The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-02-04
The Farmer and the Her 70 Trot,

The Farmer and the Her y Trot,
He was from Bradford County was
this old man. He had attended a fair
once before, but this was his first expe-
rience at horse-trot. He did not quite
comprehend the nature of the entertain
ment, but as he saw nothing but horses
on exhibition, an idea that this might be
a separate and distinct feature of the fair
for the exhibition of these animals gradu-
ally enlightened his mind. A Quaint
specimen OF Pennsylvania was he, in his
garments which looked as though thew
might have been cut after the fashion
which predominated in Noah's time.
Nor was he well up In the "set phrase
of speech" common to sporting men.
Meandering through the driving park,
foiled in his attempts to penetrate the
crowd, jostled by the excited sports,
laughed at by boys, and stared at by all,
this innocent but unsophisticated "tiller
of the soil' finally found himself near
the booksellers stand. At once he
comprehended the situation. "This ia
boss auction on big SCALE" Now,
our friend was in need of horse. He
preferred all honest pillow horse, but
John, his son, would be satisfied with
no horse that was not good roadster.
| The auctioneer cries 4:
How much do hear for the first
choice 2"
."Ten dollars" some one sings out in
the crowd.
=" First choice first choice on WHAT"
inquiries our Scion Shingle
"Choice of these horses now trotting,"
replies by-stander.
"Why don't they stop and let us look 2
How am l to tell whether they are
sound 2"
What do you care whether they are
sound or not 3"
"True enough horse that can go
as they can, any one of them is worth
ten dollars, and more. :"
BY this time the bid ran Up to thir.
teen dollars.
Fourteen !" he sings out.
Fourteen fourteen going at four
teen who will give me fifteen 2" cried
the auctioneer.
Fifteen, says yakish looking fell
low at the left of our friend.
Fifteen and half, from the farmer.
"Can't take half dollar bid make it
sixteen 2" says the auctioneer.
"Yaas," says he, hesitatingly.
Sixteen, sixteen, going at sixteen;
do I hear any more? Sixteen, who will
give me seventeen2 Sold at sixteen
dollars Which horse will you have?"
"Ill wait till they stop, an look em
over"
"You must decide now," says the.
auctioneer.
"But want to look at EN-"
Cant wait, sir; if you want first
choice at sixteen dollars, say SC"
"Take the Countess" some one sug-
gested.
(Which one is that?"
"The bay mare ahead"
"I'll take the-what did you say"
"Countess.
"I'll take the Countess"
He receives his certificate, which lie
imagines is bill of sale. Keeping his
eye on his mare, he waits patiently till
she completes that heat, though she did
not win. He was pleased with her, and
was certain he had made bargain. He
would not tell John that he bought that
mare for sixteen dollars but he
could give him q faster ride than ever he
took, but he reasoned, "she is balky,
OF blind, or something, or she never
could be bought for sixteen dollars, if
horses are cheap"
He thanked the boy for sponging her,
and asked if the harness was thrown in.
"Thrown I'M" calculated the boy.
"Thrown in. Yaas, sir bought this
mare for sixteen dollars, and l want
something to lead her home with"
"In pigs eye you've bought her for
sixteen dollars. You think you're Civ
ing me away, don't youa"
At this point the drivers attention
was attracted. The old man insisted that
the mare was his, and as evidence pro-
duced his certificate, amid the laughter
of the bystanders. The driver, finding
the old man was in earnest, attempted to
explain that he had invested sixteen dol
lars in pool, which he would win if the
Countess should take three heats.
But all to no purpose. The buyer of
the pool proposed to take the horse inn
mediately, and when the driver refused
to deliver her, after giving vent to his
opinion of city frauds, he declared his
intention of seeking justice at the hands
of Gov. Davis.-Husbandnaan.