The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1885-07-23
HORSE THAT ate SUGAR.

Calverley village, raising cloud of dust
and rousing all its peaceful inhabitants
from the profoundest matutinal maps
went three or four mounted men, pull
ing after them by halters as many more
horses. So sudden and so furious was
the onslaught, and so silent the streets
after it was over, that the night capped
heads thrust between the Calverley
shutters could not have believed, save
for the dust that still hung mysterious
ly in the dewy morning air, and the dim
echoes that came floating back from the
"hurrving rout," that such noise had
been in front of their houses but mo-
ment before.
Till far beyond her piercing ken
The hurricane had swept the glen,
quoted Mr.. John Savage, the minister,
thinking of the falcon in the Lady OF
the Lake. II guess they've got to as
safe woods as 'Uam- Var by this time,
too" he said, as he still continued to
peer through the gray darkness of the
ealy dawn, in the vain hope of finding
something to safe his curiosity. "Hcl-
lo!" as ho saw his neighbor, Mr.. Blinn,
the storekeeper, snllying forth, half
dressed, from his house across the way.
whats up?"
II reckon it's them horsethieves
that's been dom so much damage
herein over Holland way" returned
Mr.. Blinn hoarsely, "Ill bet there's
somebody after them, too, or they
wouldn't a made so much noise as
that"
The street was by this time pretty
we'll astir, and Mr. John Savage with
drew his head in order to 60 and join
his neighbors.
"Hark! !" he said rs he reached his
gate and was shaking hands with DR..
Sawin, who lived next door, "Hark
there comes another crowd It's the
Sheriff and his posse; what'll you
wager?"
Mr.. John Savage was not "a betting
man." but his teeth were Just now chat
tering with the IN 1rning chill and his
excitement, and he was not measuring
his words.
Almost before he had finished speak
ing, group of horsemen hove in
sight, riding ut their utmost speed.
The men at Calverlcy street rushed
toward them.
"Can't stop for talk" bawled out the
heud horseman, as lie dashed past-he
was no less person than the sheriff Of
the county himself We're right on the
track of them blasted horsethieves. How
long ago did they 60 by!"
"Half all hour!" "rwcnty minutes!"
Fifteen minutes!" shouted back differ
ent voices. It had really been about
half an hour. There was, whichever
estimate was right, no time to be lost,
for woods quite as extensive and i'm
penetrable as those to which Mr.. Savage
had alluded, lay just beyond Calyerley,
and the horse thieves knew every inch
Of the ground for twenty miles around,
as the sheriff was well aware.
A dozen of the Calverley men were
mounted in less time than it takes to
tell it, and galloping in hot haste in an
attempt to catch up with the sheriff s
band. More than score OF valuable
horses had been stolen from Holland
and Calverley within the last month,
and public opinion was rightcously ex-
cited over the matter. In SO old and
settled country Us that about Calver-
Icy such crimes as horse stealing had
become very infroquent, and the people
hardly knew how to be patient with the
slow processes of JUSTICE in righting
their unaccustonlel wrongs.
II don't know about Introducing
lynch law into New England" said Mr..
Rlinn, as they gallopcd along, "but I
lively done to these scamps."
Mr.. Savage, who had been thinking
that he knew now something how Paul
Revere felt, was somewhat startled at
the mention of lynch law"
"Good heaven!" he cried, refining up
his horse a little, "don't say such a
thing, Mr.. Blinn! Lynch law? What
an idea But then, recollecting that
one Of Mr.. Blinn's own horses had been
taken, maybe I should have felt as
stirred up as you do if [ had lost my
Roland here. DR.. Holmes says:
When once tho slumborinS passions burn,
The peaceful are the strong"
But Mr.. Blinn did not imbibe what
ever culture might otherwise have been
impaired to HIM by his neighbours poet
ical quotation, for he was getting too far
ahead; so Mr.. John Savage spurred his
Roland on.
"Who's that fellow yonder ?" he asked,
few moments later, pointing with his
whip towards dark, surly, but we'll
mounted man, little in front Of them.
II don't know responded the store
keeper, suspiciously. II don't believe
he lives hereabout. hope not anyway.
He looks to me-" he continued, with
quiet humor, ans if he might make, as
the man said in the story, q first rate
stranger"
They both laughed, and journeyed on.
1t was now bright daylight, and the
breakfastless men and horses began tc
feel tired. Some had turned back, and
Mr.. Savage and Mr.. Blinn were begin
uluS 10 tuAuh u uO1uB VIC Salue IulIIS
and wondering if they had not been pref
ty foolish to start off so impulsively
when o great shout rang out far ahead
OF them.
"Caught! Jerusalem crickets! Ibe
ieve they're caught" cried Mr.. Blinn,
his fatigue all gone in moment.
A boy, fair faced and with curly,
Aaxen hair, who had just ridden up be.
hind them, gave joyful exclamation
He WIS about fifteen, perhaps, and o.
slight and delicate build.
I'm tired almost to DEATH" he con.
fessed, frankly, riding up alongside
"but I'm going on if you think they're
caught, for my pony, Lightfoot, is miss
ing this neutrality-suspicious. open ant
tracks all around-and believe they've
got her with them. She's sorrel
with darker main and tail-the pretties
horse in Tolland."
"Last night You don't say!" sale
Mr.. Blinn. "I'm sure I hope you'll