Evening star., 1901-02-16
DAVID HARUM IN REAL LIFE.
Met His Waterloo at the
Hands of NeighbOr.
From the New York Tribune.

rum tne New 1ork lrlhuue
A party OF western men We're sitting
around a table the other evening discussing
the play of David Harum" 81 do not be-
lieve such a character as David Harum
ever existed In real life" said one. .'He
makes a good and seemingly realistic part
in play. but for all that he is not true TO
life" "Well.'' returned another, "I dis
agree with you. and If you'd ever had the
good luck to know my father you'd change
your opinion, for he was David Harum to
the life. He was elder in the Presbyte-
rian Church, but his propensity to trade
was frequently stronger than his religious
scruples. and more than once l have heard
him say on the Sabbath to the owner of q
likely horse. Well, BILL or Tom, as the
case might be, If 1t wasn't Sunday what
would you take for that horser The desire
,IS 10 Iraoe was born and bred In him, and he
could no more forego it than he could his
oaiiy meals. 1t was one of the vital neces-
sities OF life, and, although a kindly and
generous % soul, when 1t came to trading it
was well for the other man to keen his eve
peeled Although she knew 1t was fruitless
my mother used occasionally to demonstrates
wlth MIN and adjure him to give up trading
IN general and horse trading In particular
as she considered II entirely beneath thc
dignity OF an elder of the church She
1ligne as well have been King Canute or
aering PACK the advancing tide, for all the
Tp-
ply: What's the use of talking Sarahp
Iheres only one thing I possess in the
world that l wouldn't trade, and that is
yourseit s, This always ended the discus
SION. AS ne waxed fat in years his fame
as Keen horse trader grew until II spread
throughout the countryside, and people
grew chary of swapping horses with him.
While the conservative element escha,raJ
horse trading with my revered parent ba
none the less had his hands full. for there
were many bold spirits who tempted for
tt tune ana sought to best him. They felt
that II they could but once get the hsttar
OF Deacon Smith their reputations W,ouId
be made. And so. great as was the hazard
the bolder members of the community es
sayed the feat for the glory there was In If
One and all went down to fynom,njons
failure, and those who were left Grew
charer and charter of trading with INV
iather. But in his lesser field like Napo-
icon. ne, too, finally met his Waterloo. II
came about in this wise He was driying
into town one day, when he came acrnss
helshoor sitting on q roadside fence In
the Heid within was n likely looking horse
Whlcn caught my fathers eye. The one he
was driving was also pleasing in annear.
ance. but he was afflicted with heay
iact temporarily driven into the Background
py liberal application of dope Want
TO trade. Bill?' the governor asked as he
slowed up. oh, l dunno, deacon was the
aePly' that pretty likely critter in that
Ielo amt got no special cause to want
to get rid Of him. Then came the skir-
Hlshihg ana trade in which the horses
changed owners, something to boot going
with ours. Bill was to bring the horse into
town ana swap at the church shed and so
we parted, mutually satisfied Bill appeared
promptly, embarrassed our horse and led
nun away IN response to inquiry stating
that our new equine was on his wav and
we would probably meet him If we started
along. We waited some time and then
started off to meet him. We found tbe
horse all right. He lay in the ditch AT tho
eage OF the town. as dead as a door nail
heart disease had been his failing. and n
nau killed MIN as would a blow from an az
II wasn't Bits fault. The horse had be-
longed to my father when he died and
anyway. Bill had nine points of the law
IN being In actual possession of our horse
Ifen the governor showed that he was a
oean game sport by taking his medicine
with never complaint. Home we went
and not comment fell from his lips Ar
times the silence was oppressive, but nary
q Kick did he make. His luck had turned
ana ne knew 1t. and he was not one to conn
plain The next day he and 1 were at work
IN the wheat field. when the town con-
STAPLE drove up. Deacon. I'd like a word
win Win you, he said. and the pair entered
into conversation. but SO low that I could
not overhear what they said. The constahIe
talked earnestly. even aggressiyely. hut 7
could tell that my father was returning a
stubborn negative from the way he shook
his head Finally. they raised their voices
NO, Jim, said the governor. Il don't see
how can do IT. Don't be foolish. deacon.
replied the constable. If You don't do jt
now you'll have the law after you. ri
bury that horse for you for SIS 1T was
indeed the deacons Waterloo"