Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-02-15
NO. 49,.
MisfelIa,aeons.
WORKING HORSES.

We are glad to notice that MANY of our
Western fairs are Offering handsome pre-
miums for the fastest walking horses.
There is no disguisin. the fact that a good
walk is the most useful gait that a gener.
al purpose horse can possess, and If one.
half the attention were paid 10 cultiyating
this gait, and breeding with view to lis
transmission, that is now gwen to that of
training and breeding trotters, horses that
could walk five miles an hour would soon
be as abundant as 80 trotters now are.
1he trouble now is that the whole
country is possessed of a mania for
last trotters, and as soon as the colt il
broken to halter. no matter whether he
6e thoroughbred, Conestoga, Norman.
Clydesdale, Hambletonian or Canadian
he is put to trotting. The whole country
Is engaged in training trotters, from the
plowboy in the field to the professional on
the track, to the utter neglect of that more
useful, everyday gait, the walk. Even
the importers of draft stations from
Europe have caught the infection, and,
instead OF bringing the best walkers, we
only hear OF their great trotting action"
1t IS time TO put an end to this nonsense;
the gait for a draft horse is pre-eminently
walk, while nothing adds more to the
ability OF the roadster to make long
Journey in good time than walking gait
that will carry him along at the rate of
five miles an hour. The first aim, when
colt is broken to the harness, should be
TO educate him to a good. fast walk, and
after that has been done, if you can get
him to trot fast. so much the better. One
of the most successful breeders of trotting
horses in America has often remarked to
US that he would not keep horse on his
place that was not a fast walker. and that
he had invariably found that the fastest
walkers made the fastest trotters. 1t is a
positive luxury to ride or drive a horse
that can walk off with you at the rate of
five miles an hour 1t is such a relief to
ieel that when you ease up your horse
from his swinging trot, or lope, that you
have not come to a standstill, but that you
are yet making respectable progress. For
our own private use on the road, the walk
is the gate which we prize above all
others. and anything which promises to
increase the number of fast walkers shall
receive onr hearty ncouragement.-
Spirit Of the Times.
A BAsHFuL BRIDEGRooM.-The ALBANY
journal adds new story of a wedding
A rural couple. it says. called upon an
Amsterdam clergyman for the purpose of
getting married. They were very bash.
iul, and it is possible that their wants
might not have been made known to the
clergyman but for the fortunate circum
stance that the would be groom was &C.
companied by his sister. who finally took
matters in hand and stated the object Of
their visit. Alter entering the room the
young man stood in the centre of it, with
his hat on, and acted as if he had been
struck with club. His sister pushed him
into seat and pulled off his hat. He
stared. When il was time for the cere-
mony to begin it was found to be diff
cnlt task to get him in position, but this
was finally accomplished and the solemn
services commenced, the sister standing
up next 10 her brother and keeping an
eagle eye on the entire proceedings
Whenever it came the youths turn 10 an
swer, the sister had to prompt him, which
she did. audibly and severely. But the
climax was capped when the couple were
requested to join right hands, and the
young man extended his left and held it
there. Such sisterly pokine in the ribs
as he got was a caution. Confusion en-
sued and meanwhile the dominic was so
full OF laugh that it was almost impossible
for him to go on with the ceremony. He
finally got through with it, however, and
received q bag OF beans for his trouble.