The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-27
TALE OF 3 HORSES
A Strange Case of Mistaken Identity
in the Equine World Proves
Embarrassing.
Sergeant Hugh D. Franklins Title
of Horse Collector" Has New
=, Meaning at the P. 0.

Sergeant Hugh D. Franklin, formerly
Of the regular army. but now heTse
collector for the local postotfce, col
lected horse the other night in clrcum-
stances that have led to misunderstand-
ings This horse was not the serseant's
He did not think 1t was he says, though
his friends do not agree with him. They
assert that he lost his own horse, and
that he appropriated, stabbed, fed, wa
tered and drove about town strange ami
NAL fully believing that this creature was
his own recovered steed, although he had
noticed that the harness was a little
large
But the sergeant says that he is too
good a cavalryman not to know his own
horse at least by daylight. 1t wasn't re-
rnarkable, however, that he shouldn't be
certain about a friends horse that had
been borrowed the day before. 49,,
"You see, he explained this morning,
''my horse got away from my stable out
on Stevens avenue last week, and as
didn't have time to look for him that day.
borrowed another bay animal that be-
longed to a friend Of mine. I used him
all day ana that night tried to put him
in his stall. But he was new to the sta
BILE and little shy and he backed out Of
the door and disappeared around the cor
ner.
II called my brother and we went after
the second horse. I couldn't keep Dor
rowing horses every day. Half dozen
blocks away we came across a bay ami
NAL feeding on a lawn. We had him half
surrounded when he kicked up and got
away. But we followed his trail Indian
| fashion-learned that out west; think
said recognized his shoe prints-till we
cOrralled him again In fence corner
mile distant I slipped bride over his
| head and my brother got on his back.
They made a. fine start homewards, when
MIR. Bay bucked and my brother got up
out Of a heap Of rocks, abusing me for
losing every horse I put my hands on.
But we only had to travel about two miles
nsxt time before we caught the bay again
out on Lake street. I mounted him and
got him home all right. though my brother
was little out Of breath.
9 1.-The next morning I harnessed my
! horse. saw that the harness looked too
generous and called my brothers atten-
t ton to it. He said the animal was prob
ably off its feed; had had too much exer-
else the night before. He added that he
hoped it was going to die.
II noticed, too, that thew bay got
over the ground a sight faster than it did
! the day before. ! put that down to the
lesson I'd taught the beast the night pre-
'vious, thought he'd learned that was
master.
'Phone Comes Into Play.
But when I got back to the office at 1
O'Clock I was called up by phone. The
folks at home sent word that there were
two bay horses in the neighbours yard and
that one of them must be mine maybe
BOTH they snickered. Gee! answered,
"spose I'm starting livery stable?'
"But 7 drove back and stopped on the
way to get the friend that lent me his
horse. AS soon as we came up near
the yard next to my stable I remarked,
We'll. one Of those is my horse! And the
other one is my horse says he. Your
horse? Why didn't you tell me this one
we're driving wasn't yours?' Well, you
see, said he, wasn't quite sure about
1t. You army men are such experts in
horsefesh that 1 didn't dare to contra
dict your Judgment! But if you'll kindly
tie piece of white string around your
own horses neck, I'll lead my bay home!'
An Explanation Due.
"And after that" added the sergeant.
II had to hunt up the owner of the third
horse and explain that I'd been looking
for him all day''