The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-15

memory, have endeavored to reproduce
him as / knew him, and to make the
wisest, justest and honestest man of this
our nineteenth century live over again.
How Father Cured His Horse.
Well, said Reuben, the story-teller,
father alw:.ys wanted a horse, because
the folks in Greenville lived scattered,
and he had so far to go to attend funerals
and weddings, and to visit schools, you
know; but he never felt as if he could
afford to buy one. But one day he was
coming foot from Hildreth, and stran-
ger asked him to ride.
Father said: That's handsome horse
you're driving. should like to own
such horse myself.
"What will you give for him?'' said
the man.
DO you want to sell?' said father.
eyes, I do and I'll sell cheap,too says
he.
20, WE'LL" says father, "It's no use
talking for haven't the money to buy
WITH
snake me an offer,'' said he.
Yell, just to put an END to the talk
father says I'm give you seventy five
dollars for the horse
"You may have him. says the man as
quick as flash, ''but you'll repent Of
your bargain in week.
''Why, what ais the horse 2 says
father.
sails him? He's got the old Nick
in him; that's what ais him. says he.
IF he has will to 80, he'll go; but if
ne takes notion to stop, all creation
can't start him. I've stood and beat
that horse till the sweat ran off me in
streams; I've fired gun. close to his
ears; I've burnt shavings under him. I
might have beat him to death or roasted
him alive, before he'd have budged an
inch.''
It'll take the horse,'' says father.
"What is his name?''
':George,' says the man.
Il shall call him Georgia. said father.
Well, father brought him home, and
| we boys were pleased, and fixed a place
for him in the barn, and curried him
down and fed him we'll, and father said,
''ralk to him boys, and let him know you
feel friendly
So we coaxcd and petted him, and the
| next morning father harnessed him, and
got into the wagon to go. But George
| wouldn't stir step. Father got out and
| patted him, and we boys brought him
| apples and clover-tops and once in while
ather would say, "Get up, George" but
| ne didn t strike the horse a blow. By
| and by he says: ''This is going to take
time. Well, George, We'll see who has
got the most patience, you or L. So he
sat in the wagon and took out his skele-
| tons
skeletons = said Poppet inquiringly.
Of sermons, you know. Ministers al
ways carry around little book to put
things into that they think of when they
are out walking, or driving, or hoeing in
the garden.
Well, father sat there two full hours
before the horse was ready to start; but
! when he did there was no more trouble
fer that day. The next morning twas
the same thing over again, only George
gave in a little sooner. All the while it
| seemed as if father could not do enough
| for the horse. He was round the stable,
| feeding and fussing over him, and talking
to him in his pleasant, gentle way; and
the third morning, when he had fed and
| curried and harnessed him with his own
! hands, somehow there was very differ
cnt look i'll his eyes. But when father
was ready to go, George put his Feet to-
gether, laid his ears back and wouldn't
stir. Well, Dove was playing about the
yard, and she brought her stool and
climbed up by the horse head.
''Dove, tell what you said to George
that morning.
Il gave him an awful talking to- said
the little girl. II told him is was per-
|ectly Ridiculous for him to act SO,
that he'd come to real good
place to live, where every body hel ped
every body; that he was minister's
horse and ought to set a good sample tc
all the other horses, and God would not
love him if he wasn't a good horse. That's
what told him. Then kissed him on
the nose.''
And what did George do?''
"Why, he heard every word said and
when l got through he felt so 'shamcd of
himself, he couldn't hold up his head; so
he just dropped it till it most touched
the ground, and he looked as sheepish as
f he been stealing hundred shecps.''
Us, >d1u 1.euUel', anu Wueu l''IileT tOlQ
Him to go he was off like shot. He has
never made any trouble since. That's
the way father cured a balky horse. And
that night when he was embarrassing, he
rubbed his nose against fathers shoulder
and told him as plain as horse could
speak, that he was sorry. He's tried to
make it up with father ever since for the
trouble he made him.
When he's loose in the pasture, father