The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1878-03-08
Charley and His Master.

Tommy Gray was not really a bad
boy, but he was regular "Wide
Awake" one of the widest and most
miscellaneous of the kind. He was al
ways on the lookout for fun; fun he
would have even though somebody else
had to pay forit.
Most every one that knew Tommy
liked him for, with all his ROBUSTNESS,
he was honest and good-natured. But
the dogs, and cats, and pigs, and colts,
and calves-they didn't like him bit
They always kept one eye Or him. and
felt uneasy in his presence, were glad
when he was gone you see they didn't
know what moment they might become
the victim of some of his pranks.
Old dog Touser always slept with one
eye open, lest he might find himself
suddenly aroused from his slumbers by
some unwarranted familiarity which
Tommy had taken with his tail.
And the house cat, "Judge," as they
called him, on account of his great gray
ity, had wonderful sympathy with Mr..
Touser in this respect; for many ii me
had his freside maps been suddenly ter
minated by the pulling of his whiskers,
or n severe pinch of his ears, nose or tail
with the tire-tongs.
And even old Charley, the favorite
family horse, who was naturally as grave
and circumspect as q deacon, did not
escape. He had served the family faith
fully through all his minority, and when
he was of age he said nothing about it,
but went on working as cheerfuily, get
ting nothing for 1t but his bed and
board.
But he did feel that his age and faith
full services entitled him to some degree
of respect, and that rudeness or over
familiarity on the part of Tommy, or
any of the youngsters, was out Of place.
Indeed he had such a stately and aristo-
cratic air about him that anybody might
have seen ut q glance that he was the
last horse to relish joke.
But Tommy didn't care for that.
Charley, he knew, was grave and ven
cradle horse, with very little romance
about him.
Charley had good stable, and III 'e,
soft bed of straw and, as he had no
farm work to do, was usually allowed to
sleep in the morning as long as he
pleased. And il was really amusing to
horses when they were being harnessed
for work. You could almost see him
smile, as if he was congratulating him.
self on having such an easy time; and
very often, after the other horses had
gone to work, and there was no one to
bother, he would lie down and take an
other nap.
Charley, as we have said, had nice
bed in the stable, but sometimes, when
the nights were very warm, he was al.
lowed to go ont and sleep in the open
air, which he seemed to enjoy very
much: for there his slumbers and dreams
were not disturbed by the noise and fuss
which the other horses made in the
stable when they did not feel very well
or when they CHANGED to be wakeful.
But one morning, after delightful
nights rest, he was walked from his
slumbers at an unusually early hour
Somebody was whistling cold Oar
Tucker" right in his ear. He knew il
was Tommy. Tommy seemed very
friendly, and said, "Good morning
Charley" went up to him, and rubbed
his nose and face, stroked his back, anc
told him he had some ugly burrs in hii
tail. which, if bed lie still, he'd take out
Charley would have very much pre-
ferred to have the hired man take the
burrs ont. but as he was polite horse
and as Tommy had 80 kindly offered t.
remove them, it was nothing more thar
good manners to accept the kindness a
his hands.
After the burrs were removed, as Char
ley supposed, and Tommy had gone
and it being too early to get up, h
closed his eyes, and appeared to be list
ening TO the sweet songs of the birds OF
the apple-tree branches above him. o.
he may, for all we know, have beer
meditating upon.his past useful life, an,
congratulating himself upon his cas-,
circumstances, and quiet, peaceful OLE
age.
He was aroused from this dream,
reverie by the shrill voice OF Tommy