Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-11-14
FlNKENBlNDER's HORSE.
1t Was a Good Horse, but He VIII Now
Sell Him,


friend who was a good Judge of horses.
Size him up, Fam" he said, leaning
back against the fence, with his elbows on
the top board. Look him over. Not a
blemish anywhere! Clean limbed as q
deer! And l got him for S125!'
THAT seems to me pretty high price
for horse, Lemuel," unused Mrs. Finken,
binder, "unless he's got pedigree. Dc
you know whether he has a pedigree OIL
notF"
What do you want of q pedigree when
you're buying a buggy horse?" retorted
Mr.. Fnkenbinder somewhat impatiently.
He'll pull the phaeton all right, and he
couldn't do any better if he belonged to
the first families of Kentucky and had an
ancestral tree as big as a house. What is
your idea of pedigree anyhow Do you
think it's something like dapples, or a
crupper, or surcingle, or an insurance
policy?"
II know what it is as we'll as you do,
Lemuel. But are you a good Judge of a
horseY"
Il know good horse when I see him II
a horses points are all right can tell it as
well as anybody. And this horses points
are all rght9"
"How old is he?"
| "SiX years"
"How do you know"
"How do l know? The man got him
from says so; that's how"
"Did you look at his teeth?"
whats the use of looking at his teethi
| You can't tell anything about horses age
by his teeth. A good horse dentist,
madam, can fix up an old plug SO his teeth
| will look like yearling's."
81 never heard of a horse dentist,
Lemuel," said Mrs Finkenbinder doubt
| fully Il don't believe there's any in this
town"
"There's lots of things in this town you
never heard of. The beauty about. this
horse" said Lemuel, stroking the animals
shoulder, 'is that-whoa, Billy His
names Billy-is that any woman can
drive him. He's as gentle as kitten.
He's got plenty of spirit when you get him
started though. That's what Mike Down
ing says He got the horse for me, and
what he doesn't know about horse you
can put in your eye. Whoa, Billy Don't
forget, Fan, that his name is Billy. A
horse always likes to be called by his right
name. l think I'll hitch him up and let
you drive him. Go in the house and get
your things on"
Mrs. Finkenbinder complied and Lem
uel took the horse back to the barn and
hitched him to the phaeton. In due time
the entire outfit made its appearance in
front of the family dwelling, where Mrs.
Finkenbinder was patiently awaiting it.
You take the lines Fam" said Lemuel
encouragingly, after she had taken her
seat in the phaeton and he had tucked tho
robe comfortably about them both. you
might as well begin to drive him right
now. He's to be a family horse, and /
can't be here all the time to do the driv-
ing"
Mrs. Finkenbinder took the lines and
clucked at the animal.
Don't try to drive him too fast at the
start" cautioned Lemuel Hes been on
oats for about a month and hasn't had
anything to do He's perfectly gentle, but
it won't do to crowd him at first. Don't
let him get the start of you. Hold him
inn
He doesn't seem to need any holding
in" said Mrs. Finkenbinder, as Billy. after
proceeding few rods at a gentle walk,
stopped promptly at the first pull on the
lines. Hadn't you better touch him with
the whip"
Not for worldsp' exclaimed Lemuel.
Get up, Billy"
Billy started on again with the same pa
tient walk.
cts a risky thing" said Mr.. Finken-
binder, "to touch spirited horse with a
whip-g'lang, Billy!-when he isn't look
ing forit. Many runaway, Fan, has been
caused-get up, Billy!-by that very
thing"
"Why doesn't he go, Lemi"
why don't you drive him'"
II am driving him as we'll as 1 can.
Chuck! Cluckl Go on, Billy Get upp'
"H! Billy Get out of this!' said Lem
uel, his voice becoming somewhat loud
and imperative.
Billy walked on at the same gentle gait.
LET me take the lines' calculated his
owner. Some women can never learn to
drive horse! Now, then, Billy, pike
along! Get up Get up! What do you
mean, you lazy, ornery. good for Moth
Look out, Fan! I'm going to touch him
with the whip. Hold on to the dash
boardr
He seized the whip and laid it gently
along Billy's flank
Billy switched his tail, heaved patient
sigh and walked on.
You low down, baseborn scrub!" roared
Mr.. Finkenbinder. "You milk livered
son of dray horse-watch out now, Fan!
I'm going to raise him-take thatp'
He brought the whip down with all his
might. He smote him hip and thigh.
lengthwise, crosswise and diagonally.
You walking ghost!" he shouted. you
numbering old corpsel How do you like
that! How does that feel you"-
"Let me get outp' screamed Mrs Finken-
binder.
Lemuel paid no attention to her. He |
kept on yelling at the horse and welding
the whip.
And Billy At the first blow he pricked |
up his ears. At the second he stopped in
his tracks, bowed his head and stood still
till Lemuel was tired out and the storm
was over.
Then he pricked up his ears and started
on again, at the same unobtrusive, patient,
leisurely walk.
And Mr.. Lemuel Finkenbinder has
horse, warranted kind, gentle and perfectly
safe for woman to drive, that he will sell
to any body that wants him for about 'steen
dollars with a good halter thrown in. -
Chicago Tribune.