St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-29


in color"
Aver was not slow to follow up his
advantage. A trader quite as much as
a blacksmith knows the desirability Of
having his iron hot, and Aver prepared
for an all-night's campaign if necessary.
The afternoon passed i'll arguments and
badgering depreciation on one side and
logged but gradually fainrer-hearted
resistance on the other. Supper was
eaten, but it did not interfere with the
conflict. Finally, at o'clock Aver
thought it expedient to rise from his
chair and make feint OF leaving. His
offer had risen To a $40.
"Well,' said McDougald, with visible
relief at his guests departure, ''if we
decide TO take yer offer we'll let we
know"
mo, We WON'T" said Aver promptly.
''Ye'll take it now or never. | was
fool to make it. an my fool-hoodum
ant a goin' to last. That filly ant
worth no such money, an it's mighty
good thing for me We didn't take me up.
Pm much obliged to ye-1 must be
gOin'."
But he did not go Immediately, nor for
half an hour. and he played the cords of
his speech so well in the meantime that
when he did finally step over the thresh-
hold, hOmeWard bound, he carried with
him the pleasant consciousness that his
long-SOught object was attained, and he
left behind him his note for $40 and a
promise to send for the mare after the
next Sunday, when his Stable should be
cleared of some fat cattle. And So
ended the first lesson.
The second lesson opens in the same
place twenty hours later; that is to say.
the next evening after supper The
McDOugaldS again have a viSitar, one
Kelly. Yankee-Irishman with a great
turn at devices, bitter rival of Ayers,
and also candidate for the possession
of the sorrel tilly. He had heard
nothing of the cOnsummated trade
and Mac was very 10th to tell
him, feeling that he had weak
ened somewhat from his much
Wanted position and dreading Kelly's
well-known temper. He tried despair
ingly to keep the conversation away
from the mare but was unable to do so.
Kelly spoke of her incidentally and
then mentioned, with the buyers in
stict. that the chances OF getting rid of
her at that time of year were small.
The conversation drifted on to her
points and pedigree until Kelly said in
q lofty manner that when they got
ready to sell they could Just let him
know"
We'll tack up notice three years
ahead answered Mrs. McDougald
sharply. But if you want sorrel
critter now yev'e come to the wrong
comply"
I'VE told Aver he could have err" ex-
planned Mac apoogeticaly. He'd a
boarded here till we did; didn't We hear
that babby?" turning to his wife.
But this meek suggestion did not
nave the effect of even a very small
vial of oil OH the troubled waters. The
storm arose promptly. and McDOugald
soon found the wife of his bosom
Joined in the forces against him.
"a hunderd and seventy dollars
cried Kelly ang rily when Mrs. Mac had
Indignantly informed him of the price
received. 81 thought we had more
sinse. I'd give a hunderd an siventy-
five any mint"
And we amt got cash neither"
added Mrs. McDOugald, but on showing
her husbands infamv to the last shred.
We've got about four inches o. paper
to show fer that mare.p
I'VE know we get interest. M'ri',p said
McDOngal,l feebly. six per cent. It'll
be some constable by fall"
IL s'pose she's gomez" said Kelly
suIklIy. 10 q
dispose she ainst," retorted the mis-
fur him if we couldn't for ourself. Ourn
eats more, likely"
Kelly turned in his chair with queer
expression on his face. Presently he
spoke, incidentally, of course, but with
bitter nature, OF the insecurity of notes
in general, and the vital necessity of
backers-"one mans like to die, We
see" lie told of a neighbor who had
held a mans note and the man died.
The heirs fought over the property so
long that the note actually outlawed be-
fore they got done. and the neighbor
meyer got cent, besides having to pay
lawyers fees. He lauded the mare to
the skies, and amplified on the big
prices that horses was bringing this
spring." He mentioned that Aver had
beat Peters in that suit, as he alluz beat
everybody. And again he returned to
the merits of the colt, repeating in dole
full accents, "dnd only S170. If he'd only
knownr'
well, l wish you had," said Mrs.
McDOugald bluntly. II could a. used
that if Mae couldn't. l could a-bought
some upstairs window cuttings"
"a note" began Kelly again with
something like pulpit oratory. A note
is simply contrac'. 1t amt money and
it never will be. 1t amt nuthin' more
mr. less than a prOmus, and where's the
prOmus that's got the ring o. metal?
Aver mebby'll pay, if he lives long
enough and has the money. but if we
should lose that note where'd We be?
That is. of course, after the mans gone.
Now if ye lost We could jist sind to me
and immejetly have more'n its equal
cash in hand"
''Might as we'll talk o. losing the ITCH"
said Mrs. DOugald with much disgust.
hot ,1v11 La -.
'OuSe." Then receiving no answer she
looked up and meteoric ray of:.intelli-
gence made her add: Unless we lost
it Intentional"
The cat was out of the bag, but it took
time to run her TO earth. Kelly needed
all his arguments. both i'll number and
variety, for Mac realized that the pro-
posed scheme was ''all-fired risky"
Mrs. Mac, however, was soon openly
championing the opposition, and Of
such conflict there could be but ore re-
suit. The clock was striking midnight
when the lady tucked the note into the
old stove. Kelly promised to go to
town for the money on the morrow. and
to bring it and take away his property
at 4 O'Clock the morniug after.
But when three men make pie let
not two think to eat it unmOlested.
When McDoaglald opened the stable
s doOrlin the dim twilight of that March
.morning ANA Kelly pushed ahead to
secuFe his prize, they suddenly turned
and looked at each other with wild eyes.
There was an OminOus vacuity before
thern-the stall was empty, the mare
was gone.
Itdd not take long to find out where.
Aver had got wind of the proceedings,
and. thinking it well to be On the safe
side, had sent his boy late the evening
before, who had brought away the tilly
insight and unseen. During the rumpuS
) that Followed she was further spirited
off to a negh5oring horse fair. and she
never came back.
: OFthe four persons concerned In this
ratlsr extraordinary transanction Mrs.
-McDougald secured, perhaps, the most
ualnahlt rtaSnIt-a tiny grain of humility