Morris tribune., 1880-07-29
CAPTAIN TODD'S HORSE.

"You see, DR.. Bragg observed Capt.
Todd, Il want reg lar clipper hoss.
don't want stiffness and breadth of beam
so much as want good clean run. |
want horse to show off with. you see.
"Well, SIR" said the doctor patting on
the neck of vicious looking animal
which he had By the bride, aft you want
| smart horse, can't recommend better
| animal than this. Just look at those heels.
Hi! Don't go near 'em! AS told you,
I've three horses that l want to sell but
if you want horse that will go, this Is
just the beast for you"
"You see, said the captain. confident,
ally, ~ don't know much about horses.
am seafaring man. Followed the sea,
man and boy, nigh thirty years Now
I'm a. going to settle down on shore and
I'm looking around for wife. l don't
mind telling you that I'm sort O court
IN the Widow Bum. Now the widow
is very fond of good fast boss, ana
there's another feller-Sam Bliss
| shinin' round the widow, too
Sans got a tirst-rate hoss, and takes the
widow to ride good deal. Now il
don't get something better than Sans
| got won stand any show, for the wild
| oS Will be sure to ride most with the
man that's got the fastest horse, don't
you see9"
| The doctor nodded afirmativelg. ~
see" he said, y see. Well, l think the
mare will suit you She's knowing
beast. Just see hom :.'r ears are lald
back listening. II you I!,i her getting
lazy, Just touch her up with the whip,
and she'll climb, can tell you."
"Well,'' said the captain, ''if she's all
you say she is bring her around to night
and turn her into my pasture, and to-
morrow I'll hitch her up in my new
buggy and give her trial"
the next afternoon Capt Todd run his
bright new buggy out of the barn, and
throwing halter over his arm, sum.
moned Bill Tyke, and proceeded to the
pasture, where the doctor had left the
mare the previous evening.
Bill Tyke was the captains right-hand
man. He had sailed with the captain
all his life, and now that the captain had
retired from active duty, Bill had re-
tired with him, and undertaken to learn
the art of farming. In appearance he
was much like what the immortal Burns
might have been, and he was no. much
the inferior of that worthy in taci-
turnity and oracular wisdom.
/ The captain and his factotum circum-
navlgated the pasture and bore down up
on the mare persuasively from the wind
ward; but that intelligent animal saw
them coming and iattened her ears. The
captain was almost within reach, when she
threw up her head, changed ends, and
cantered away to the further end Of the
field.
The captain swore round oath, and
divided his forces. Bill Tyke was sent
to coast cautiously around the fepcc
while the captain lay off and on in the
ofing. But it was game the mare un-
derstood best. She trotted leisurely over
the pasture, keeping tantallzlngly out of
reach, and resisting all the Establishments
offered her in the shape of wheedling
words and ears of corn.
The captain and Bill fell to talking,
and followed the beast around tor an
hour. At last, with consummate gener
alship they succeed in cornering her, and
as she tried to rush between them both
rushed at her name.
The captain was successful, and held
on like grim death; but Bill Tyke failed
to secure a satisfactory grip. and was
kicked mead over heels into blackberry
bush, whence he emerged torn, bleeding
and talking worse than ever. As to the
captain, he was dragged hundred yards
before helmanaged to s'board'' the beast,
but at last he found himself on her back,
tearing across the pasture and bounding
a foot in tie air at every jump. The
mare made straight for the bars, went
over them, and finally came to halt in
the captains dooryard. The captain
| slipped off In an exhausted condition
and drove his new purchase into the
barn.
i The operation of Harvesting was one
requiring all the seamanship of both the
captain and Bill Tyke to successfully
perform. The uses of various straps
buckles and "belaying pins" were tho
subject of severe animated discussions
before the harness was finally adjusted
| When all was complete, Bill Tyke cruis
cd around the wagon several times, anc
observed that "the darned thing was al
right. anyhow"
Il "Then, !" said the captain, siest put tina
/ old boat anchor into the buggy, with
] about three fathoms OF stout line, an yo,
git in behind. Darn ye," he continued
addressing the mare, ''if ye play a tricl
: like that again, I'll fix ye."
81 Bill marched off to the tool.house ane
returned, carrying an ir.n keelvck and
coil of inch MANILA rope. Two one enc
of this line he fastened the anchor. TIL,
other, by the captains directions, he tie,
by double hitch to the rear axle of tn,
ON.
, Il "Now, said the captain, slump in
, Bill. I'llmake the old vixen hum whel
we get the widow in"
II TO the captains great delight, th,
I widow was at home, and surveyed
; the new turnout with admiration. Tn
, harness, she thought, looked somewha
| peculiar, but she aid not know mucl
about such things. Of course she woult