Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1876-04-21
That Mare.

No, she amt the handsomest critter
that ever lived, du suppose" said Uncle
Reuben, running his long, thin fingers
through his shaggy locks, "but will de-
clare, if ever there was beast to go as if
she were follered, and mind her own
business on the road she will beat the
Dutch. She amt none of your new
| tangled, fancy-blooded coots nuther, for |
raised her myself, and know. But she'll
go, tell you, and if you'll be careful on
her I'll let ye take her Jest this once"
We felt honored. Here we had come
up to the Franconia Mountains tie first
time in years, and had left the city with
the lightest heart and brightest anticipa-
tions. They were now TO be realized.
Early spring was the season, and trout
was the object of our visit, We had pro-
vided ourselves with every conceivable
necessary of fishing paraphernalia, and
all we now desired was horse to take
us to Mad River" which plungcs and
foams, sparkles and gurgles, dashes and
splashes, its brilliant, beautiful way,
down toward the Merrimac, from the
fastness of Black Mountain, fifteen miles
away.
We looked at the mare as she stood
with her muzzle thrust through the bars,
her winter coat half on, her fetlocks
dragging in the mud, her tail docked half
way, her name at loose ends, and several
| CALLED places on her sides and neck, in
dicative OF some possible toughness in tho
harness or thills. But we felt honored.
| Uncle Reuben was not always willing to
let even his nephews drive his horses, We
doubted in our hearts that the mare could
ego" so, as the old fellow said, but we
were glad 10 get any "nag" which would
jog us comfortably and safely along 10 the
fishing ground.
"Ye aint goin' alone, be yep said
Aunt Sally, as that mare and stood in
the "up country open wagon; l ar.
ranging my tackle" and she with her
nose about to touch the earth, her eyes
half shut, and one hind foot n tip-toe TO
rest her leg, before she had Travelled rod.
" IT ye so alone, I'm afraid somethinll
happen to ye." "Oh, don't worry"
said we, smilingly, the mare don't look
very lively" "She is, though" an.
swered Uncle Reuben, land ye'd better
keep pretty taut rein ON her. Good
luck to yet" as we finally fiourished the
whip, and "she" slowly logged out of
the yard.
That mare had queer step. She went
as il she was half cat. She stole along
almost without a sound. Slowly she went
|
her feet. In spite of the uphill, rocky,
deep.rutted roads, which in this unsettled
season were sometimes gouged" almost
hall across the way, we could hardly hear
a footstep on the gravel. She had no gait
at all. She had not even two. If she
had any at all, it was a covered, multi
piled, myriad hammered affair, which was
one thing and ten other things all at once.
She hopped up on one leg and ambled on
another. The other kept up quick pat
tering trot, and the fourth, as we say in
races, Z" did the running" Her head
she held perfectly stiff Her nose was
slightly elevated heayenward, and it did
not vary an inch in three miles, We
laughed at her and enjoyed her.
We paid no attention to the driving
but, seeing she was perfectly safe, gazed
about us on the exquisite mountain seen
cry, the caps of snow glistening in the
glorious light of the fresh, clear day, the
first glimpses of green along the book
ways, the budding of the willows, the
somber darkness OF the pine-clad hills
and all the infinite tiny beauties which 20
the close observer are never absent from
the country landscape.
AS we were curiOusly watching the
flight of +" three black crows" which
were making specks of themselves across
Il mountain hollow, we noticed the mare
had quickened her pace. The old wagon
began to jingle its loose screws in little
livelier manner, and the creak of wheel
which needed oiling began TO be sugges.
tive. What caused this increase in veloc-
ity we knew not and cared not. We drew
the rein "taut," as we had been advised,
and were pleased at our rate of speed.
The mare kept on. She went gradual
ly faster. How she went no tongue can
tell. There is no language capable of
describing the sixteen ways she went at
once. But she kept in the road and she
minded her business" well. She went
little faster all the time. She began TO
get down to a three. minute gait. We
concluded this was swift enough for com
fort. Up hill and down, over gullies and
stones, ON she went. We mildly insin-
uated that she might get tired. We
pulled on the reins and shouted whoa. "
We got tired. That mare continued Ia
get along-slowly but surely getting down
TO $50. We were by this time little
anxious. We had been 80 busy chatting
in friendly way TO the mare, telling heI
that her health might suffer, that we had
forgotten to keep track of the guide posts
We were not sure that we were hurrying
the right way. But we were sure we were