Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-06-10
THE NORTHWEST
"AIusic Hath oh&rms," Etc.


The worst ahunged upp man that was
ever out Of bed, and able to walk, came
into the Sun Office one day this week.
As he wandered along through the hall
towards the door of the editorial room,
heappeared like an old veteran who had
been shot to pieces years ago, and then
run over by the cars recently. He had
one crutoh and a cane, one footwas curl
ed up and tied In a sling to his leg, and
the other foot was wrapped up in cloths.
His face was gashed and peeled, and
there was court plaster and ointment,
and smell of liniment pervaded the
atmosphere. Three fingers were done
up in rags, and he evidently had q lame
back, from the way he sat down in q
chair.
''Editor in?p he asked, as he laid the
crutch where he could reach 1t handy.
"Iam the editor" said that individual,
as he looked for way to get around the
lame man and get out in the hall with
out being killed, in case worse came to
worse.
''Thanks," said he, as he took up the
cane and hefted it. "You had an ar
ticle in your paper last week about how
some body took vicious horse to o
blacksmith shop to be shod, and the
horse was made gentle by the singing of
an old Methodist hymn, didn't you?r
II believe so, " said the editor, scratch
ing his head, and trying to think" 80,
yes, remember. 1t was one of those
articles telling how the brute creation
can be overcome by music. The horse
was a kicker, and wouldn't let the
blacksmith get anywhere near him with
the tool box until the owner beganto sing
a hymn. Don't hardly seem possible
that horse could be so overcome with
music, does it?" and the editor smiled
at Lhe used up man just as pleasant as
he knew how.
"No, it don't, and it was all con-
founded lie, and know it,n said the
lame visitor, as he grasped his cane by
the little end, and half rose up. "Look
at me! ] am blacksmith, and read
your confounded paper. ! I read that ar
ticle, and / thought there was some
thing plausible about it, and thought
I would, try it the first time n man
brought vicious horse to'be shod.
The other day man brought one of
the brewery horses to the shop to be
shod, and told me I better look out,
as the horse was a kicker and a bitter.
I told the man guessed l knew my
business, and he said all right if 1 did,
and he went over to a saloon to wait.
Well, warbled verse of old Humid
red, and Inever saw horse any quiet
er than that one. He looked at me in
astonishment, and quivered a little, and
stuck his ears back, hut when wentup
to him and took up his fore-foot, and
put it between my legs, and set the tool
box down, and took up the pinchers to
rip off the old shoe, he was as quiet as
lamb. thought he was too quiet, and
as he moved a little when tore off the
shoe, I began to sing NEARER, My God
to Thee"
The man stopped to adjusta bandage
on his arm, and the editor said, "And
that quieted him down all right eh? 1t
was wonderful s,s,,,
"Quiet nothing" said the man. Be-
fore had finished the second lineof the
hymn, the horse reached his head
around aud took a nouthful of my
pants, and raised sup about eight feet,
and then he shook me as 10 dog would
shake a rat. Ny pants gave out and I
fell on the tool box, and the horse
kicked at me with all four feet at once,
and squealed and paved. got UP and
started to run, and fell over the anvil,
and the horse chased me, and bit me,
and kicked me, and finally dumped up
on the forge, and climbed on top of the
bellows, and the horse nipped at me till
l climed up the side of the shop, and
hung on to the cross pieces. / throwed
horse shoes at the horse, and he reared |
up and tried to get at ms. Finally the
man from the brewery come in from
the saloon, and the horse started for
him, and thought he would be killed,
but he handed out piece of rye bread |
with mustard on it, that he had got in |
the saloon, and that brute actually
took the bread out of his hand and ate
it, and licked his hand for more, and
was as gentle as a kitten. / made him
take the horse away, and my assistant, |
who had lit out early in the fracus, got |
a ladder from hook and ladder COM
pany and let me come down, and was
taken home in hack. Now, if that ar |
ticle of yours was true how do you ac- |
count for its not working when tried |
1t. And will you pay damages, or stand |
q law suit?n
The editor told the man it was evil |
dent he was no good singer, that one
must be a first class singer in order to
with horses.
"Well, you are good. singer,n said
the man, land tomorrow they are 60
ing to bring that horse down to the shop
to be shod again, and came to invite
yon to come down and sing while Ishoe
him. Win you come?p
The editor said he would be there
promptly, and the man hobbled out on
bis crutches. But the editor won't be
there to sing for the horse, all the same.