The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-07-23

It was not long before he had sold the
wheat and came out.
"Why, Ben, where's your puppy?''
"There he is. father.'
"Why, if that amt five-dollar bill!
You don't say sou
Ben explained, and added, "The pig
did it, father.''
''Well. yes. the pig did it. 1t just
beats me, though
"He won't know what to do with q
five-dollar bill.''
"Nor you either But soon's as can
throw off this load we must drive on up
town. There's to be horse auction"
Ben knew what that meant, for his
father knew all about horses, and was
ali the while buying and selling them.
So it was not long before the wagon
was empty, and Ben and his father
made their way to where the horses
were to be sold.
"There's good many of 'em," said
Ben's father. "but the whole lot isn't
worth much. l guess there isn't any
thing here 1 want"
Not many people were bidding for
the horses, and they were indeed poor
looking lot; but pretty soon q gray horse
was led out that limped badly, and was
as thin as if he had been fed on wind.
One man bid dollar for him, and
another bid two, and there was a good
deal of fun made about it; but Ben's
father had very quietly slipped down
from the wagon, and taken q careful
look at the lame horse.
For all that, Ben was little sur
prised when the auctioneer's hammer
fell. and he shouted, '.Sold! for five
dollars, to What's your name, mis-
ter?'
"Ben Whittlesey."
Ben's father said that. But it wasn't
his name. His name was Robert.
"Ben," said his father, when he
came back to the wagon, "hand me
that fve-dollar bill. If can get that
horse home, Ill cure him in a fortnight.
There's no great thing the matter with
him.
the poor lame animal limp so many
miles, and they got home after dark;
but that was just as we'll, for nobody
saw the new horse, or had chance to
laugh at him or his owner.
''It's the pigs horse" said Ben.
Ben's father was as good as his word
about curing the lameness, and plenty
of oats and hay, and no work. and good
care, did the rest. The man who sold
the gray for five dollars would not have
known him at the end of two weeks.
1t was just about two weeks after that
that Ben's father drove the pig s'horse
to town and hack in buggy, and with
a nice new harness on. He stopped at
the blacksmith's shop on his way home,
and Mr.. Corrigan, the blacksmith,
seemed to take great fancy to the
gray.
"Just the nag want, Mr.. Whittle-
sey; only I've no ready cash to pay for
him.
81 don't sell on credit, you know"
said Mr.. Whittlesey. Anything to
trade?''
"Nothing that I know of. Unless
you care to take that vacant lot of
mine next the tavern. 'Tisn't doing
me any good. had to take it for a
debt, and I've paid taxes for it these
three years."
evil you swap even?'
eyes, I might as well.''
There was more talk, of course, be-
fore the trade was finished, but it came
out all right in the end. Before the
next day at noon Mr.. Corrigan owned
the pigs horse; but the deed of the
town lot was made out in the name of
Ben Whittlesey, and not of the pig.
Father" said Ben, at the tea-table,
"mayn't let that pig out in the road
every dayP''
mo, Ben; all the pigs in the village
can't root up another cent like that
"He did it."
"Well, Ben. he did and he didn't.
Do you know how he got the town lot
for you?"
"Why. yes. Don't I?''
"Not quite. You saw him turn up
the cent. and knew what to do with it;
he didn't"
eyes, father"
'sAnd Squire Burchard saw the cent,
and knew what to do with it; you
eyes, father.''
'.And the lady saw your puppy, and
knew what to do with it, and you didn't.
nor either. And saw the gray horse,
and knew what to do with him; the
rest didn't"
'.But I don't know what to do with
the pigs town lot"
.'No, nor Mr.. Corrigan didn't, nor 1
either; but the man from town that's
just bought the old tavern is going to
build it over new, and wants to buy
that lot to build on. tell you what,
Ben, my boy, there isn't much in this
world that's worth having unless some
body comes along that knows what to
do with it,
"Benr' suddenly exclaimed his