The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-04-18

! 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.
"'Well, Tom,' said father, as I entered
the room and sat down by the fire, I've
| about made up my mind to send you off to
| buy horse. Perhaps we might depend on
our neighbors, or by fixing up a one-hOrse
rig, get along with only one; but | think
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.
"'I'm going to trust you to make che
| 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
| stopped, as | happened to think it would
| be better for me not to appear over anxious
if l really wanted to 90, 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. III let you take hundred dol
| lars with you, but you ought to get good
! horse for little less than that And now,
| Tom, don't let your business he 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 a
big Prise II &C., o,.,.,o,,, ..,.
| kept up such n running fire of suggestions
and directions that lost my patience, and
went to bed resolving that when | returned
| ] would show the old gentleman such a
| bargain in horsehesh as would convince
! him that | knew thing or two myself.
1.-THE next morning was up and away
| as soon as | could see to travel. After a
| tramp of thirty five miles, | stopped for
| the night at Il house five miles west of the
| river. The second day, about nine O'Clock,
! struck the river at Brownsville, where I
hired man to row me across in a skiff.
| The Father of Waters at this point looked
more like forest than river, which effect
| was produced by the many low living,
| swampy islands, covered with a dense
| growth of timber.
IN those days, too, there were some
pretty tough places and 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 Istrucl1 for tall timber as
soon as | landed, not even stopping for
dinner, although it was past noon. | made
fifteen miles that afternoon, and stayed
over night with a farmer named Cheat
ham.
"When I started on the next morning, l
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 a 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't
want to buy good horse; and without
giving me time to answer, went on to tell
his story.
''He said his home was in st. Louis, but
he had been at work that summer for a
farmer who lived twenty miles further east.
he had heard that morning that his mother
was lying at the point of death, and that he
must come at once if he desired to see her
again in this world. Accordingly he was
Fastening to the river to catch the first
down steamer Buthe had no ready money;
he had taken the horse in payment for his
summers work, because the farmer could
not raise the money on 80 short notice, and
he was determined to sell him before he
reached the river He would sell him for
half his value; fifty dollars would buy
him, he said.
''Well, looked the horse over: | exam
med him closely, and for aught | could see,
he was perfectly sound and all right in
every way. Here is nv 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
'ScatD But didn't think much about that
Just then; | was only too glad to pay him
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 got dinner with him,
and also fed my horse, which appeared to
have been hardridden.
CATER dinner | mounted and started for
home, jqbilant over my great bargain.
However, | rode along quite leisurely, as
didn't want to reach the river that night
anyway. Everything went well till about
four o'clock, when, much to my surprise,
heard a tremendous clatter of hoofs in the
road behind me. Almost at the same in
slant my horse took fright at a partridge
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 | mi ght as
well have yanked on the rock of Gibraltar
'However, after running mile and a
half, my hard-mouthed Pegasus seemed all
at once to change his mind, and stopped
almost as suddenly as he started. l imme-
diately dismOunted and led him outside the
track, in order to give the horsemen behind
me an unobstructed passage, as they were
coming up at break-neck pace, and
thought it best to let them pass before |
started on again.
"But they didn't pass! l quickly found
myself surrounded by an excited crowd
of fifteen or twenty mounted men.
They seemed terribly in earnest about
something, and | soon found out what that
something was.
"'What's up?' said I, inquiringly, as the
crowd closed in around me.
"Horsethieves are up, and likely to go
still higherW was the significant reply {;
and there was something in the tone and
manner in which it was uttered that set
my heart to humping like trip-hammer,
for | saw in a second just how the land lay.
"'What do you mean by that? and what
do you want' l faltered, though | well
knew what was meant and what was
wanted, but could think of nothing else
to say.
"'What do we want? echoed the power
fully built, grim visaged horseman, who
snaptRl Ina fba laoIar Of tho y,yJ