Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-05-26
SHE NEVER BALKED AGAIN..
Bar Harbor Man Played a Bluff Game on
Contrary Mare.

i
Contrary Mare.
Speaking about balky horses and
the best way to cure them," said
George Sperry, 81 can tell you of 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 2 years ago on the goth
day of January. You remember the
heavy sleet storm-same night Linnike
was married-when all the trees looked
so pretty after the storm. You remem-
Der Stephen-he had wood lot out near
the foot of Green mountain, where he
cut his wood winters. That year he
had as handsome pair of bay horses as
ever rein drew over. The nigh one was
all right in every particular, but the off
one had spells once in awhile 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 as much as you
likad but she would never move till she
got ready.
Zone day I met Leland when he was
hauling out the first load for the day.
He told me how she worked, and Itold
him then and there that if it was my
horse I'd just 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
NOV fbinoc xuo,.a 1;fforo,f A n oor+oi,,
place In the road up goes that horse's
head again. 1t was in just the same
place where she baked before. Steve
was mad as a halter. He took off his
coat and hat. He swore till the trees
around him trembled. 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 oritter, SO he got drink Of
water from a spring She drank it.
Then he asked her to go, but not mus
Gle would she move. Stephen fused till
he became exhausted.
"Then, as he told me afterward, he
took Sperry's advioe-onhitched the
nigh one straddled her back and made
for home, leaving; the ugly, contr'y
thing alone in the woods, hitched to
sled with a cord and half of green
wood to anchor it. He 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 disgusted that he nearly dis
missed the thing from his mind. That
night began with little fine rain. 1t
was like a cold mist, and wherever it
struck it froze. Then it showed and
blowed for awhile, then again it turned
to rain-the queerest storm ever known
on Mount Desert island. There was not
a minute after o'clock that evening
till daylight next morning but it snow
ed or rained, and the wind was like
double edged razor long toward morn
ing. Every tree was three times its
proper size, and the ones left standing
looked like the most beautiful plumes
you ever see in your life. Lots of trees
were broken to the ground. The tele-
graph wires were nearly an inch and a
half In diameter, covered with solid
ice. Little limbs of birch and maple
were like branches Of coral.
SIN the morning Steve took out the
old horse and started back for the woods.
When he got near the place where he
left the horse and load, he was aston
ished. The old nag was there just where
she stood all night. Not the sign Of
track did she make. Her legs were the
size of flour barrels, her body surely three
times its proper size. Her eyes and ears
were hidden from view by the snow
that had drifted upon her; the steam from
her nostrils formed icicles that reached
the ground All in all it was the tough
est sight he ever witnessed. Mr.. Leland
at first supposed the animal was dead,
but after awhile he took an ak and
broke the ice and let the poor critter
out. She was like chicken coming out
Of an egg. The coat came off in large
fakes. 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. Lewis
ton Journal