The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-16


and shook him. The people gave back
and scattered a little at this, for in
those times men were quick to use
their knives and pistols. But the trad
er had no idea of using his, though he
had both i'm his belt.
Let me explain, sir; let me eN-
plain he cried, as the White-halred
Master released his hold. That gen
tleman there said the yOungster was
only playing me one Of his jokes
"What gentleman? the White-hair-
| ed Master asked him,as kuicll as flash.
He wheeled and looked around, as if
searching for some one. The people
were still afraid a fight was about to
take place, and they stood off some
distance, but not so far that they
couldn't hear every word that was said.
What gentleman? p the White-hair-
| ed Master repeated, facing the trader.
"The trader went to Mr.. Gossett and
touched his shoulder so as to make no
mistake. This is the gentleman, sir
he said
at this the White-haired Master
fairly roared with laughter. Pay him
another hundred, Gossett--pay him am
other hundred! He has earned it,
You'll not find another man i'm the
country TO pay you such a compliment
There must have been some joke
or hit in this, for the people laugh
ed even louder than the White
haired Master. and Mr.. Gossett
turned very red i'm the face. But if IT.
was a joke it passed over MY head.
saw no fun i'm it, and neither did the
Son of Ben Ali, who had drawn near
and was fondIing the thin white hand
Of the Little Master i'm his"
Here the Gray Pony paused and held
his head as if he heard a noise some
where. Then he cropped off bunch Of
peach leaves and ckewed on them, to
all appearances relishing their flavor.
This done, he scratched his neck by
rubbing it against the peach tree,
which was old and rough The chill
dren sat absorbed in the story he was
telling.
Now, right here, the Gray Pony
went on, two or three things hap
pened so close together that the
quickest eye could hardly separate
them If / told as they happened |
should have to tell them all at once,
but this can't be done, not even i'm your
tongue. So I'll have to blunder along
the best / know how In cantering or
gallopingI always start off on my right
fOrefoot A man taught me that with
a whip, and I've never been able to for
get it, That foot comes down heaviest,
and / always fling the right foreshoe
first. 1t was loose when we started
from home that morning and when
jumped at Mr.. Gossett I wrenched If
nearly off. For a time | didn't mind
it, but every time / stamped my foot
to drive the flies away it rang and rat
tied like a COW bell The Son Of Ben
Ali, hearing it rattle as he stood by
the Little Master, stopped and placed /
his hand on my knee. / gave him my
foot, and he drew the shoe of by
giving it a slight twist with mis- fingers. |
When the White-haired Master told
Mr. Gossett to pay the trader another
hundred dollars he made a step to-
ward the man 10 see what he would do. /
At that moment Mr.. Gossett's son
George, a great rowdy and bully, came
rushing through the crowd. He was
red in the face and fairly foaming at /
the mouth. He came crying rs pap i'm !
fuss? Where are you, pap?' He had !
a pistol in his hand, and when he saw
the White-haired Master standing so
near his pap, as he called him, he bel |
lowed like mad bull, and came rush |
ing up, levelIing the pistol as he got |
near
This happened just as the Son Ben
Ali wrenched the shoe from my foot
Still STOPPING ne turned his head and /
saAGeorge Gossett halt and point his
pistol at the White-haired Master. /
felt the body Of the Son of Ben Ali
sway under my neck in the most unac-
countable manner, and the next mo-
ment / saw young Gossett fall as if he
had been struck by lightning. The
Son of Ben Ali crept under my belly,
and when / saw him again ne was sit
ting on the block where he had stood
to be sold, his arms folded and his
eyes closed as if he were fast asleep.
mo one knew what had happened
except the Son Of Ben Ali and myself.
All eyes had been fixed on George. Cos /
sett and the White-haired Master.
Some said Gossett had fallen in a fit
Of passion and that the blood had
burst from his face. Some said that
he had fallen on a horseshoe that hap
pened to be lying near. Some said one
thing and some said another George
Gossett always declared so I've heard,
that somebody jabbed him in the face
with forlled stick, but his best friends
said ne was drunk at the time and fell
on the horseshoe and hurt himself.
But there was some people who whis-
pered il around that they saw the
blood gush from his face as he fell for
ward.
"The matter was never explained,
and for many a long day no one but
the Son Of Ben Ali and / knew that
Gossett had been hit in the face by one
Of my shoes. ] think the White-haired
Master learned the truth by asking the
Son of Ben Ali about it one night when
they were returning from long ride
together,
"In the midst of the excitement, old
Mr.. Gossett forgot all about the Son
nE Dan All Put aEtar. the -unnnlal