Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1875-11-30
He iUas Grooming a Horse.

am no peer to thce,r he said.
-Scribaer for December.
He iOds Grooming q Horse.
To stand by and see man groom and
curry horse looks very simple. Any
man who can rub his nose when it itches
feels confident that he can clean q horse.
There is not in all America to-day boy
that has no! read how George Washing
tons white horse was kept so clean that
George could rub his white glove over
tho horses glossy coat and no speck Of
dirt would soil the glove. II we are not
too late, Just let US tell those little boys
that although George didn't lie himself,
the man that invented that story did, and
he has probably gone. ere this. to that
place where liars get warmed up at no
expense to themselves. and has repented
OF his crime. we hope. Jones bought
horse last week. and was going TO take
cafe OF him himself. lie would groom
and feed him and tnkc the whole charge
OF the carriage and harness. He got the
horse late one afternoon. and gave him
good drive alter supper "to loosen up the
dandruff and start the hair" Jones didn't
know any moro about horse than a hen
does about giving milk. but he had been
reading book, and calculated he knew
the whole thing When he put him up,
after giving him drive that made the
sweat run out of him like water from the
nose of sprinkling pot. he rubbed him
down well with straw, and left his hair
all standing up straight, forgetting to lay
it back in place when he was done. He
then put him in his stall. bedded him
down, fed him ard retired to bed. Early
the next morning he was up and donned
his barn Uniform, which consisted OF
pair OF old over.shoes. pair Of drilling
overalls. and long blue drilling gar
ment that resembled an overgrown shirt
as much as anything. On his head he
had an old felt hat, and on his hands
pair Of gauntlet gloves.
Going into the stall he backed Ned out
into the floor and hitched the end Of the
halter into a ring, giving scope enough
for Ned to slat his head in good shape.
The flies were just getting up as Jones
entered the barn. and they did not stop
TO wash their face or comb their hair, but
gathered around Jones and the horse, de-
termined 10 assist him all they could.
Seizing the curry comb he commenced
worked on the head OF the animal, but as
Ned did not seem TO like it very well, he
shifted his position and commenced at the
other end Of the beast. and scratched
away like hen digging for worms. The
dust and hair flew in every direction, the
most Of it, it seemed to Jones. going to
his mouth and eyes, and he spit and rub
bed his eyes with his knuckles till he
could hardly see. He got along nobly
on the body of the horse and had met
with no mishaps till he got to the neck.
AS he was currying there fly lit on the
horses fore shoulder, and Ned turned his
head round quick and in doing so struck
Jones such clip with his nose. that he
sat down on the floor without looking to
see il there was anything TO sit on. Next
to being struck BY lightning, there is
nothing that will level man quicker than
to be hit with a horses head There is
no more meat on 1t than there is on q
hitching post, and it crushes you like
spile driver. Jumping up with "what
are you about. you blasted fool" he hit
him rap with the curry comb which
made the horse describe circle on the
barn floor. and in making II he chanced
to step on Jones foot. who grasping the
bruised member in both hands danced
round the barn bowling with rage and
pain. Finally, he got the currying com.
pleted. and the dust all brushed off. when
it occurred to him that he ought to wash
Ned's legs and tail. SO he got pail Of
water and sponge, and piece of CASTLE
soap, rolled up his sleeves and then con-
sidered what he would wash first. The
tail seemed to be in the majority, so he
thought he would tackle that. He had
seen the hostlers do that job, so he knew
just how to 60 to work. Holding the pail
under the horses tail he raised it up till
the hair was all nicely soaked and then
let down the pail again and set it one side.
Just as he turned back again another fly
lit on the side Of the horse, and he gave
his tail switch at the fly. He missed
the fly but hit Jones fair in the face. the
wet hair cutting into it as if some one had
hit him with wire seive. With "thun.
dur and spikes" he grabbed a hoe, and
half blinded by the dirty water that was
running down his face. and down his neck
and back. he went for the horse and sue.
ceeded in getting in several good licks
the first round, but in bis rage be forgot