The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-02-02
An Old Bachelors Whim.

On Lyons creek in this county, at the
farm house of one of our leading and
wealthieSt farmers, for several
years has lived bachelor, man who
is every way honest, and, with the ex-
ceptiOn of his peculiar and unusual af-
lection for pet horses, (which affection
years ago he ought to have lavished on
some good woman) he appears to have
as good sense as anyone, that is especi-
ally plenty of good common horse sense.
A few years ago he lost a pet horse,
and for two days he refused to have
the dead animal removed from the
stable where it died. Months after,
when its bones were bleaching upon
the prairie, he would visit the relics of
his once faithful steed, and like Hamlet
of old with the skull of Yorick, would
exclaim, "Alas poor faithful Dick L
knew you WELL" He never bought an
other horse until few days ago, and
that was purchased by virtue of his
copious tears freely flowing, and his
refusal to eat and be comfOrted.
Rachel wept for her child and refused
to be cOmforted because it was not 6; so
our bachelor friend wept for his en-
plOyer's faithful mare, Nell, and re-
fused to be comforted because she was
MOTTO remain at the farmers stable.
Last week Mr.. Knapp, of the firm of
Knapp & Bolster, of this city, was out
on Lyons creek and purchased car
load of horses from different parties,
buying two of the farmer mentioned
above, which happened to be the team
usually drove on the farm by the old
bachelor. The bargain was that the
horses should be delivered at Knapp &
Bolster's stable in this city on the fol-
lowing day. A short time after Mr..
Knapp left the farm the bachelor was
informed that the mare, Nellie, and
her mate had been sold and were to be
sent to Abilene in the morning. The
poor fellow when informed of the fact
burst out in a flood of tears and rushed
out to the stable, and with his aims
around Nellie's neck he cried for hours :;
he refused to eat any supper and at a
late hour came to the house and went
to his room. 1t is said but little sleep
visited his eyes that night. The next
morning he only eat few mouthfuls
at the earnest request of the kind
hearted farmers wife, and when the
oldest son started for town with the
horses he went with him. A represen-
tative of the REFLECTOR, happened to
be in the neighborhood of where Mel
lies former owner resided, on the very
day that the team was sent to this city
and had just been told of the circum-
stances related above, when a dispatch
was placed in the farmers hand which
read as follows:
ABILENE, KAs, jan. 18th.
Sis almost wild 70 get Nell back. Says If
you will buy her for him he will work for you un-
I'll she is paid for: Knapp will let him have her
"What shall l do ? 1t seems all fool
ishness,'' said the farmer. The Re-
FLECTOk man was becoming interested
and put in good void for s. The
receiver of the message, who has as
big heart as any man in this county.
then wired back: buy Nell if you
can't pacify him any other way"
And Nell was brought back to the old
farm, and the tears have ceased to flow
and our old bachelor friends appetite
and dropping spirits haye revived.
The above story about s. and
Nell may not be as touching as Dicken's
Little Nell" but the fictitious old
! man never grieved more sincerely over
parting with fictitious Little Nell, -
than the old bach. of flesh and blood,
grieved over parting with mare Nell of
flesh and blood.