The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-01-21

SOACSutuS SuOulO ike 10 C01I Tue
sporting gents. for / don't think
there is many that ever fell in with
such thing. But it is an old say
ing that what does happen has
happened before and may again,
so tell this to put them on their
guard, especially in Germany.
Well, it was a good town for bu-
slness, and we staid several days;
but before we had been there ma
ny hours my horses turned queer.
Restless they were, and uneasy.
Sweated of their own accord.
Stamped eternally. One in par
ticular, began to loose flesh. We
examined the hay. 1t seemed
particularly good, and the oats
not amiss, Called the landlord in,
and asked him if he could account
for it. He stands looking at them;
this one, called Dick; was all in q
lather. "Well, 1 think I know
now" said he; "they are bewitch-
ed. You see there is an old wo
man In the next street that be-
witches cattle, and she rides on
your horses backs all night You
may take your oath" Then he
tells Us q lot of stories, whose cow
died after giving this old wenoh
a rough word, and she had been
often seen to go across the mead
ows in the shape of a hare. s'She
has spite against me, the old sor-
ceress," says he. "She has been
at them: you had better send for
the pastor" "Go for the farrier,
Jem," says /, So we had in the
terrier. He sat on the bin and
smoked his pipe in dead silence,
looking at them. ''They seem a
little fldgety," says he, after about
hale an hour. So ! turned him
out of the stable. And 1 was in
two minds about punching his
head, was. "Send for the veteri-
nary surgeon, No. l." He came.
"They have got some disorder -
says he' ''that is plain; nostrils are
clear, too. Let me see them eat -
They took their food pretty well.
Then he asked where we came
from last. 1 told him. "Well,' y
said he, cheerfully, "this is muir.
rain, 1 think. In this country we
do invent a new murrain about
every twenty years. We are about
due now. "He spoke English, this
one,-quite a fine gentleman.
One of the grooms put in, 81 think
the water is poisoned" "Any
way" says another, "Dick will die
if we stay here" So then they
both pressed me to leave the town
"You know, governor, we can't af-
ford to lose the horses" Now
was clearing ten pounds q day in
the place, and expenses paid: so ]
looked blank. So did the veteri
nary. 81 would mt co." says he
''wait a day or two; then the dis
ease will declare itself, and We
shall know what we are doing
You see, gents, he did not relish
my taking a, murrain out of hi
town; he was veterinary. "What
ever it is" says he, "you brough
it with YOU" "Well, now" said
"my opinion is I found it here
Did you notice anything at the
last place, Nick?'' "No": tn,
grooms both bore me out. ooh! =
says the vet, "you can't go BY
that: it had not declared ITSELF
Well, if you will believe me Il of
ten laugh when 1 think ofit), i
was not two minutes after he saiC
that that it did declare itself. [
was Sunday morning, and Mel
had got a clean shirt on. Mel
was currying the very horse called
Dick, when all of a sudden tn,
sleeve of his white shirt looked
dirty. "What now?" cried he
and comes to the light. 81 do be
lieve It is vermin," says he, ''anC
if it is they are eaten up with it.
"Vermin? what vermin can tina
be?" said /; "have we invented
new vermin too?" They were n,
bigger than pins points,-looket
like dust on his shirt. "What d,
you say, sir,-is it vermin?'' 'No
a doubt of it, "says the vet. "Thes
are poultry lice, unless I am mis-.
taken. HaYe you any hens any.
where here?" Both the groom:
burst out "Hens? why, there ar
full a hundred up in the hay loft.
So that was the murrain. Tn
hens had been tumbling in the hay
the hay came down to the rack al
alive with their vermin; and tn
vermin were eating the horses
We stopped that supply of hay
and what with currying, and wash
ing with a solut. the vet. gave u:
we cured the murrain,-chicker
pox, if any. We had a little seen
at going away from this place
Landlord had agreed to charg
nothing for the use of stabline
we spent so much in other way
with him. In spite of that, b
put it down at the foot of the lis
1 would not pay. "You must.
81 won't" "Then you sha' MT q
till you do"; and with that he an
his servants closed the great gatet
The yard was entered by tw,
great double doors like barn door
secured outside by a stout bean
So there he had us fast. 1t 60
wind, and there was the who
, population hooting outside, thre
thousand strong. Then it wa
"Come, don't be q fool.'
"Don't you be a fool"
"Stand clear" said to the maj
, "we will alter our usual line [
, march this time: I'll take Die
, from the rear to the front" S
{ they all formed behind me an
! Dick, two carriages, and 81
horses, all in order. "Now," sal
III, 'landlord, you have had yor
| Joke, open the door, and let I
!. part friends; we have been wi
l you a week, you know, and "
E have had one profit out Of US, Al
another out of the townsfolk '
brought to your bar. Open Il
door"
e "Pay me my bill, and / III open
i. said he. IF I turned awav o.