The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1891-09-12
DOUBLE DICK And JOE;
The Poorhouse Waits.
BY DAVID LOWRY.
CHAPTER xvII-Continueh.

that increased In dimensions
Jump. Jump for your life,' shouted
Mitchell
aNo, no." shouted Ben instantly.
Hold hard-ho'd hard, Dick"
Dick did hold on. The white mare
rose in the air-pawed the air. Still
Dick chung to her She plunged re-
peatedIy, still the boy sat on her back.
Her heels flew up like lightning, and still
Dick was not tossed over her head.
On the contrary, as she reared again
and paved the ar, Dick hit her on the
right ear with his fist with all his might
The mare dropped on all fours, then
reared again, was hit again and again
dropped on al fours-
But, now. Dick did not lose timo
striking her. His hand struck her a
score Of times or more as fast as he could
move his arm.
The mare stopped and shook her
head She turned and glared at her rider.
In that interval Dick had grasped a
loose strap t. ON the top of wagon near
him. This strap was now raised In the
air The spectators saw it come down
on the head, shoulders and TANKS of the
marc-it rainei blows on her.
The mare galloped across the field in
a frenzy, still the blows were showered
on her without stint One struck one
eyc-that made her frantic with fear
and rage; She sped round and round
away TO the end of the large field, back,
to ard fro, and still the strap was piled
numerically.
III she stumblcs it is death to both, :"
said Mitchell
Yes: and there's five hundred dol
lars gone at ii clip" said Mr.. Bucket,
whom the cries had brought from the
road al a distance, where lie was superin
tending the movements of the foremost
wagons
"I'd give a thought to that plucky
boy" said Ben driy.
80 | do-so / do" said Bucket
"Here, too, :" said Mitchell.
At that instant the mare stood stock
still. The lookers-on cou d not see what
happened What they saw surprised
them beyond expression. The mare
turned about, and instead Of galloping
like mad, trottcd-yes, trotted slowly
and gently back to the group near the
green-room, where she stopped.
AS Dick looked at the crowd smiling,
Buckett exclaimed: "The boys
witch"
Il can't understand it," said Mitchell,
dS 1'iCh stu W the BioiIiu !" itu d lduSu.
"Iou are wonder" said Ben. But
his wife kissed Dicks cheek whereat he
blushed like girl.
There's nothing you can't back after
that" said Buckett.
after that" said Mitchell, taking hold of
the mare, which stood do lie.
Now let US have some breakf asst, {"
said Buckett.
Yes" Ben said, with laugh, "it gave
me an appetite just to iook at Dick and
Eirchy"
1t is necessary for me to say something
OF the mare Dick mastered. Black Bcss
was as mcttieSOmc an animal As We have
seen. There Were very few who could
60 near her However, Black BeSS had
been driven, ridden-was well-known in
the ring. Only she was uncertain, devil
ish uncertain" as Mitchell said Dick did
wonders with her
Firetiy-well, to twist an Old saying.
she was mare of another color. The
white steed was the most untractab!e
horse known in the State where she was
foaied. She was heeler-a spittire-a
murderous beast. Beautiful-but cruel
She had a terrible record. Bucket
knew her strain well-knew all about
her, but he took a strange fancy to buy
her, and paid more money for her than
others, who knew the mare, would have
been paid to take her home and promise
to risk limb and life feeding her. You
never heard never heard of man or
a woman, or a horse with bad record,
that did not somehow present an offset
in the shape of eXtenuating circum-
stances.
Firefly had killed two men. One she
threw over her head, breaking his neck.
the man who fed her two years She
killed him ten minutes after he placed
the Bit in her mOuth-the only bit she
ever felt in her mouth.
The excuse then was, her owner did
not know how to manage horses.
The bereaved family got rid of her
speedily. \ man who knew al about
horses took hold Of Firehy. Why, he
had commanded cavalry regiment. He
mounted her one day; she took the bit
in her tet tn, ran away, threw him, and
he died week later.
The excuse then made was that Colonel
Smith was not sufficiently mindful: that
he let the beast get her head when he
ought to have been watching her.
Fireay was fed carefully through
hole in the stable after that. Nobody
cared to be MANNED or killed by ventur-
ing into her stall.
This was the blooded mare Buckett
bought Just for an experiment. This
was the animal Dick subdued.
1t was wonderful A boy. mere boy
who was raised in a poorhouse, bringing
a beast that the oldest hands were
afraid OF.
There is a great deal of superstition
among show people More than sailors
reveal: much more.
Beckett all at once conceived this boy
was thrown into his path to paralyze the
public with Firefy.
At the breakfast table he said, in a
loud tone: "lour boy. Ben, has accom-
plShed what no one else would nave I'M
dertaken for me-"
Il wouldn't do it, for one" said the
clown, cooly, as he helped himself to
another egg and piece of bacon. Mary
time, Mr.. Buckett."
Il didn't think you'd confess it," said
Mitchell.
Ben looked at him aft you meant
that for i sneer-it don't hurt. l be-
lieve there are men-and animals-that
are too mean to live. Thieves and muir
dcrers-and horses spoiled by keepers.
tildl Ntlt Io SoOu ItI lIey were
foaled. There's plenty kindly horses
I've handled all you've brought this way
can handle Firefy-but-"
"Well?" said the ringmaster.
@Why, If | did, by and-by somebody
else would take her in hand and she'd
kill him. | don't want TO be the one to
ull people into false security"
"Bosh.'
You all hear him. He says 'bosh.'
gentlemen. Make a note on it. Tell
me at the end of the season If l am
right"
Nothing more was said concerning the
white mare at breakfast
Very soon after the break gaSt was dis.
posed of, the clowns wife went 10 the
leading establishments. secured the ma
terial for Dicks dress. and taking it to a
coStumer's instructed them fully.
The Monster Aggregation meanwhile
moved on to the great city, where they
were TO give an exhibition that night
Mrs. Brown was 10 follow in the cars at