The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1875-08-28

HY wgffH ana
My father used ~ tail mD nhuul II
ycfy eccentric yuulll called Suu H.,
Wlius0 ynaufios us related, amused me-
very much SnuI WIS Tho uiily son NJ
n farmer IN Ambnnn, who pussesscd
Tie rare quality NJ myrhiug poverty
with Wlsc aud elegant leisure, while
Sun was cxprclrd ~ Keep the pillow
going. In fHG, tie old mans earthly
aspirations never went higher tlnn ~
see sam i, first Clnss lHru lnbOrcr. liut
some how or uther Snm got u CrOtclipt
iniO his head which led him 10 displsc
labor with an implncnble hatred, aud
u soon became evident that he wis the
poorest timber for u fnrn hand that
could he fOund In all the nrighbOrhOOd,
but he yearncd with IN thurman long
ing for "bOok-lurnin" and read every
thing he could lay hands an with an
Nv idity which was astonishing. Hav-
ing read every fragment OF literature
on the place, from the most stale pat
ent medicine advertisement to the
family Bible, he accidcntly IAN across
his mothers book on obstitrics,
into which he let himself with the
rapacity of n perfect glutton. The old
man noticed that his blowing fell short,
but Sam attributed IL to the laziness of
"Old Ball." the horse which Sam
avowed, was so very lazy that he
would go to sleep in the middle of the
row. But the old man was not TO be
deceived, and suspecting that Sans
"book-larnin' was the cause, he
belled the horse, that by the rattle he
might tell where Sam was ut work.
Sam soon overcome this difficulty how
ever, by ringing the bell with stick
while he sat under the shade of II tree
in the field ana read. The old man
was still dissatisfied; for though the
rattle was constant this testifying to
Sans industry, he could not under
stood how it was that Sam made so
little headway, aud NJ Sam ascribed it
all to horse, he resolved that he would
go to the field one morning along
with Sam and test the matter.
Accordingly, after breakfast the two
with old Ball set out to the field.
When the horse had been harneSsed to
the pillow, the old man astonlshed Sam
by placing his hands on old Balls
shoulders, and raising his lei. foot be-
hind, ut the same time telling Sam to
take hold of it and help him up.
"What! Whatre you going to do ~
said Sam. "Never mind, sir. Help
me up here, you rascal" said the old
man triumphantly. "Fll have II days
plOwin' out o. you. You say this horse
is lazy, an Pll show you that you've
been II lynn. pll ride him, an see
which is the lazy one. Here, help me
up!" Sam took the old mans uplifted
foot, and gave him n vigorous upheaval,
which was SO out of proportion to his
weight that the old man instead of
straddling the animal, found himself
vaulting over his back, and sprawling
on the plowed ground beyond. "You
villyanW shouted the father, splitting
the dirt from his mouth, and slapping
Sam fore and aft in the most violent
manner. "Now try it agin', will YEP"
and he placed himself again in posi-
ton. Sam was more careful this time,
and landed him safely astride of old
Ball.
"Now take them pillow handles and
come" said the old man, kicking old
Ball in the TANKS with both heels, and
clucking with all his might. Away
they went at old Balls regular gait.
They plowed on until near noon, stop
ping on each round under the shade of
n large tree in the middle of the field
for Ball to "blOw," rs the old man said,
but Sam noticed that the old man
would stop just rs he and the horse got
fairly under the shade, and leave him
in the sun. This began to grow sorely
monotonous to Sam. To see the old
man sitting complacently astride of
of Ball in the shade, and old Ball
standing there with his eyes shut
and his neither lip hanging down, the
very picture Of laziness AMI luxury
while the old man kept up II continual
din of praise of the noble qualities of
the old horse and dispraise of Sam,
stung him to the very soul and he med
bi tiatff aa syi aPrbhN reached the shade
on round, the old man drew the bri-
die with "wOW The bride was found
to be loose, but old Ball stopped all the
same. AT this juncture Sam discOv-
cred u mouse in the furrow behind the
pillow, and caught it in his hand.
"Come an fix this bride, Sammy"
said the father. Sam walked around
to the horses head to obey, and as he
approached, the idea struck him to
awake old Ball from his dream, and
holding his hand that held the strug
Cling mouse to the horses nOstril, h
released the little creature, and quick
us thought it darted up Gid Ball's nose.
The affrighted animal threw up his
head with loud snort, pitched wildly
forward, kicked, switched his tail aud
set Oft like locomotive across the
field. The old man leant forward and
seized the horse around the neck, yell
ing out n loud, quick, torlorn "wow
and hung on for dear life. Sam stood
with stupid establishment as the old
horse moved like cyclone through
the young corn, carrying the plow be-
hind, pitching and flying like zigzag
lightning around his heels. There was
q deep ravine in the field, and Sam was
overwhelmed with horror as he saw
them disappear over the brink. 'Deadn
Sam, ana with the feelings of
u young patricide he fastened to the
brink. He looked over. One look was
enough for Sam. There lay old Ball
with his neck broken, and all in n pile
and there stood the old man clawing
the mud out of his eyes with both
hands, while close by his feet was Il
round hole in the ground where his
head had been. Sam struck for the
back of that corn field like n roebuck,
set out through the bottom and scarcely
rested or slept until he reached Mont
gomery, one hundred miles distant. A
ten years hard struggle brought Sam
out conqueror, when for the first time
he returned to the old farm. The
was an accomplished lawyer
In full practice, and two poor old gray
haired people were made glad and
com Portable by his return.