Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-01-05


''Yes. stranger, was stuck bad,
that's sartin; but es I said afore. |
bears no i'll will. Their ole crittur yer
got off onter me was orfully spawned
an wasn't no matter er count, nohow.
got rid on i'm fur leetle er nothing:
l tell yer fur fac. he wasn't with
more'n his hide w'uld fotch in the tam
yard.
''Spavined!' said Sam: '-ef he was
spawned Inever knowed it; an tibet
boss l got from you had glass eyes. es
| tole yer-they dropped right outn
his head"
yer don't say" calculated the
other. with a look of lastonishment.
''Well, decla'rI ter think how long
I he'd tibet boss an never foun' that
out"
Didn't yer know he wus stoae
bline?a
''Know it! why no, course 1 didn't;
Wus alters far an squar' in my deal
ms, an eff I'd knowed that boss was
bline and he'd glass eyes-they wus
GURUS lOokin' eyes, | ric'lec'-Td err
ruther cut my throat then cr traded
'un es a sound boss. Ell I wus
sw arm man | c'uld do a leetle cussin'
right now on count err Their Teller wat
sole 'um ter me. But how did yer fin
it out. anyhow"
Sam then related his experience on
the race course, taking considerable
credit to himself, though he knew he
was entitled to none, and Larkins
laughed until the tears ran down his
brown cheeks.
''W'at dyer think of this here boss
I'm on now?' asked Larkins.
well, he looks like he mought be a
tolerable good crittur," said Sam, ''but
he amt got but one eve"
EFF 1 reflects right replied Lasr-
kins, "but it's been so long tibet mebbe
I've fergot-the boss l got from you
didn't hev but one eye, an l kin tell
yer, tibet wus his leastes's fault"
Il don't min tibet so much" said
Sam, poBing his switch close to the
horses eye and making him blink: "a
horse with one good eye is better'n a
boss with two glass ones wat he can't
sec out'n."
''Thet's so, fur fac" said Larkins,
an ''this here boss hes got a good
y y '
"Will yer swap i'm fur this here
mule?" asked Sam.
"W'at even?"
Eyes. Their mules got two good
eyes an tibet oughter make it even"
Yer think so? Lemme tell yer,
have been a-lookin' ct tibet mules eyes,
an she'll be stone bline in less'n three
yer-fsr fac"
How'd yer know that?"
"Thar's signs, yer see. You don't
know nothin' bout 'em, but I does,
es does every man wat hes he'd ter
do with bosses an mules es long es l
hes
WAITS Their signs?"
''Well, [ couldn't lis tell yer. A
feller hes ter larn 'em by practeese, yer
see."
Sam sat silently contemplating the
black horse with a longing eye for
some time, then he said: ''Since yer
won't swop even, tell me what yer will
do"
Larkins pushed his hat up and
scratched his head, while he appeared
to earnestly consider the matter.
''Ill tell yer what I'll do" he said,
slowly, after few minutes occupied
in this way: 'Since we'se ole friends,
es yer mought say, an hes he'd deal
ms afore, I'll let yer heve this boss fur
Their mule and twinty dollars"
"Twinty doliarsr' exclaimed Sam.
Pears like yer wanter stick me agin."
''Stick yer! Why, shake alive,
man! 'twus me wus stuck in 'tother
trade"
Sam got down and examined the
horse, looking in his mouth, in his
one eye, and giving his tail jerk,
seeming to fear that there might be
something deceptive in that beautiful
black appendage.
"Oh, he's all right" said Larkins;
''ain't no glass eyes nor nothin' er that
sort bout him"
''How ole is hep" asked Sam.
"WelI, l reckin he's somep'n over
ten y'r," was the reply. II s'pose that
mule, now, amt less'n twenty. But
yer can't tell nothin' bout a mule-he
mought be ten ur he mought be hun
derd, and yer wouldn't know Their
dif'rence. A mules mule, an yer've
got ter take i'm onsight and onseen,
eff yer mought say"
:'Tl tell yer what I'll do" said Sam;
''I'll give yer Their mule an SO, an
thet's far enough"
''Oh, come now," said Larkins, eyer
Manter stick me ag'in."
'Stick yer?"
"Terber sho' yer does. This here
boss is with two SIGH mules es tibet.
an yer knows it-fur yer amt no fool
when it comes ter tradin' bosses, |
knows tibet. But, hows' ever, when l
begins trade | amt one ter be run
off by a thrip ur q sevenpence, SO I'll
tuck Their mule an $15 an ther boss is
your'n.
After a little consideration, Sam,
taking the mans word for it, and be-
lieving he really had beat him in
horse-trade before, slipped his hand
into MS pocket and drew out a roll of
bills, which he counted over.
Thar amt but $14 hyer," he said,
San thet's ali I've got"
''Oh, well" said Larkins, Gas l said
afore, amt one ter be run of'n
trade by thrip VI a sevenpence, an
| amt a-goin' ter stan on doller
nuther-so it's a trade" and dismount-
ing he took the saddle off the horse
and laid it on the ground.
The change of saddles and brides
was soon made, and Sam handed the
money over to Larkins, who showed it
into his pocket without counting it,
when the two rode off in different di-
rections, Larkins looking over his
shoulder when he had gone a little
way to call out: ''I'm afraid you've
done stick me again, an this here
tradin' sperrit is a-goin' ter ruin me
rnt hut I can't helm If y