Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-03-25
Caught Mapping.

under my own observation, and it is so
good that | cannot refrain from telling
it.
Phil Bigbee keeps stable not thou
sand miles from here, and he is one of
your keen, shrewd chaps who pride them
selves on their quickness and sureness
of vision. His favorite expression was:
''Ye don't catch me mapping" This he
says every day at any rate, and often
many times day. He says it when
there is no earthly need of it. In fact,
he seems impressed with the idea that
peopes labor under some dreadful suspi-
cion of danger from his mapping so he
keeps them easy by keeping them assur-
ed that no such dire event can possibly
happen l say he does, should have
perhaps said, he did do this, for within
these few days back he has been rather
mum on the subject, and only tells stran-
gers now about the impossibility of his
getting caught mapping. Perhaps they
believe it.
One bright morning, before the snow
came, Phil went over to P to see a
four-year-old colt owned by an inn-keep-
er there, and of which he had often
heard. He could not see the animal,
however, for it was off somewhere to
pasture, but Brock, the inn keeper prom
ised to bring him over the next day
Accordingly, on the following day, Brock
came over with the horse, leading him
behind his team. 1t was bay gelding.
only four and half years old, and had
never been used to work at all. He had
been broken to harness, but never driv-
en-, so of course he must be sound. Phil
looked him all over, felt his legs, joints.
ribs, ETC.; examined his eyes, teeth,
hoofs and then led him around by the
halter. The animal made a splendid
appearance, and Phil finally concluded
to trade. He had horse worth hund-
red and fifty dollars-well worth it
and he offered to trade that horse for
the colt and twenty-five dollars. Brock
made some objections, but at length paid
the twenty-five dollars and took the
horse away, leaving his four-year-old in.
stead thereof with the money.
There" said Phil, as he put the
money into his wallet, "there's what l
call trade. That horse that Brooks a
leadin' off is worth just one hundred ana
half, and if this colt don't bring me
two hundred in the spring I'll eat him.
But mind ye this he added, with a
wicked wink, "that horse is worth a
hundred and a half-I say-but he'll
never see his sixteenth year again. That
is my opinion. Brooks got him just as
his worth is changin. "
However, there were enough who knew
better than that They knew that the
animal Phil had put off was not over
twelve, and that for power of endurance
he had no superior in the town.
Towards night, Phil concluded to rid,
his new colt up to the watering trough
"a drinking place by the roadside SOM
quarter of mile distant. So he put OF
the bride, and vaulted upon his back
The animal started off with a nobl
movement, and Phil thought he woul'
ride him about the yard for few mo
ments just to let the people there assem-
bled see him move.
"Ain't them movements ?" cried Phil
e as he bent his head to watch the throv
: of the colts legs.
Some one said yes; but just as h
! spoke the colt stopped-gave one deer
, hollow gasp-and then sunk down lik
/ a dead horse. Here was fix +! Phi
o stood for few moments like one petr
t fed.
"What is this ?" he gasped, turnin
. pale for the colt had now gained h
a feet and stood trembling and gaspir
/ like dying roadster.
4 "Why-I'll tell ye,' said a parti
stranger, who happened to be standir
in the yard. "You had that horse
/ Brock, didn't ye ?'
'r "Yes.'
"a ! "Well-ye'll never make anythil
- - more of him."
OF "But he hain't been used," said Ph
D. looking first upon the man, and tn,
4, upon the horse.
~ ~ "Of course he hasn't" was the repl,
"and very good reason why; he Cal
is be used"
as '.But what's the matter with him p
III "Why, his lungs are good for nothir
He's all gone with some kind of disea
a there. AS long as ye keep him up a
he feed him on nothing but meal he'll 10
at fat but put bride on, with bit
" his mouth, and he's down.
m 'Eh, Phil? Caught mapping, ha
mot yet" returned Phil. with
be knowing shake of the head. "Just y
to wait bit. That horse trade amt f
AT ished yet | don't call myself napp
- nf till I'm done to. My leg may be spra
N, ed, but tain't broke. Mind that"