The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-08-04
The Difference in Horses.

The Difference in Horses.
There has been great change in
livery horses in the last twenty
wears. Years ago, if young fellow
wanted to take his girl out riding,
and expected to enjoy himself, he
had to hire an old horse, the worst
in the livery stable, that would drive
itself, or he never could get his arm.
around his girl to save him. Ii he
took a decent-looking team, TO put
ON stvle, he had to hang on to the
lines with both hands, and even If
he took his ewes off the team long
enough to look at the sugering glri
beside him, with his mouth, the
chances were that the team would
Jump over ditch, or run away, at
the conclusion. Riding out with
Girls was shorn of much of its pleas
ure in those days. We knew a
young man that was going to put one
arm around his girl if he didn't lay
up a cent, and it cost him over three
I hundred dollars.
The team ran away, the buggy
was wrecked, one horse was killed,
the girl had her hind leg broken and
her father kicked the young man all
over the orchard and broke the main
spring of his watch. 1t got so that
/ the livery RIG a young man drove
was an index to his thoughts. If he
+ had stylish team that was right up
on the bit, and full of vinegar, and
4 he braced himself and pulled for all
that was out, and the girl sat back
/ in the corner of the buggy, looking
as though she should faint away if a
horse got his tail over a line, then
people said that couple was all right,
and there was no danger that they
would be on familiar terms But if
they started out with slow old horse
that looked as though all he wanted
was to be let alone, however inno-
cent the party look, people knew
lust as well as though they had seen
1t that when they got out on the
road, or when night came on, that
fellows arm would steal aronnd heI
waist, and she would snug up to
him and-O, pshaw, you have heard
it before
Well, of late years the livery men
have got onto the racket" as they
say at the church sociables. They
have found that horses that know
their business are in demand, and st
horses are trained for this purpose
They are trained on purpose for out
, door sparkling 1t is not an uncom
mon thing to see a young fellow
, drive up to the house where his cir
. lives with a team that is Just tearin!
things. They prance and chaml
: the bit, and the young man seems It
, pull on them as though his liver wa
coming out. The horses will hardl,
stand still long enough for the girl f
: get in, and then start off and seem t
, split the air wide open, and tn
r neighbors say, "them children vii
get all mashed up oneof these days.
e The girls father and mother see tn
| team start, and their minds eXperi
: ence a relief as they reflect that "a
: long as John drives that frisky tear
/ there can't be no huggin' a-goin' on.
|. The girls older sister sighs and say
e that's so, and goes to herroom an
5 laughs right out loud. 1t would b
instructive to the scientists to waite
if that team for a few miles. Th
u horses fairly foam before they &C
out of town, but striking the com
>. try road the fiery steeds come dow
It to a walk, and they NOPE along &
t. though they had always worked o
r Il hearse. The shady woods al
! reached, and the carriage scarcel
v moves, and the horses seem to |
walking in their sleep, The line
q, are loose on the dash board, and th
g left arm of the driver is around til
- pretty girl and they are talking loy
= 1t is not necessary to talk loud, {
they are so near each other that I'll
g faintest whisper can be heard. Bu
= change comes over them. \ ca
u riage appears in front, coming t,
II wards them. The young man pick
Z up the lines and the horses are i
: the air, and as they pass the otht
: carriage 1t almost seems as thoug
!. the team is running away, and tn
\ \ girl that was in sweet repose m'
Il ment before acts as though she wan
II II ed to jump out. After passing ii
II intruder the walk and conversatio
is continued. If you meet that pa
Z ty on the Whitefsh Bay road at te
o'clock at night, the horses are wall
h ing as quietly as oxen, and the
7r never wake up until coming int
D, town. If the driver seems to b
ID asleep one of the horses will kick Il
% singletrees and wake him up, an
d then he pulls up the horses an
Of drives through town like a cyclon
and when he pulls up to the hou:
W the old man is on the steps and |
j. thinks John must be awful tire
l. trying to hold that team. And I
e. is.
ID 1t is thought by some that hors,
n. have no intelligence, but a team tn
at knows enough to take in a sporad
r. case of buggy-sparking has got sens
a These teams come high but the bo,
= have to have them.