Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1894-09-27

black heart Of which Streamei ruddS
glow, looking lurii in contrast with
the sunshine. and round which WAS
grouped dense little crowd of women
and children, with 4 few men, Straun,
the smith, a hurly. srimy. hare-armed
figure In a leatheru apron, stood in an
attitude Of defiant despair, one strong
hand graSpiuS his ScNat hammer,
which he had flung on the anvil, and
calling silently on Heaven TO witness
that he was ready 70 shoe Christian
horses, however rampant, but not
demons, hippogriifS, or any such UNI
canuy monsters. Near him, looking
rather pale. but reSolutc, as became
one superior 10 the weaker emotions,
an old, bent withered man, with
Shrcwd gray eyes and purSed-up
mouth. stood leaning forward on 4
stout oakcu stick, and shook his head
as one who deSpaired ot finding virtue
in these Degenerate days in either man
or beast,
And zays. as Zed afort," he re-
peated, emphasizing his words with
the stick, which he dug into the ground
with all the force of his two withered
hands, "2end for Miss lilian-zeud for
her"
Lard love zee. Graufcr." observed Il
stout fellow in Smocktrock, who
stood inside the forge IN attendance
~ t.>l
cart horses who were co2ily MUNICH
ing some hay dropped before them,
and contemplating the proceedings
lazily with their great soft Winking
eyes, where's the use OF gaia
proposition received 10y Grantcr aud
the assembled village with silent Scorn.
The center of the excited littlr crowd,
which occasionally burst aSundcr and
flew outward VII a wild mingling..of
womenS and chiIdr>n'S ShrckS-for
the men Scurried Off with silent
celebrity that was all the more eiTCctual
was Il beautiful chestnut horse. not
standing, according to the comfortable
and decent wont of horses, on four
firmly planted feet, but outraging pco-
pies belief in the stability of natural
laws 10y rearing himself wildly and
insecurity on his two hind legs, and
dangling from his mouth in md-air Il
miserable white faced biped In slceved
waiStcoat and CATERS, whose cap had
fallen off, and whose damp hair
streamcd as wildly as lotSpurs own
waving name and quivcring tail, Tired
OF this folly. with his ears laid back,
his nostrils wide and red. and his
eyes showing nothing but the whites,
Hotspur would suddenly drop his vic
tim 10 his native earth, and, plunging
forward ON his other end, rs If intent
on turning Il somcrsault, would throw
his hind hoofs up toward the sky in q
manner most alarming to those who
enjoyed a near view of the proceed
ingS; and then, wcarying of this, he
would dance round on all four legs at
once In 4 manner utterly bewldcring
to contemplate.
why, Hotspur," cried Lillian, in her
clear, mellow voice, as she stepped
quickly through the crowd just ms
IIotSpur dropped the unfortunate
groom to the ground, and prepared to
turn himself the other way up, what
is this, old fellow" and she caught
the rein from the Sroom's hand, push
ing the latter gently away, aud laid
her slender, strong white hand firmly
upon the quivering neck of the mad.
dcncd. plungiug horse "Fy, llotspur,
fy"
No one had observed Iil.an'S APP
proach. and when she appeared, rs If
dropped from the skies in the groom $
place, a sudden quiet pervndcd every
human face and limb, the crowd fell
back. and all Locke VI, save the Skcp-
IT, with the cart horses, with an air of
tranquil expectancy; while Lillian,
without a trace of anxiety OF agila-
ton, talked in carcssin-, r,provlng
tones to the ill-conductcd stccd, whose
limbs had quivered into some approach
to quiet at the first touch of the slen-
der. spiritlike hand on his neck.
But even Lilian's magic touch could
not cXpcl the demon of passion at
once from the maddcncd creature. He
still reared and plunged and danced,
in manner that led the spectators to
give him plenty of room for his cvo-
lutiOnS; but he became gradually
quieter, until he stood as Providence
intended horses to stand, on all four
feet at once. and only betrayed the
internal workings of his outraged feel
ings by the quiyering of his limbs and
body, the workings of his ears and
eyes, and the redncss Of his wide nos
trils, while Lilian's musical voice
never ceased its low monoogue Of
soothing and reproach. and her hand
never left stroking and patting his
shining neck and shoulders. AT Hot.
spurs first back ward rear, indeed, her
hand left him perforce, and she only
avoided being hoisted in mid-air like
the luckless groom by giving HIM a
long rein and stepping quickly back
out OF the way OF his formidable fore
feet
This was an ugly moment, and Il
woman in the crowd uttered an excla-
At II. nj