The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-09-26
HE GOT THE DEAcoNs MARE.
A GraceIess Scamp Who Stole From a De-
fenseIess Man on Sunday.

fenseIess Man on Sunday.
A Portland man went up in the country
10 buy horse recently. 1t was on Sunday,
by the way, the only day that the busy citi-
zen could spare from his occupation. He
had no definite idea just where he was 60
ing, but lie had his eye out for anything on
four legs that looked promising. Finally
as he drove along pretty country high
way he espied three horses in small stable
yard. He drove up, hitched his steed and
leaned upon the fence, looking the stock
over One young mare attracted his atten-
tion especially, and he was admiring her
when the hoHse door opened and an old
man OF very trim countenance came out
There were the usual preliminaries about
the weather, and then the farmer asked,
Looking for anything Particular"
We'll, want to buya horse, and must
confess | like the looks of that mare there
very much. What is your price?"
Tut, tut. never do business on the
Lords day. Why, sir, I'm deacon in the
church, and whatever else may do will
not profane the Lords day by buying and
selling Why, sir, seems as though all you
city folks wanted to come ont here and
dicker on Sunday"
The Portland man commenced to feel
ashamed before the grave gray eyes of this
Old iittli. uG Giulllueus
isn't there one day you can rest from
your everlasting trading? Now, last sun
day man came along here, said he was
from Portland, and he offered 500 for that
mare. Dear me-ridiculous Why, she's
worth-I mean scandalous-to talk trade
on the Sabbath. Two hundred dollars never
can buy her. Why, she can show two
tut, tut, mean shall show my one the
door who comes round here talking trade
Sundays. No offense to you, mister. Isee
you take quite an interest in the mare. You
won't find better one round here I'll tell
you that. We had a little brush on the
road day before yesterday, and l cleaned
'em out, and-I consider that the least that
man can do is to keep from trading horses
on Sunday. If u man should offer me $3.50
today Sunday wouldn't look at him; no,
sir, woudn't"-
The Portland man gravely took out his
pocketbook and opening it laid it on the
fence. Then he moistened his thumb and
foretfnger, and not paying the least atten-
tion to the farmer he counted out SOS,
doubled it up and advanced toward the
deacon. The latter danced backward hap-
ping his hands deprecatinEly like n great
Shanghai and eXpostulating earnestly. The
visitor paused and impressively added a
$40 bill to the wad, while the cleaning eyes
regarded him intently. He walked plumb
up 10 the deacon grabbed his hand and at
tempted to cram the money into the broad
palm. The deacon would not allow it-no,
not he. He backed away toward the yard,
unfastened the gate and disappeared in the
stable. In n minute he came out, halter
in his hand. Said he, with queer grulf-
ness:
I've good mind to order you off the
premises. 1 see you're determined to steal
the mare. You're biggern l am, and l
don't know as can help myself, but if
you're bound to do it | spose you'll steal
this halter too" .--...
The old man had whirlcd around his back
to the visitor He held his great hand be-
hind his back, palm upward, and his fingers
were wrigging like a lobster's claws. The
Portland man tiptoed up, jammed the
money into the itching fist, caught tho
mare and towed her away behind his car
riage All this time he was getting good
deacon's opinion of graceess scamp who
would steal horse from defenseless man
on Sunday.-Lewiston Journal.