Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1898-08-11

prevent towns specializing on the liquor
sales, adding distress to the buyer. Such
move as high license might make us
drink more water, but IL would be very
expensive. II any return is made to the
old system OF selling liquor, make the
license reasonable and grant 1t to enough
so there will be hot competition and good
goods offered at low prices.
! don't want to be understood as being
much in love with the present prohibitory
law for many OF its workings are disgust
ing and should be remedied, but deliver
us from the high license coming in any
form proposed yet.
BARNARD's oLD-TIME HoRsEMEE.
Nelson Howard, or as he is familiarly
called Judge Howard, was perhaps as
good judge Of q horse in his day as any
man in town. Commencing early in life
to own and trade horses, he made them
study and 1t would be a very slight i'm
perfection that would escape his notice.
he was a grand caretaker and very
good driver. Always honest, he would
be sure to win II possible. Many a hard
fought race over the ice, Woodstock and
Bethel tracks, has found the Judge ready
at the close to take his share OF the
Doodle.
Mr.. Towards first appearance as a
public horseman was in the early SOS
when he had the care and handling of
noted stallion owned by Or. Brown OF
Royalton. This horse was one OF the
finest specimens OF horsefosh lin Ver-
mont. Large, powerful and somewhat
vicious, 1t took good man to manage
him, which was successfully done by
Melt Howard.
The Judge next made his bow Ito the
public when be appeared with that cele-
DRAFTED stallion, John Morrill,, afterwards
called Woodstock-registered as No. S73.
John Morrill, was another hard horse to
handle, but like all the other horses that
Mr.. Howard had the care Of, be loved his
groom. John would bite, kick or run
away with. his owner, but with Melt
always gentle.
II Is wonderfully good trait In a mans
character that attracts the respect and af-
lection OF dumb animals and be II horse
or a dog they always found a friend in
Nelson Howard. Always quiet and even
tempered, he would not have been select
ed by many as successful race driver,
but his horses would be at the front II
there was any chance.
For a number OF years Mr.. Howard had
stable OF some note and took part in
races at all the fairs. He was noted for
comical expressions and ready wit which
he inherited from father and grandfather,
both having place In Barnard's history.
Amusing incidents OF bis driving might
be related which would fill your paper,
one of which pleased the late Samuel EN-
erson OF Boston, who was hired at Bethel
70 manage the races at a great meeting
held over the White River track.
In drawing for positions Howard was
given the pole, but an error was discover
ed after the scoring commenced and 1t
was found to belong to another horse
As the horses had already scored once,
Mr.. Emerson decided that without How
ARDS consent no change could be made.
So Melt was stopped at the stand and
the situation explained. Without a mo-
ment's hesitation he said, "Let him have
IL and will take 1t from him In i've min
utes after we get the word co."
Sure enough Howard and his horse were
at the wire first, but the fun of 1t was that
he set the time so long that Emerson ex-
pected slow race.
Sam Emerson was called one of the very
best judges that ever went into a stand In
New England. He certainly gave good
satisfaction at Bethel, showing no partial
ity TO horses from Boston, of which there
were many. Nelson Howard, a house
painter py trade, now more than three
score and ten, has retired from active horse
life but is still an interested spectator at
all the races.
The late Hannibal Totman OF Pomfret,
one OF the best horsemen in Windsor
county, said he never saw Melt Howard
without thinking of Gull Danforth and
he never saw Gull without thinking OF
Nelt,and when he saw them both together
he thought OF John Morrill,.
When time at last shall steal away
And steal our pleasures too,
The memory OF the past will stay
And half our joys renew.