Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-02-12
OLD JOE.

lie was Olu, Dllnd. knock kneed,
spawned and crestfallen. In an old
field which had been thrown out on
account of a refusal of the soil to
longer produce the old horse was
picking a meager mouthful here and
there. The sky above was cloudless,
and OF that rare tinge of blue only
found in the month of September. No
wind stirred. A dreamy stiffness per-
vades the entire scene. High up the
vultures were slowly circling through
the ar. Their wings were motionless.
1t seemed they had fallen asleep on
their somber pinions But they were
not asleep. For days they had been
in the neighborhood of old Joe's last
feeding place. Like grim shadows of
death. they were daily following him.
patiently awaiting the moment when
his attenuated sinews would collapse,
and his meager flesh become their
prey.
For Joe was old-very old-but he
seemed to cling with desperation to
the little life that was still left him.
and unconsciously he disappointed his
overhanging black pursuers, and put
had been observing the old horse
for some time, while resting on log
in corpse of timber near by. 1t
had been an unfavorable day for hunt
ing and l was regretting my i'll luck
when my attention was directed to
the old horse. Thinking that it
would be interesting to learn some
thing of his history, / entered into
conversation with him.
What is your name, old fellowP" l
asked him. v
II have had several names he re-
piled. My first name was Joe. ;
That was given me when l was young.
] was afterward called Old Fool Old
Scoundrel and lately, Old Bones"
'How old are YOU Joe?" l next in
quired.
Il am about thirty years old; but
the different masters have had have
30 often misrepresented my age when
trading me off, that have been con-
siderably confused on that point For
instance about ten years ago. my late
MASTER who was deacon, traded me
of to bro the deacon as a nine-year-
old, when, in fact / was close on to
twenty-eight
you seem to be pretty we'll used
up. Your frame looks more like a
clothes-rack than a horse. How came
you to be in such a sad condition.
Have you master to look after you?"
] asked.
The old horse raised his head and
turned his sightless eyes in the direc-
ton where stood. do not remem-
Der ever seeing a more pity inspiring
countenance, when he replied:
What you say about my poor old
body is only too true / have but
little flesh to cover my bones now. l
have long since become blind and can
not see my withered and shrunken
frame The only evidences have of
this are my feelings. The pangs Of
hunger, the thirst for water the
weakness in my limbs. the difficulty
experience in getting up after lying
down, all tell me that i must be very
weak and bony. But was not al
ways thus tell you. sir. it does mo
good to think what a spanking mover
l was at six-year-old. All, sir, I.was
round and sleek curried and brushed
daily; well fed Of course, on oats. hay
and corn, and now and then lump
OF sugar and salt Goodness! how my
mouth waters TO think of it now.
How came to be in this sad coudi-
tionp Well that would be long
story to tell During my younger
years / Jared we'll enough. AS said
before, / was a pert trotter and my
master used me alone for his buggy
horse. On one occasion, 1t was
after night my master who was driv-
ing me to a buggy, and who. l must
say, was rather proud of me- was
showing me of, as tho saying goes
TO a young lady, whom he was escort
ing home from picnic. 1t was late
at night and darker night never
saw until lost my eyes Well to
make long story short my master
used the whip rather freely, and in
obedience to it (for was mortally
afraid OF whip in those days) j
trotted on at my utmost speed. Had
/ been allowed to exercise my own
Judgment I would not have gone SO
fast; for, although / had good eyes In
those days the night was so dark that
it was impossible for me to see where
TO place my feet All Of n sudden one
OF my forefeet went through a rotten
plank in bridge we were crossing, and
down l came. The shock threw me to
the ground, and the buggy and its In
mates into deep gully. Fortunately
my master and the young lady escaped
unhurt but alas for me! When L re-
gained my feet found could scarce
ly walk. My master was. OF course
IN passion over my stupidity. He
however. managed to patch up the
broken rig, and hobbled along, and
otter a weary and painful journey
brought him home. The next morn
ing / was taken TO the horse doctor.
II seemed to me that there were about
B dozen OF them all willing and anx.
l9bs TO diagnose my case and apply
sT remedies no two OF which