Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-03-04
MUSTANGS.

fee simple, and without any mortgage
attachment, one of the best farms in
Western Maryland, determined to enter
q field of speculations, which though
new to him, promised to yield large
dividends. His lands were fertile and
well titled, and his crops, generally
speaking, yielded we'll; and the Old
Mill, which stood down by the Creek,
and of which he was the firstly proud
owner, ground out as good -four, as was
capable of being produced by the good
wheat grown in all that section of coun-
try. Farmer Newcome was popular,
the country over, and by his thrifty
management was growing rich. And
yet even he was tempted to try his hand
in an enterprise, of which he knew but
little aboutl
Posted up in the principal hotel in
the town of II - Mr.. Newcome
noticed, one day, large, flaming hand
bill, setting forth the fact, that a GER
tain time in the distant future, there
would be exposed for sale on the public
square, lot of fine Mexican Mustang
Ponies, which dealer was then bring
ing to that market. A full description
of these points followed, their beauty,
toughness, docility, and all that were
carefully, if not truthfully, stated, and
then came the cliaching affirmation,
and thousands of dollars could be made
by any one who had the means and the
disposition to deal in Mustangs.
Mr.. Newcome read the bill carefully,
thought the matter over for a few min
utes, and came to this conclusion: 81
know that farming, as l conduct it, pays
and pays well but the process of max
ing money in that way is rather slow 1
have several Thousand dollars in cash
laid up for a rainy day, and can readily
obtain several thousands more, for my
credit is good wherever 1 am known.
But here is the point here is a chance
to make money and to make it in n
short time. and / think will make the
venture. l Will deal in Mustangs-as-
tonish my neighbors-get rich in a
short time, and rent ont my farm and
Mill, and retire to private life-yes, 1
think I'll make the venture !"
He went home much elated over his
prospective gains, and he at once en-
tered on a course of study of natural
history. The Mustang, although a wild
horse of the prairie, was easily su6dued,
soon became gentle, was easily sub
sisted, and there was money in hin. The
former he learned from a treatise on
"wild horses :" the latter-that there
was money in him-he learned from the
handful, he saw in the hotel and the
faith of the good farmer was strong in
both.
The day of sale came, and Mr.. New
come and many of his friends and
neighbors, were at the appointed place.
Their eyes opened largely, when they
saw that it required the combined
strength of four men to hold each pony,
as the complaisant auctioneer called for
bids and proceeded to knock the Mus
tangs off to the highest bidder. When
/ the sale was over, and the matter
summed up, Mr.. Newcome found that
I he was the owner of twenty-three wild
horses, for which he paid at the rate OF
seventy dollars each, amounting in the
aggregate to the handsome sum of six
4 teen hundred and ten dollars But, as
/ he then thought, he would realize, say,
/ twenty-five dollars on each one, he paid
for the ponies cheerfully, and hired
force of men and boys to escort his
purchase to his pastures, some SIX miles
/ from town. Thus far he was satisfid.
He soon made this important discovery
/ No fence on his farm would restrain
those wild Mustangs. Ordinary fences
were leaped with astonishing ease, and
those too high to jump, were broken
( through or thrown down, and the ponies
roamed at will over the farm. Two of
/ his colored men, In attempting to catch
] Al. r. ha1 haan lx
kicked, and were in the doctors hands,
and things began to look stormy all
over that once quiet place
But farmer Newcome was equal to
the emergency. At an expense of one
hundred and fifty dollars, he placed
about five acre lot tremendously
high and strong fence, and by the aid
of his neighbors succeeded in cOr7aliRg
the unruly ponies in the inclosure, and
all things being now safe and quiet, he
went back to his books on natural MIS-
tory, and to the work of counting up
his gains, that were to be made In the
speculation. So possessed of this mat
ter did he become, that good Mrs.
| Newcome declared that her husband
dreamed of lassoing Wild Mustangs on
the prairies, night after night, and that
his shrieks and hallowing, not only
broke in on the midnight hour, and
disturbed the slumbers of the inmates
of the farm house, but of the entire
community as well Things were COM
/ ing to q Crisis
Sometime after this, the fame of the
wild ponies having spread for many
miles over the country, farmer from
distance called on Mr.. Newcome, with
view of making purchase.-The con-
yersation ran this -
81 hear, Mr.. Newcome, that you have
some choice Mustangs for sale y
"Yes, sir, the best lot this side OF
Texas"
"Do you think they can be made of
service on the farm ?"
81 hav'nt q doubt of it." replied
Newcome.
sWiIl they work in harness-are they
easily handled ?"
"Well, yes, reckon they are"
"Have you tried them ?"
"Well-no-not exactly, but l know
they will work almost anywhere.
Suppose we have one put in harness
now; i would much like to see it done.
Mr.. Newcome's reply came slowly
s'Dont you think, neighbor, that it is
late now to harness a Mustang, and
prove him? Why it is almost sundown
Wait till tomorrow morning, and then
promise you drive behind one of the
finest ponies in the State.
The gentleman concluded to wait till
the morrow, and was shown to the par
4 lor. Mr.. Newcome excused himself,
and went out hastily to arrange for the
coming equestrian feat.
Brother Bitner," said he to young
stalwart horseman whom he met near
/ the mill.
81 want your assistance early In the
morning"
Certainly, sir" replied that worthy.
"You won't fail me, Brother Bituer p