Marble Hill press., 1892-02-25
OLD JOE.

He was old, blind knock kneed
spawned and crestlallen. In an old
field which had been thrown out. on
account of a refusal of the soil to
longer produce, the old horse was
pickic.. 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 neishborhood 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 ne
seemed to cling with desperation to
the little life that was still left him.
and unconsciously he disappointed his
overhanging black pursuers. and put
of his dissolution as far as possible.
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, l entered into
conversation with him.
What is your name old fellow"
asked him.
II have had several names, he re-
piled. My first name was Joe. ;
That was given me when 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
SO often misrepresented my age when
trading me oil. that l have been con-
siderably confused on that point For
instance. about ten years ago. my late
master who was q. deacon. traded me
OF to a bro the deacon as q nine-year.
old. when. in fact l was close on to
twenty-eight.
You seem to be pretty we'll used
up. Your frame looks more like a
cfothes-rack than horse How came
you to be in such q sad condition?
Have you master to look after youp"
asked.
The old horse raised his head and
turned his sightless eyes in the direc-
ton where | stood. / do not remem-
ber 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
have long since become blind and can
mot 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 limba the difficulty
experience in getting up after lying
down, all tell me that l must be very
weak and bony. But I was not al
ways thus. I tell you SIR it does mo
good to think what a spanking mover
was at six-year-old. All, sir. was
round and sleek. curried and brushed
daily; we'll fed. of course. on oats hay
and corn, and how and then a lump
of sugar and salt Goodness! how my
mouth waters to think of it now.
How came I'to be in thu sad coudi-
ticn?' Well. that would Be long
story 10 tell. During my younger
years Jared we'll enough. Az Isaid
before. / was pert trotter and my
master used me alone for his buggy
horse. On one occasion, it was
4 after night my master who was driv-
ing me to a buggy, and who must
say. was rather proud Of me. was
showing me Oft, rs, tho saying goes
to q young lady. whom he was escort.
ing home from a picnic. 1t was late
at night and u darker night / never
saw until lost my eyes Well to
make long story short my master
used the whip rather freely. and in
obedience 70 1t (for I was mortally
afraid OF q whip in those days.,
trotted on ct my utmost speed Had
] been allowed to. exercise my own
Judgment, would not have gone 90
fast; for. although had good eyes Ia
those days the night was % dark that
II was impossible for me 70 $50 where
TO place my feet All Of sudden one
si my forsfeet wsot. through . rotten
plank II bsidgo We vo-o crossing. and
Aovn I aamN Ihn ohnolv AhsSw ~ "a