The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-11-08
WINDING UP A HORSE.


but Il vcritahle live horse.
When breaking him to 90 in the carriage
he had been injured An accident occurred
in starting him the first time, ana he was
thrown and hurt and frightened. 1t made
! him timid afraid to start. After he had
once started he would never ball<, until
taken ont of the carriage. . lie was
all right under the saddle, an excellent rid
ing horse, and would carry Inc long dis
tances in my district work, 80 that did not
wish to dispose of him; but could not af-
ford to keep two; whatever had must 90
in carriage as well rs ride, and | determined
that l would conquer.
How have worked over that horse. At
| first it sometimes took Inc an hour TO get
him started from my door. At last, after
trying every thing l had ever heard of,
hit upon an expedient that worked | took
4 strong bamboo stick two feet long and
over an inch thick. \ stout cord loop was
passed through ! hole two inches from its
end This loop We would slip over his left
ear down to the roots, and turn the stick
round and round, and twist it up.
1t is said that 4 horse can retain but one
idea at time in its small brain. Soon the
twisting would begin to hurt. His attcn-
ton would be attracted to the pain in his
ear. He would forget all about the car
rage, bend down his head, and walk off rs
quiet Us lamb. When he had gone rod
the horse boy would begin to untwist, and
the horse would be all right for the day.
The remedy never failed.
After having it on two or three times, he
objected to having it OIL, and would spring
about and rear and pitch and back.
We would have, two of us, TO begin 10 pat
and rub about his neck and head. lie
would not know which had the key. All
at once it would be on his ear and winding
up. The moment it began to tighten he
would be quiet, and stand and bear it as
long as he could, and then off he would go.
1t never took thirty seconds to get him off
with the key. After 4 little time he ceased
Directing to have it put on. lie seemed to
say to himself, I" have got to give in, and
may as we'll do it ut once" but he would
not start without the key. In few months
he got so that, as soon IS we got in the car
riaga, he ,rould bend dorm his head to hare The
KEY PIT on, and one OF iwo turns would be
enough.
Ny native neighbors said ''That horse
must be wound up, or lie cannot run
When he got so That the winding up
was nothing but Il form, tried to break
him Of that, but could not succeed. would
pat him and talk 10 Kim and give him lit
tie salt OF sugar or bread, and then step
quietly into the carriage and tell him to sc.
"&o." Coax him. NO" Whip him.
No" Legs braced, every muscle tense
Tor resistance. y genuine baik. Stop and
keep quiet for All Instant, and he would
bend over his ear and look around Tor the
horse-hoy appealingly, saying very earn
estly by his actions, DO please wind me
up. l can't 90 without it, but I'll 60 gladly
if you will
Many hearty laughs have we and our
friends had over the winding up of that
horse. We kept him six years. The last
week | owned him | had to wind him up.
I sold the patent to the man that bought the
use it as long rs he lived.
was thinking about that horse the other
night when il was too hot to sleep Che has
returned to India), and | suddenly burst
into laugh as l said to myself, 81 have
again and again, in the membership of our
churches at home, seen that horse that had
to be wound up, in all matters OF benevo-
lence."
I had often thought Of that horse as I
went through our churches at home, and
imagined that | recognized him. but the
whole thing came upon mo with such pecu-
liar force, the other night that l must write
out my thoughts.
There are Christians eyes, I believe they
are C1iStjals) who have to be wound up by
some external pressure before they will
start off in any work of benevolencs.
knew OF one good member of our church
who would never give cent to our Domes-
tic Missionary Board, unless he happened
10 hear of seine missionary in the West who
was actually without the necessaries of life,
and then he would send in literally 1t
took that TO wind him up.
Bat it was especially of my visits through
the churches in connection with or foreign
missionary work that | WAS thinking.
Thank God, found hosts Of noble-hcart-
ed men and women all through the church
that needed no winding up; whose CONVEX
sion and Consideration had extended down
to their pockets: who We're always ut the
forefront in every good work: who required
no spaSmodic appeals. They gave from a
deep-set principi" and an intelligent love for
| Christ and His cause
But there are others who have to be
d" wound up" willing or unwilling, before
they will do anything in missionary work.
Some are very willing to he wound up.
"Dominie,'' said good old elder, who
had just introduced himself to me one day,
-, to see if you would not come out and
| give us missionary talk. We ought to
| have sent in n collection to the Foreign
Board months ago, but We neglected it; and
now we have been talking it over, and have
made up our minds to do something hand
some if you will come ont there and give us
n talk
"We!l," said |, 81 shall lie very glad to
come and tell you something of our work
Just as soon as | can edge day in between
other engagements. But if You have made
up your minds to DO something handsome
for the Board, why not do it at once, and
relieve their present pressing need, and l
will come rs soon as | can and give the talk
all the same"
"Oh no." said he. ave can't do that
We have made up our minds that we must
give literally, but we can start easier if you
come there and give us the talk first. You
need not fear. We will give Il good sum;
that is settled, and it is almost pledged
| But you must come and talk to Us first"
| smiled, and said 10 myself "There is
nv horse in its third stage of training
That church is bending down its ear and
entreating me to twist it, for it has made up
its mind to 60, only it requires to be wound
up first
A Sunday school superintendent came to
me one day with smiling countenance, say
ing: "Our Sunday school has raised Sl7j
during the past year for missions, and we