St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-11-09
AN EDUCATED FOOL.

A4S DOS1A1A An II OoAs
Browns fool. He might have
won first money if he'd listened to his
jockey, instead Of trusting to his own
judgment. Those educated fellows
don't know it all, if they have got 50
much book learning. / have always
noticed that men who understand
horse nature usually understand hui
man nature pretty well. Pve dealtin
horsefesh all my life, and Pve never
made mistake yet in my estimate Of
either man or beast"
The speaker sat leaning back in al
armchair on the veranda of the hotel
Of which he was proprietor, surround
ed by group Of horsemen who had
just returned from the races, and who,
full of its excitements, were discussing
the merits and demerits Of the various
horses, and their owners and jockeys
as well.
Being a successful owner in horse
flesh himself, DeGolyer naturally
gathered about him men of like
tastes, habits and interests.
ssThere goes another educated fool,
That young chap Of a minister has got
one Of the best colts in the country,
and don't seem to know it. I've had
my eye on her for some time"
His listeners all turned to look at
the colt.
ssBy Jovel 1.-THE fool hasn't driven
her plumb into the fence! Saying his
prayers, I Isuppose, and forgot that he
was driving a valuable colt. "
A roar of laughter followed this re-
mark just as the colt backed, reared,
plunged, backed again, broke the har-
ness and turned the minister out, for
tunately unhurt.
All this looked bad for the specula-
tors sestimateof a good horse, but De-
Golyer's witJTas equal to the occasion,
and in order to show that his faith
was still undaunted, he said: "After
such a fracas as that is good time to
stump the young chap for trade, !"
and he ran across the road to the min
listers assistance, followed BY his son
George, who had been asilent listener
to his fathers remarks, which he well
understood had been as much for his
benefit as for the entertainment of the
group.
"What in the deuce did youletthat
colt run up against the fence for?o
said the trader, You'llspoil her"
q don't seem to be able to manage
her.
Likely you don't drive her
enough" ]"
81 don't have time"
1Then you'd better sell her before
she's spoiled, and you get your neck
broken, if you don't know how to
manage better than that"
q suppose | might as well; I don't
need her."
"What do you hold her p
sI couldn't say what she is worth. /"
DeGolyer usually assumed an atti-
tude Of great indifference whenever
he wanted to buy or trade horse, but
he thought it best to change his tao
tics this tims, for were not the men on
the yeranda watching the progress of
the Stump"
ssWell, you know how much you
gave for her, don't you; how much her
keeps cost, and about how much viii
make you even or more@
"She was present from my
father" answered the minister, with
exasperating Indifference.
elbow old do you reckon her?"
aBy looking her well over, / sup
pose you can tell about that as well
as I cam
aWell, well; 7 mean her exact age"
aJust four this month"
@HoW would you like to trade her
for watch? ?"
ssIdon't know. lean get along very
well without her. I'm not as good
q horseman as my father, and he told
me to sell her if I found I couldn't
manage her all right, = answered the
minister, hesitatingly. Il need q
watch, and it don tcost to keep it, and
1t does a horse."
eWel. look at this watch; I gave
$3.50 for it, and they say it is first
class. You can take it to the jeweler,
who hangs his sign out just in front
Of the park, and ask his opinion
IF it suits me I'll take your word