The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-06-27

upon him; but altogether it made very
| dismal household. l worked outdoors ana
| stayed outside as much as possible, partly
from q desire TO be doing somethings and
partly to escape the unpleasantly -doleful
| indoor atmosphere. - -
at run along in this way about ten days
before father made up his mind what to
| do. 1t must have been near the end OF the
month, when NeighbOr Gordon came over
| one day and talked with him long time;
and as soon as he was gone, mother called
me in.
"sWell, Tom,' said father, as l entered
the room and sat down by the fire, I've
about made up my mind to send you OF to
| buy a horse. Perhaps we might depend on
our neighbors, or by fixing up one-horse
the best plan will be to buy horse. We
must have another in the spring any way.
| and we might as well have the use of it this
winter.
"T'm going to trust you to make the
purchase. Neighbor Gordon offered to go
for me, but I'd rather send you. have
engaged him to haul load of wood to last
while you are gone so you can start for
Wisconsin tomorrow morning; that is, If
| YOU are willing to go. What do you think!
Can you buy a horse and not get cheated?
"'Trust me for that, father said /. con-
fidently. And / think it's the best thing
we can do, under the circumstances Then
be better for me not to appear over -anxious
if really wanted to go, which was the
case. In truth, my desire for horse was
only exceeded by my eagerness to assume
the responsibility of its purchase.
"'Well,' said father, you may try it,
ANYWAY. pll let you take a hundred dol
lars with you, but you ought to get good
horse for a little less than that. And now,
Tom, don't let your business be known till
you are well across the river; and then
look out for sharpers, and don't get some
worn-out old plug showed on to you at
big price, pr &C.. .tt.r,oon and svsn,no father
kept up such running fire of suggestions
and directions that l lost my patience, and
went to bed resolving that when returned
l would show the old gentleman such a
bargain in horsefesh as would convince
him that knew thing or two myself.
"The next morning was up and away
as soon as could see to travel. After a
tramp of thirty five miles, l stopped for
the night at house five miles west of the
river. The second day, about nine O'Clock,
/ struck the river at Brownsville, where
hired a man to row me across in skill.
The Father of Waters at this point looked
more like forest than river, which effect
was produced by the many low-lying,
swampy islands, covered with dense
growth of timber.
SIN those DAYS, too, there were some
pretty tough places and a good many hard
customers along the river, and these islands
afforded a safe and convenient hiding place
| for all such characters. Indeed, they were
the common resort and known rendezvous
of all the thieves and desperadoes in the
country.
"That was why father had warned me
not to make my business known until was
safe across the river. And you may be
sure l did not. struck for tall timber as
| lon oil .nf an
dinner, although itwas past noon. made
fifteen miles that afternoon, and stayed
over night with a farmer named Cheat
ham. f tH 1ff1 fii
"When / started on the next morning,
began to make inquiries for horses, but
there seemed to be few for sale. However
about noon that day / CHANGED to come
across a young fellow on horseback, who
was talking with man at the roadside
From the few words overheard as | came
up, inferred that he was trying to dispose
of his horse. And so he was, for he imme-
diately turned to me and asked if / didn'
want to buy good horse; and without
giving me time to answer, went on to tel
his story.
''He said his home was in st. Louis, but
he had been at work that summer for q
farmer who lived twenty miles further east
He had heard that morning that his mother
, was lying at the point of death, and that b,
again in this world. Accordingly he wa!
fastening to the river to catch the frs
down steamer. But he had no ready money
he had taken the horse in payment for hi!
summers work, because the farmer could
not raise the money on so short notice, an6
! he was determined to sell him before hs
! reached the river. He would sell him fol
> half his value; fifty dollars would buy
him, he said.
swell, l looked the horse over; / exam.
ined him closely, and for aught could see
he was perfectly sound and all right il
every way. Here is my chance
thought, TO make a bargain that will cause
the old gentleman to open his eyes, So
told the fellow would give him just forty
dollars for the horse, and not a cent more
and he took me up quicker'n you could say
'scatv But didn't think much about thai
just then; was only too glad to pay hin
the money and call the horse mine.
"The young man started on toward the
river as soon as he had pocketed the money
and never saw him again. The farmer
who had watched the whole transaction
lived near by; so I got dinner with him
and also fed my horse, which appeared t.
have been hard-ridden. tas
"After dinner mounted and started fol
home, jubilant over my great bargain
didn't want to reach the river that might
anyway. Everything went well till about
four O'Clock, when, much to my surprise,
heard tremendous chatter of hoofs in tn,
road behind me. Almost at the same in
slant my horse took fright at a partridg,
that few up at the roadside, and dashed of
down the road at the top of his speed.
tried my best to stop him, but could not.
jerked and sawed on him with all my
might, but for all the good it did might q.
well have yanked ON the rock of Gibraltar
However, after running a mile and q
half, my hard -mouthed Pegasus seemed al
at once to change his mind, and stopped
almost as suddenly as he started. l imme
diately dismounted and led him outside tn,
track, in order to give the horsemen behinc
me an unobstructed passage, as they wer'
coming up at a break-neck pace, and
thought it best to let them pass before
started on again.
''But they didn't pass! quickly fount
myself surrounded by an excited Grove
, of fifteen or twenty mounted men
, They seemed terribly in earnest abou
something, and soon found out what tina
| something was.
Whats up?' said I, inquiringly, as tn,