Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-09-17
Old Jack.


My father was farmer, and Iivet.
about three miles from the city of L.,
New York, says writer in the Rurdl
Home. He had bright sorrel horse
named Jack we raised from a colt.
He was a very handsome horse and
had a great deal Of spirit, but never
had any bad tricks. His right hind
foot was white, and he had a white
star in his forehead. His eyes were
prominent and always kind, while his
whole expression indicated unusual
intelligence. Jack was an animal
that would attract attention any.
where.
A few days after having been shod
one time, he began to limp, and not
being able to discover any cause he
was turned loose in the barn-yard
where it would be softer for his feet.
Suddenly he was missed. The gate,
which had been fastened on each side
by a wooden peg, was open, the in
side peg lying on the ground. could
see jacks footsteps leading toward
the city. Harvesting another horse
I was soon following, but was, as !
learned, over two hours behind him.
On reaching the city drove through
the main street and at the further
end there beheld Jack, standing in
front Of our family grocery store, with
his head up to the post, quietly kick
ing flies and wearing very detected
air. AS 1 came up he greeted the
horse 1 drove, it being his mate, and
quietly submitted to the halter that
imposed.
The groceryman came out and said
he knew the horse, and that he had
been standing there for some time.
1t occurred to me to take him to the
blacksmith, whose shop is not far
away, and see If he could discover the
cause Of his lameness. AS drove up
the blacksmith met me at the door
and said that about two hours before
Jack crowded his way into the shop
where he was attending to other
horses. That ne drove him out three
times, but he kept coming in again.
He finally procured whip that he
had used, and then Jack went of
down the street, limping considerably
as he trotted off.
I said that was why I bought him
relating the circumstances. and
asked him to pull off the shoe he had
put on few days before. He did so,
and from one of the nail-holes came
large quantity Of pus.
He had driven one Of the nails
crookedly, and it had gone into the
tender part Of the hoOf, hence the
trouble. / told the blacksmith if
Jack ever came there again to treat
him more considerably, and l never
took another horse to that shop again.
Poor old Jack! After my father
died and the farm was sold, he was
sold, too, and the family went to the
city to live.
/ did not hear from Jack for several
years, until one Of the neighbors one
day said they saw him hitched with
another horse towing boat on the
Erie Canal. / knew then he must be
near his end, for this is about the
frurcfcsD WORM ,s0rse, can DO, mud t7ruy--
are soon used up. All along the canal
can be seen horses the boatman have
turned out to die.
The canal was only about half q
mile from my fathers farm, cross
road leading direct, and Jack had
often been there after the sand and
gravel that is obtained from large
pit on the bank.
The next / heard about Jack was
from the man who purchased the old
farm. He said that on going out to
the barn one cold, rainy morning late
in the autumn he was surprised to
find horse lying down at the barn
yard gate, which opens from the road
and is kept securely locked. At first
he thought it was one Of his own,
but closer examination soon salts
fed him on this point. twas avery
old sorrel horse, terribly poor, and
had evidently been subjected to hard
usage. He touched the animal with
his foot, but it did not move-it was
dead. The neighborS, he said, told
al m, xyI,af hDtco UnC