The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-03-15
ELECTRICITY ON A BALKY HORSE.
Some One Touched the Button and
the Colt Did the Rest.


From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Frequenters OF what is known as the
illinois Valley Trottng Circuit" will rea-
Oily remember "Old Bill Reeves'-it is
impossible to forget him
1t was only few weeks ago that the
writer sat in the office" of the dilapidated
livery stable, which forms the mighty
rendezvous for the horse cranks of the
village, in which Bill has made his home
for. thirty years. 1t was evening and the
usual coterie had assembled-all but the
redoubtable William, who for some rea-
son had delayed his coming
AS the old-fashioned regulator over
the medicine shelf in the corner began in
doleful manner to strike O'Clock the
door opened silently and a small, wiry old
man, with a grizzly beard and a promi-
nent nose, limped quietly in, and seated
himself with evident pain in the vacant
chair.
This, then, was "Old Bill Reeves" No
one stirred, saving the general nod of
recognition, but there was an air of sur
prise upon the faces of my companions,
not unmiXed with anxiety. Something had
evidently happened to Bill.
AFTER RUBBING his leg gently for mo-
ment, he reached painfully into his trou-
sers pocket and. with an apparent strug-
gle, drew forth a huge slab of chewing to-
bacco. Another SpaSm, and he had Sc
cured from the depth of that capacious
was easy, and, after one trial shot at
the box of sawdust by way of getting it
nicely located, the sage seemed to have
completed his preliminary arrangements,
and, without the slightest preface he
launched forth in, to me, most sur
priSing manner.
'Lectricityr' he snorted fiercelv
searching the countenances of his hear
ers as if looking for some one to quarrel
with. No; no, thanks; take it away"
outburst, during which the orators man
ner seemed to undergo an entire change.
His grim features relaxed gradually, and
when he spoke again there was twinkle
in his eye and suspicion of a smile
about his mouth.
Boys, I've been sperimentin an YOU
kin all bet yer Sunday clo'es at Electricity
II start balky boss"
Been Sperimentin 18th the Padget colt
Bll?" ventured his neighbor on the left
''Ya'as," drawled the famous narrator,
splitting copiously, and changing the i'm
mense quid from the left to the right side
of his mouth.
''Ya'as, the Padget colt tole you fell
lers I'd break i'm in. l reckon 1 hev, but,
mind you, l don't kalkillate ter use no
more ore Electricity. 1t was This way:
ed me; l never seen sech a critter ter
balk in my life, n I've seen some,
reckon. Wen, / made up, my mind this
mornin that I'd jest take him out N
drive i'm or kill i'm, one or tother
I'D got i'm most hooked up when long
comes tibet entirely useless idiot, Bob
sic acid or sulphuriouS acid sor some SIGH
uncertain drugs; an calls 'imself a chem
list.
We'll, Bob see at was hitchin of the
Padget colt n l spose he kaykillated
ther'd be a row; so e comes in n looks
on kinder inherent like, n sets down lit
tie parcel he'd been carryin' under his
arm, an Jes as / was climbin' into the cart
he remarks in a kinder irritatin way tibet
he don't reckon as how tibet colt ii start
fer me nor nobody else 'thout some sort
of mechanical appliance.
Il amt got no patience 18th Bob, no
how, an as | was sayin, this riled me
clear through, IN l made up my mind
tibet colt he'd got ter start n start durn
quick.
7 never would hev hit him to begin
with If ! hadn't been so mad at Bob; but
as it was, l jest hauled off and give him
the whalebone the hui length of his back
which is enough to start anything wearin'
skin 'ceptin' tibet onery Padget colt. He
made one jump tibet nearly snatched me
outer the cart, n then came down 18th
his legs spread out like er sawbuck n
his teeth set. | knowed it was no use ter
hit i'm agin. n l was cussin myself for
bein' so hasty with him, when Bob pipes
up n says more impident N aggrivatin'
than ever. Tell We what, Bill, there amt
no use tryin' ter start tibet colt, 'ceptin'
by mechanical means.
" How'll We do it?' says l.
Letcricity,' says Bob
We'll, was clean stumDed 18th tibet
blame colt. n l didn't care a durn if Bob
used dynamite; so l says, Go ahead.
a 'lectric bell into Hank YaDes' mill, m
he'd what he called battery in the parcel
he'd been a carryin'; he'd some wire n
lectric buttons n other fool things, too.
We'll, | took a short run down ter the
pasture lot TO put the riders on the lane
fence fore Smiley turned the mares out to
water, n when l got back Bob had his
mechanical contrivance all rugged up.
mere was piece of copper wire twisted
tight round the colts tail, n from there
a wire run up through the reins n down
10 the hand hollis, where he'd fixed