The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-11-10

deal, ma'am, and early in the summer
I saved the life of a very valuable
horse"
"Oh, do tell me-" I cried, leaning
forward. Begin at the very begin
lining, and tell me all about it,"
He laughed and blushed and said,
I'LL do my best, ma'am I must begin
by telling you that all the country
round about here knew Of Mr.. LIS
insane horse. Why, people used to 60
regularly to see him in his tantrums.
The groom would give him a slap in
the face, and in five minutes the stable
would look as if a western cyclone had
gone through it, with Flrtfy kicking,
slemming, and riotipg everywhere at
once They had whipped him, and
ehackled him, and tried to cure him,
but it was OF no use, and now for two
days he had refused all food, and he
was condemned to be shot.
IT thought a good Ceal about the
poor creature, and the day before he
was to be killed l asked Mrs. K-to
let me drive over to see him. On the
way l stopped at the Fort William
Henry Hotel. A famous veterinary
doctor, whom [ once saved from the
kick Of a horse, was stepping there. l
found him smoking on the Pr zEa, end
easily persuaded him to take his bag of
instruments ind medicine, without
which he never travelled, and go with
me and see the insane horse
when we got to the village and the
stable, there were O dozen iGle fellows
standing around and chatting the
grooms. Poor Firefy stood trembling
IN his stall with, every little while, a
big shudder going all I'VE him. The
doctor and I went near, and ne turned
and looked at US. I do declare, ma'am,
that l never saw such a hopeless plead
inG lock. 1t made a great choke come
in my throat, and l dashed eff some
water from my ey es, before those vaga
bonds could see it and make fun Of me-
"'Oh, GOMEZ said one big rough
loafer, touch him up Jake Before
we could stop him, Jake went into the
next stall, and leaning over, gave Fire
fly a sharp tap on the side of his face.
INSTANTLY the rrse threw up his
head, and daeheu t from side to side
He backed out of the stall as far as the
long strap would let him, and began to
kick and prance furiously, his eyes
ableze, his nostrils extended, while the
brutal crowd clapped and hallooed.
The doctor aud I watched him care
fully, my heart full of pity, when all
at once it came to mel knew yes! |
knew what allied him! and suddenly
cried out: Stop hollering, you l~oafere;
the horse is crazy with a jumping
toothache!
"a roar of contemptuOus laughter
greeted this discovery, but the doctor
had already opened his bag and taken
out a hottie Of chloroform. He quickly
saturated the towel, and watching his
chance, threw it over poor Flr,fy's
head.
THE creature lurched, trembled,
and then began to sprawllike a drunk
en- man, and we had hardly time to
run TO him before he fell heavily for
ward and rolled over on his side. With
the help of two Of the more decent
men, caught him in time to lay him
gently down, and then, by the doctors
direction. ] sat lightly upon his shoul
der, to prevent any possible movement
while the others held his feet.
'Then the doctor, holding the cloth
over the nose of the horse, forced open
his mouth. OF! Oh! What a sight
it Was I hope, ma'am, eve to see it
agaiL An enormous ulcer or abscess
filled all one side, while the rest was
purple with ~iLfamaticn. Two back
teeth covered by the ulcer were laid
bare by the forceps of the doctor. They
were decayed to the very roots.
"'These have made all the trouble !!
he exclaimed, and in another minute
he had yanked them out. He put more
chlorof0rm on the cloth and taking a
lancet from his bag, he cut deep into
the abscess. Calling for an old towel,
he softly pressed out all of the awful
stuff it held then, asking for a basin
of warm water, he poured some lauds-
mum IN it, and with a sponge he gently
sponged and washed the suffering
mouth and quiveriDg, swollen gume ;
and then, removing the chloroformed
cloth, he laid down the poor animals
head.
"'Now, jake he said, go quickly