The Portland daily press., 1881-12-26
zeke's Mad Ride.
How Boy Tried to Count the Hairs in the
Name of a Frightened Horse.
Philadelphia Times.l


Zeke was thought to be the Ounce OF the
family. He wasn't dull exactly, but because
of his quiet ways ard his love Of sleep he got to
be known as the most backward OF the bright
Barnwell boys Zeke was so lazy that he
couldn't even count, though twelve years OF
age. When along about noon his father
would say: "Run and tell me whas time it Isl
Zeke would lock at the clock and remark:
''Little hands a stickin' straight up! one
day Jerry, the black man, made fun OF zeke,
saying: "G'lang wild ye, ye do'an know yer
foot from hole in de ground; gway from
heah en- larn to count up yer A. B. C's." What
Jerry said made the lad feel ashamed. Ihat
night he covered his head with quilt and SAID
to himself that he wished a bugaboo would
catch him by the toes and take him to the bad
place.
AS he was feeding the horses next morning
he asked his friend Joe, the stableman, how
he could learn to count. Joe Laughed ana
winked at big horse named Bob. "Why
you poster, you, why don't you get up ONO
mane?' That made Zeke's blood feel hot in
his face "AlI right" he said, and bouncing
from the hay NOW he lighted upon Bob's back.
Bob was taken by surprise He wasn't IN the
habit Of having boys on his BACK at oreaklas,,
so he started in a wild run. II Zeke couldn't
count he could ride horse as swallow rides
the air. Away went Bob out the lane and up
the country road. Zeke grasped handful OF
the name and began to pick out the black
threads.
lone, two, three, four, five" but just as
he was about to say six" a violent jerk OF the
horses head drew the name from his hand.
Nothing daunted, however, the boy began
again. Bob was running up the road at fuii
speed. ,,;s.
"vhat are YOU dOin'?o
"Couutin' hairs" said Zeke.
"What little fooll" exclaimed the man:
"He might as well try to number the hairs OF
nv head, but before he could get through with
his job every hair would be gray"
But the dashing horse aud his boc rider
were out of hearing and out OF sight. Ihey
went steadily on for nearly an hour. Ieke
had counted o thousand and BoD's run had
dropped into q swift trot.
"Hold, on said gentleman whom they
met at bridge, what are you doing without
saddle or bridle?"
1Countipg the hairs of the horses name"
remarked Zeke, never looking up.
'Why don't you count the hairs OF his tail?'
roared the gentleman with much merriment.
But on sped Bob with Zeke bending closely
over his neck.
soon afterward the frightened horse came to
the Schuylkill River. Into the water ne trotted
and soon he was swimming for the other shore.
This Zeke had not expected. The shock OF the
cold water caused him to forget his count, and
he was obliged to cling to the name to save his
life. "Anyhow," Zeke said, II find the name
of some use." When Bob reached the other
bank he kept on as madly as before, but seeing
that his rider was more than a match for him
| he at last stopped and began to turn the head
toward Zeke. Meanwhile Zeke had given
over his attempt to count the hairs OF the
name. What he was thinking about was
how he could procure a bride. His
hands still grasped the hairs which felt SO
smooth and strong that the lad decided to try
| to make bride out Of them With his JACK,
knife he succeeded in cutting off several
strands which he tied and twisted together in
| a clumsy fashion. A stick of crooked oak,
whitfield smoothly, served as bit. zeke looked
with pride upon his odd piece OF harness. ana
| he was delighted, when Bob, responding to a
| pull on the rein, trotted off homeward. That
! night Zeke ate his supper in pain in bed, but
/ the strange adventure so worked upon his
mind that it resulted in good. He applied him
| self to his books and now he is a professor In
| ona ~ the hast colleges of the country.