Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-10-13
OLD TOM AND HIS TRICKS.

- street Car Horse That Has n Great
Deal of Sense.
When s'Old Tom went TO work for
the Brooklyn City railway he was only
four years old. and as good a colt as
ever stepped in iron. That was four
teen years ago, and Tom is pretty old
now, for a horse at any rate that has
spent his best days Juggling heavy cars
and trying to please ugly and brutal
drivers.
A few years ago Tom, having become
too old and slow to make. the round
trips on schedule time, was relegated to
the miserable rank of a common tow
horse If there is anything which
effectually lowers to the neanest level
whatever dregs of dignity remain in the
makeup of any horse which has been
doing his turn" tween tracks for a
period of ten or twelve years, it is to re-
duce him to the standing of the old
hacks in the towing brigade Once a
member Of this company the equine
gradually loses all self respect, and be-
come lop-eared. spiritless and disrepu-
table looking. As far as all outward
appearances are concerned he doesn't
care whether he pleases or displeases.
So long as he gets his oats he doesn't
worry much whether his company con-
tlnues to run cars or not. AS a tow
he soon learns how to shirk work by
hanging back on the traces when the
car horses are pulling up hill like loco
motives This is favorite trick of old
Toms and he has it down to a fine
point.
Looking at him as he takes his place
beside the team and begins the ascent
of the Washington street hill, the
casual observer will be struck by the
apparent honesty of the old horse as he
tugs at the traces and appears to be
trying to do all the work alone. But
all the time the ascent is being made
there is a roguish twinkle in the old
horses eye. He knows how to throw
his weight into the collar and deceive
onlookers by maintaining steady but
light pull on the traces In the art of
pulling on the traces, and at the same
time not pulling on them, old Tom has
no equal in the equine world.
No doubt you have seen the old rogue.
He is tall, large-boned, angular white
horse, with soft-looking eyes and nice
long tail He plods the Washington
street hill every night in the year, and
when not plodding he is standing on
the corner of Washington and Sands
streets alongside big tub which is al
ways full of water for old Toms exclu-
sive and individual use. This is Toms
bath tub. He takes great pleasure in
thrusting his old head up to the ears
into the water, and makes a great
splashing.
The tow boys have taught him many
tricks, such as opening his mouth at the
word of command to receive an apple or
a banana peel which are thrown at
him. He will extend his right foreleg
to ''shake hands," and nod his head
affirmatively when asked if he wants
glass of beer For old Tom likes his
beer, too. He would dance like circus
horse for lump of sugar and neigh
with pleasure when pie is brought to
him. Beer and pie are the joys of old
Toms heart
Every old horse likes to lean against
a tree or a post and rub his neck and
shoulders Old Tom doesn't use post,
ings in his horse way on the Duke of
Argyle. Tom has unique method of
scratching. He wears a heavy collar,
which has rough edges When he feels
like, having a scratch he gives himself
a shake to loosen the collar, and then
lowering his head to the ground so that
his nose touches it, he jerks his head
from side to side until the heavy collar
begins to slide down the inclined plane,
slowly at first, then with a rush, end
ing with a bang behind the ears When
the collar is sliding down his long neck
like creased tightening old Tom is in
the seventh heaven of delight Dur
ing the collars transit his eyes are half
closed and he is enjoying the scratch
for all it is worth
With the collar hanging about his
ears he losses his head high in the air:
then the inverse motion sets in and gives
the old rogue added satisfaction. as the
collar rubs down the entire length OF
his neck back to the shoulders Old
Tom keeps this up for half an hour at q
time. His boy driver says it does the
old horse world of good and is as good
as Turkish bath-N. L. Advertiser.
MANGLED remains-the part of your shirt
that comes hack from the steam laundry
Puck