin was heard there,
and never little child played round her
door. Musing thus, he did not notice
that the pail was full until the straight,
1.-THE figure stood before him; then re.
covering his consciousness, he said:
~ beg your pardon, Miss Putnam, l
hope have not offended you.
mo, she answered, ~ do not take
offence easily; but, and her voice grew
more bitter than before, =" am not in the
habit Of raising stock to sell, and hard.
ly think 1t would pay, at my time O. life,
to take up the business ofa horse jockey"
BY this time she had taken another
pail, seated hsrsolf by anothor sow, and
was going on with her work.
Cheel. weel, cheel- wheel. went tho milk
with sharp ring against the bottom Of
the pail, and to this tune the doctor
walked away, thinking
The next day. calling to see sick
child, he found 1t down with scarlet fe-
yer, and before the week was out dozen
more cases had appeared. He was busy
day aud night, as Miss Putnam heard by
way of her hired help; and one morning
she saw him pass, urging his fat, wheezy
horse along as fast as he could.
"What fool | an," she said. reso
lutely "to keep that lazy little Sultan
eating his head OF while that man really
needs him. lie is . good man, too the
drsg Of q set Of shiftless relations has
kept him poor, but guess nobody ever
knew him to refuse to help person in
trouble. lie WAS kind to father" her
eyes softcned as she thought Of the long
and weary illness through which she had
depended upon DR.. Walden for advice
and assistance. "rll give him the colt
outright, as my contribution toward
helping the sick whom he is always serv-
ing" aud having reached this conclu
sion, Miss Putnam, having no one to
consult. or even to inform, took card,
and wrote upon it, in her clear, delicate
hand:
"'The poor ye have always with you.
TO them, through you. may my life be
devoted. SULTAN.
ITO Doctor Walden.
ShN fastened this secuPelv to the halter, |