The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1897-08-07
II Yankee Farmer e
ace in Florida.
BY R. G. ROBINSON.

IN the pioneer days of South Florida
there came from Boston man
named Dave. with his wife and two
children.
He came, he said, primarily for his
health, and incidentally TO better his
fortune, which. never having been
great. had been wrecked in the financial
cyclone of %.
In those days homesteads donated by
a paternal government to actual set
tiers were plenty, and Dave soon found
one to his liking. on which he built
n cabin and cleared land for a small
orange grove.
With fine disregard for convention
alities and Boston prejudices, and with
a determination to be ''of the Romans
Roman" he discarded shoes, stock
| ings, and all supertiuities of dress, and
commenced work with magnificent
| pluck and Yankee energy.
Looking to bread supply for the
| immediate future, he rented a few
acres of arabic land from an "old resi-
| denter" to plant in corn and potatoes,
| his new land being sour and unfit;
and he invested the remnant of his
] funds in horse, pillow and harness.
The horse was an importation from
the broad plains of Texas, small, an
gular, slender of limb and wild of eye.
| An animal with better training or an
cestors or habits of thought ought to
| have been selected, for Dave had never
owned a horse in his life, nor had he
ever mounted one or put his hands to
plow."
He knew it was all quite easy, though,
Did ever man come from Boosting"
who couldn't do anything that any
other man had ever done?
The day after the purchase, in the
early, dewy morn, he took the horse,
| pillow and harness to the rented field
to begin operations, and his wife and
children went along to see the incep-
ton of that happy occupation called
farming"
Never having harnessed a horse, Dave
omitted that useful article, collar,
and buckled on the names upside down;
but otherwise he got the gearing fixed
in pretty fair shape.
Then, taking the lines and grasping
the pillow handles with a grip of deter
mnation, he uttered, with fine effect
and deep bass voice, a formula he'd
read--in the encyclopedia, perhaps
Gee! Whoa! Haw! Git up thar!"
The formula was all right, and his
| ranIarinfr f,arfant. bnt ba hadn't "a
into account the moods and lenses, past
and present, of a Texas pony. That sa-
gacious animal, having taken slight
tug against the bare, upside-down
names, stood gazing in silent wonder
and expectancy.
Come up, there, | tell you'll" said
the farmer. Cant you gee haw?"
The only answer was a slight bob
bing of the head.
Come up, l tell you'll" again said
Dave, and at the same time raising his
right hand, he brought the heavy rop,
line down along the pony's back with
Il rcsounding thwack.
His answer was quart or so of earth
full in the face, thrown by the pony's
hind feet as they went sllyward. THAI
little performance ended, the pony re
sumed his original position and lool
of inquiry, while Dave took a seat Oh
the ground to review the situation.
81 don't exactly know what's the
matter, Sadie" he said. "The man
got this beast from said he was al
elegant pillow animal and would &c
straight along"
well, Dave" said Sadie, II dom
know, but seems to Inc horses may have
their regular habits just like people
and maybe this horse amt used tC
starting so early in the morning; yot
know the people round here don't star
to work near so early as this. Let's
wait a bit, and maybe he'll GO
Sadie" said Dave, ''if we're going tC
make a crop this year We'll have tC
start early in the mornings. All gooC
farmers do, and this horse had Just a!
well begin now as another time. tel
you what | expect is the matter: He'i
used to having boy lead him wher
drawing a pillow; that's the way lot;
of blowing is done. You try leading
him, Sadie, and I'll hold the plow."
"Oh, Dave" she said, II reall,
couldn't. I'm afraid he'd bite me, ht
looks so mad"
"Shucksl" said Dave. HE couldn'
bite you if he wanted to, for the trace.
and pillow viii hold him back. Yot
really must, Sadie. just try it till we
get him started, then maybe he'll 20
all right"
Thus urged, Sadie took the bride,
rens as far in front as she could, and
Dave resumed the handles of the pillow
Now pull, Sadie said Dave, "and
well start. Get up there, you beastl"
In response the beast gave n snort
and tug that made Sadie jump ten feet
or more and dragged the pillow perhaps
six inches; then he stopped resolutely
I'm tell you what's the matter
Sadie" said Dave; me amt used to youl
skirts. Here, you come hold the pillow
and I'll lead him bit"
So Sadie took the pillow handles, and
Dave, taking hold of the bride, said:
"Now come right along, you ugly beast.
YOU" at the same time giving him a
kick.
There was another start and sudden
tug; the pillow catching on root. the
handles flew up and knocked the luck.
less Sadie into sitting position several
yards away; the pony stopped and
rested.
Welt Ill be jiggered," said Dave.
"But tell you, Sadie, / know it can