The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-04-20
A Horse Buyer and o Race.

I
dlebury House. was cogitating upon who
would come and save the good supper al
ways awaiting tired aud hungry guest
at the aforesaid house, from going to
waste, there entered a very well.drcssed
and gentemanly appearing man, who reg.
istercd as Parker S. Fuller, Hartford,
Conn. The polite stranger was not long
in making known his wants, He was
horse buyer, and had a number of horses
that had been purchased in towns north
now on their way south in charge of two
or three men. lie had Just hired a man
to bring him to Middlebury in advance
of the horses, so he could make provision
for their accommodation for the night.
The horses would need some seventeen
stalls, and the men some good rooms, and
all must be well cared for, well bedded,
well fed, all must be of the best and most
comforting sort. for it was Mr.. Fuller's
practice to make his men and horses com
Portable, after hard days journey. Now
here was a rare chance to prove the
abundant resources for ample hospitality,
and the genius of the landlord OF the Mid.
dlebury House for practically dispensing
them, and mine host Smith was not long
in mprehending the situation, nor in
stirring himself to trot out his best for
man and beast. Seventeen of the best
stalls in the stable were selected, and am
ply bedded down with the softest straw,
the racks were well filed with the sweet.
est and choicest Of timothy, carefully cut
just at the right time to contain the
largest amount of nutrimont to recuper.
ate the wasted powers Of horses travelling
on their way to Connecticut, and which
Smith had kept stored away in back
corner Of his stable loft, on purpose for
this very occasion. An extra amount Of
oats, Of the cleanest and heaviest, were
ordered up from the feed mill, As Mr..
Fuller fed these quite literally, 1t was for
his interest to buy them directly from the
dealer, and Mr.. Smith would see the Jus.
ticc in practicing this little bit OF econo.
my, and not paying out oil his profits on
middlemtn. The landlord not being
at all grasping man, and knowing il
was expensive to feed SO many horses,
thought this little saving on the part of
Fuller not only justiiablc, but commend
able, especially as his guest was very
good to assist in all these extensive pre-
parations for the expected, tired s;eeds
Smith ordered up the oats, and an ample
supply. The landlord was requested to
pay tor the cats, and put it in the morn.
ing's bill, which of course was done. All
these preparations having been completed,
with such close supervision of Fuller as
proved him uncommonly mindful of the
comfort Of his horses, and nothing being
left undonc for their comfort, Fuller s
next thought was for his own wants and
here Smiths rare genius ia this line found
ample scope. The pullets connected with
the establishment were drawn upon for an
extra supply Of soft boiled the Iarders
were searched for the choicest pies of all
kinds, and Mr., Fuller was made to feel
that his tired and hungry body was an
object Of especial solcitude on the part Of
his host and his attendants. After sup.
per, ample supplies Of the best OF Ha.
vanas were ordered, and long and
pleasant evening Of horse talk with the
landlord was enjoyed while awaiting the
arrival OF the seventeen and their riders.
Mr.. Fuller's accurate knowledge Of the
hotel keepers aud the hotels in different
places proved him u traveller of no mean
pretensions, and an excellent judge OF
landlords and their Inequalities, while
his knowledge Of horsemen. and their
business hereabouts, as we'll as all along
the line from Montreal to Hartford, show
ed that he was undoubtedly well posted
up in his business, as well as those who
were following horse trade. As hour af.
ter hour passed, vainly waiting for the ar.
rival of Mr.. Fulcr's men with his horses
the landlord began to be doubtful about
their being able to reach their destination
for the night but Mr. Fuller was certain
they would not fail, for his orders were
imperative, and he knew his men would
not dare to stop before they arrived
where he had ordered them, for he had
been informed by more than one who
knew whereof they affirmed, that the
Middlebury House was precisely the
place where the very best accommoda-
lions for man and beast were to be found
and his orders to his men were decided
that they should not stop until they
should reach the place where such ample
and generous Inequalities were dispensed
This well timed compliment treasured the
landlord, and no doubt, just at this point
if Mr.. Smith had been in the habit o.
keeping anything good in the line OF the
ardent, be would have invited Mr.. Fuller
to smile but the landlords respect fol
the prohibitory law, as attestcd TO by the
sworn statement of number OF our re-
spectacle citizens, prevented him from Of
fering this boon,so highly priced by many
gentlemen engaged in the horse business
"But tired natures sweet restor
err, balmy sleep" is needed by land
lords and horse dealers, as well as by
horses and their riders. And about
midnight it Vas arranged that Peter the
hostler, being more AT home in the DARK
hours Of the night than any one else
about the establishment, should keep 9
sharp lookout for the arrival of Mr.. Full
ler's men and his horses, and provide fol-
their comfort, including turkey fixing,
for the men, Mr.. Smith assuring Mr.
Fuller Of Peters full ability in all such
matters, especially in the last one. Ac
cordingly Mr.. Fuller selected very
comfortable room for his men, and ther
retired to the very best room and bed il
the house, assuring Mr.. Smith that al
though he always provided SO well for the
comfort Of his men, he was not accus
toned TO associate too closely with them
nor TO eat at the same table, or sleep il
the same room with them.
After Mr. Fuller was shown to hi
room, conference was held between thu
landlord aud his SOP, and it was agrcet