Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-02-20
Uhe freeman.
Caught Mapping.

caught NuppIuss
Here is a case which recently came un
der NV own observation, and it Is so gooC
that cannot refrain from telling it.
Phil Bigbee keeps stable not thou
sand miles from here, and he IS one oI
YOUR keen. shrewd chaps who pride them.
selves on their quckne>s and sureneSs oil
vision His fayori,e expression was: -
Ye don't catch me mapping This he
says every day ut any rate, and often many
times a day. lie says it when there is nc
earthly need Of it, In fact, he seems i'm
pressed with the idea that people Labor
under some dreadful suspicion of danger
from his mapping; so heSeeps them easy
by keeping them assured that no such dWe
event can possibly happen. say lie 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
strangers now about the impossibility OF
his getting caught mapping. Perhaps they
believe it.
One brigh. morning, before the snow
came, Phil went over to P-to see a
four-vear-od colt owned by an inn-keepet
there, and Of which he had often heard
He could not see the animal, however, for
it was of somewhere to pasture, but Brock
the inn-keeper promised to bring him over
the next day. Accordingly, on the follow
ing dav, Brock came over with the horse,
leading him behind bis team. 1t was a
bay geIding, only four and Il half years old,
and mad never been used to work at all.
lie had been broken to harness, but never
driven, so Of course he must be sound.
Phil looked him all over, felt his legs
Joints, ribs, etc examined his teeth, eyes,
noofs; and then led him around by the
halter The animal made splendid APP
pearance, and Phil finally concluded to
trade He had Il horse worth hundred
AMI 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
tive dollars and took the horse away, leav-
ing his four-year-old instead thereof with
the money.
There, said Phil AS he put the money
into his wallet, there's what | call a trade.
That horse that Brock Il leadin' off is
worth Just one hundred and half, and if
this colt don't bring me two hundred in
the spring Ill eat him. But mind We this,
be added, with Il wicked wink, that horse
is worth = hundred and half-I say-but
he'll never see his sixteenth year again.
That's my opinion. Brooks got him Just
rs his worth is changin'.
However, there were enough who knew
better than that. They knew that the ami
nal 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 ride
his new colt up to the wstering-trough-a
drinking place by the roadside some quar-
ter of mile distant. So he put on the
DrIdIe, and 7aulIed upon ms back. The
animal started off with noble movement.
and Phil thought he would ride him about
the yard for 4 few moments just to let the
people there assembled see him move.
Amt them movements? cried Phil, as
he bent his head to watch the throw of the
colt legs.
Some one said, yes but just rs he spoke
the colt stoPped-Eaye one deep hollow
gasp-anq then SUNK down Ike n dead
horse. Here was fix. PAil stood for a
few minutes Ike one petritied.
What Is tAls: he gasped, turning pale :;
for the colt mad now gained his feet and
stood trembling and gasplng like dying
roadster
Nhy-lll tell We, said partial stran-
ger, who happened TO be standing in the
yard. You A1d that horse Of Brock, didn' t
ye?
Yes.
WelI-ye il never make anything more
OF him.
But he haint been used. said Phil, look
ing first upon the man, and then upon the
horse
Ol course he hasn't, was the reply; and
a very good reason why; he cant be
used.
But what 5 the matter with him?
Why his lungs are good for nothing.
He all gone with some kind of disea,e
there. As long rs ye keep him up and
feed him on nothing but meal he'll look
fat; but put bride on, with bit in his
mouth, and he down.
Eh, Phil? Caught mapping, ha9
Not yet. returned Phil, with knowing
shake Of the head. Just you wait q bit.
That horse trade amt finished vet; don't
call myselfnappin' till I'm done to. Nv
leg may be sprained, but taint broke.
Mind that.
one thing however was certain-Phil
h1d got most aWluIly shaved, though folks
We're wiling 10 admit that ii he got his
face all buck agaln the shave woulln'
amount 10 anything lie gained prom
ise rom lho>e present that they would
keep num- and then he led his colt back
INTO Tue stable agalh'
Two days after that Thomas Gutter
drove up to the stable. lie lived in the
town but about hVe mules distant from the
village lie owned horse which Phil
lad Iop& been ANXIOUS to purchase 1t was
II small sorrel mAre' with white mane and
iai, and Il last oIe-Aole to trot mile in
side OF three mlnutes-and only seven
Years old. As soon MS Tom came up,
Phil went to ms boy and babe him take
the bay colt and lead nm out by the back
way to distant PASTURE and then return
by roundabout way
lom' sNd fhIl' aI the same time feeling
Tue riOs ol 'lle sot'e' L.'a'e' ye ever see
that Iout-ycar'old oI Brock s.
No. ,.o -.
Never u'u' le oc2 III TO- IL ; just the
hahdsonlest piece oi uorSe-ne'h ye ever
see: comm nYe next sPrlng-smooti as
Pln-lat as cuo-Welghs ten hundred
anu haIl-ahd ca" troI, now tell you
W mere Is Me- aeheu Iolh.