The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-04-27
SHE NEVER BALKED AGAIN.
Bar HarbOr Man Played a Blum Game
on a Contrary Mare.

on a Contrary Mare.
speaking about balky horses and the best
way to tnem." said George Sperry, Il
can tell you a trick that Stephen Leland
played one time and it worked like a charm
you fellers all know Steve. course you do
he lives down to Bar Harbor. Well, let's
see. it was L years ago this winter, the 10Th
day of January. You remember the heavy
sleet storm-same night Linnke was mar
ried-when all the trees looked SO pretty
after the storm. You remember Stephen
he had wood lot out near the foot of Green
mountain, Wher he cut his wood winters
That year he had handsome a pair Of
bay horses as ever rein drew over. The
nigh one was all right in every particular
but the off one had spells in a while when
she would take matters in her own way and
throw up her head. You might put rocks
in her ears, twist her tail, pound. whip.
swear and rave much as you liked but
she would never move till she got ready
'One day met Leland when he was haul
ing out the first load for the day. He told
me how she worked and l told him then
and there that if it was my horse I'd lust
Onhitch the nigh one and leave her hitched
on to the load in the woods. They went
into the HarbOr with the first load all right
but when the second load was piled on and
under way things were different At a Ger.
tain place in the road. up goes that horses
head again. 1t was in just the same MIA ca
where she baked before. Steve was mad
as a halter. He took off his coat and hat
He swore till the trees around him trem-
bled. Next he took sapling birch and
whipped and pounded till he was all tired
out. Then he sat down and rested Then
he thought he'd coax the critter so he got
a drink of water from the sprine she
drank it. Then he asked her to 60, but not
a muscle would she move. Stephen fused
till he became exhausted.
ho, hn n1 M of
Sperry's Authenticated the nigh ona
straddled her back and made for home
leaving the ugly, contrry thing alone in
the woods, htched to sled with a cord
and a half Of green wood to anchor IT, Ha
never so much as looked round nor said
aye, yes or no, but made direct for home
putting up his horse and eating his supper
He had become so disguised that he near
ly dismissed the thing from his mind That
night began with little fine rain It was
like cold mist. and wherever 1t struck
it frOZe. Then it showed and blowed fr
a while, then again 1T turned to rain-tha
queerest storm ever known on Mount Des-
ert island. There was not a minute after
Z o'clock that evening till daylight next
morning but 1t showed or rained, and the
wind was like double edged razor long
towards morning. Every tree was three
times it's proper size and the ones left
standing looked like the most beautiful
plumes you ever see In your life. Lots of
trees were broken 70 the ground. The tele-
graph wires were nearly an inch and a nalf
in diameter, covered with solid ice. Little
limbs of birch and maple were like branches
of coral.
I'm the morning Steve took out the old
horse and started back for the woods. When
he got the place wheFe1 He left the
horse and load he was astonished. The
old nag was there just where it stood all
night. Not the sign Of a track did it make.
It's legs were the size of -four barrels its
body surely three times it's proper size. It's
eyes and ears were hidden from view by
the snow that had drifteds Upon It. the
steam from it's nostrils formed icicles that
reached the ground. All in all it was the
toughest sight he ever witnessed. Mr.. Le-
land at first supposed the animal was dead,
but after a while he took an ak and broke
the ice and let the poor critter out. It
was like a chicken coming out of an egg.
The coat came off in large flakes. When
he hitched the nigh one on he only had
to speak once and he made lively time over
the icy road that morning. He kept that
pair till last year. when they both died.
"They never baked again f--Lewiston
Journal. %er