River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-11-14
THE THIRTY-NINg DOLLAR MARE.

|
your readers, and so write it out for
you.
"Speaking of horses" remarked the
leading talker of the evening-"speaking
of horses, reminds ae OF mare knew
a long time ago, when three minute.nags'
weren't SO plenty as we hear tell about
now a-days.
| uThere was q blacksmith in the town
where I then lived who was a very fair
JUDGE of a horsr, and who generally own
| ed .rusher,' for those fimes--though al
most his entire for une was ordinarily in
vested in his crab He sold his mare
one day, and kept ais eye open for an
other beast, when he right kind of an
animal might fall in his way.
aft CHANGED soon afterward, that there
came TO the door of his little shop, one
day, a gray mara long, lean bodied
wench--the owner Of which desired to
| have her shod The blacksmith looked
in her mouth Gas horsemen sometimes
wil), and then hetried her dock. He
stood in front of her, and then beside
of her, and then examined her feet-and
then went TO work to shoe her.
| allow old is sheY' he asked, quietly,
as he proceeded TO pare and trim her
hoofs
Nine years come spring. said her
owner.
1.-THE blacksmith Looked in her mouth
again, and said, Yes, you can warrant
that
Warrant well, sle's good beast,
ANYHOW responded tire other.
ais she sounag
GAS fresh hick'ry nut
Kinds?
Gas cosset sheep
MAYBE you'd sell herr continued the
blacksmith, slowly, IS he finished her
last foot.
".Yes.' replied the owner, handing the
blacksmith, dollor 'or his JOB. Yes,
III sell her.
"'How much moneT, cash down?"
'Forty-fiv dollars
Five and forty2 She must be
good I'm, then
't.She is a good one
8 Say forty, stranger, and I'll venture
to take her.
s.The bargain was closed, and the
stranger walked away with his old sad
die on his arm, aud tho gray maze walk
ed into the blacksmith's little shed stable.
1t was heap Of money for him to put
into a single horse, but he thought she
had points in her making up, notwith-
standing The fact that she hadn't been
overfed of late, or too carefully groomed.
"a little care and grooming soon
developed her more satisfactorily, and
the purchaser, chanting to be dozen
miles from home one night, hurried up
her cakes on his way back, and led
noted three minute pelter straight INTO
town. like open and shut.
We'll done, well done, old thirty
nine' said the blacksmith. enthusiast
cally, as he applied TWO huge straw wisps
to her reeking sides, nor left her while q
single hair was tuned upon her body.
We'll done, old oman; I'll take you
round Walnut Hill, and we ii see about
this
"And he did take her therc--once,
twice, thrice-tifty times; but he said
nothing, only that tie mare was good
creetur to draw, and ne was content with
| her.
.At the end of four or five months, the
old man took a leaihern pouch, shut up
shop, and rode his gray mare into Boston
hating at the old Eastern Stage House
in Ann Street Hero he remained quietly
for three or four days, scarcely showing
himself, and never speaking of his mare
"OEe evening he heard some of the
bows in the BARRON talking horse,
and he listened earnestly.
"Go?" said one of them, i rather
| think he can. in two.ffty, sureP
"'Ha, har roared the rest, for three
minute horses, even, were not very plenty
at that period.
Go. I'd like to match him again ST
something that can trot. Your wiiggles
and hackers and runners are not the
thing. Give me square trotter, and
can Just leave him That's all.
".Ken you9 asked g. voice near by,
modestiy.
"The company turned about, and saw
an unshorn, rough-vKaged man sitting Ia
his shirt-sleeves, to whom the young
buck did not ,eply at all. Our black
smith, for it was be, continued to smoke
the pipe The boys put their heads to-
gether for lark, ana the foremost askeds
Perhaps you've got horse that you
would like o exercise a little9'
"s Yaas,' responded the rude-dressed
tranoer; L don't mind little exercise
| for the old mare. But you don't bate
nothing on it, / take it2'
".Why, yes. Just for the name of the
thing. wen go five hundred or So
Five hundred whatF exclaimed the
green I'm, jumping from his chair and
smashing his pipe at the same moment.
Five hundred dollars. to be sure
40, git outl you're jokin'.'
Ono: we can't trot him short of that
it wouldn't pay
"'Wal, now, look here, nabur; III tell
| you what I'll do. I'll trot boss again
hoss-yourn again mine-in harness.
No, sir, that won't do
a'But five hundred! Come, say fifty.
That's enough, rally.
| But there was no other way, AMI the
blacksmith placed his money et last IN
| tie landlords hands. which the sharper
instantly covered.
".Do you know hiInn they asked, as
the old fellow moved off.
NC said Ire host; me has just come
in from Salem, he says
'.The preiimidaries were quickly ar
ranged, and the afternoon but one fol
lowing was named far the trot, over
the Upper Mill Dam Road. Everybody
4 had heard of the queer bet bsrore night
the next evening. and the road was filed
with pedestrians and carriages. The
challenging party lived in Charlsstown
and the horse they had named was the
crack of the time; so they cared nothing
about what was to tTot against him, and
asked no questions.
THE day was clear and cool, and The
blacksmith had been upon the ground
ulI two hours. His gray mare stood al
the roadside in a vretehea harness ano
worse gig Though the latter was ighi
and strong, and several times, as The
company gathered, she lad been moved
and bufeted Tor being in the way q gen,