The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-20
HE GOT HIS WISH

Right over Josh Peabody's barn door hung the picture of a centaur, with the advertisement, Use Boozle Oil good for man or beast"
 Jest look at thatps he said. T reckon that's about the completest critter that ever walked on legs. Why, think of iti Brains of a man and body of a horse! Smartness and strength and speed all in aonel And then the handinessl Suppose you wanted to go anywheres. All you'd have to do would be to put your duds in big pair of saddlebags. throw them across your own back and toddle along without thing to carryl'
 You wouldn't do no sech thing!" Mrs Josh Peabody declared. You'd pile all you could lug on your back, and fill both arms and hands full, same as you do how when you start for Aunt Marlhys. You'd get there plumb petered out, same as you do now, and how you could ever set down to rest I don't see."
 2"There hain't no law against layin' down for a spell, same as our Dobbin does, is there?" was the retort You don't seem to sense these things Aggie. Look, fr instance what a feller could do in fight. Goshl Why, if I could be changed into one of them centowers right l now, I d give up the forty acre of meadow land l jest bought!'
 l4''Josh Peabody, you're a plumb fool!' And Mrs. Peabody sailed into the back Hot to pick mess of peas. fa Of course Josh never expected to get his wish, but body can never tell what will happen in this world. That very summer Aggie went over into Hawkins county to see her second cousin die, and before the day of the funeral Josh fell Koff the barn and broke his back Dock Lemon was seven miles out in the coun- try on the other side of Dozeville when the hired hand galloped into town and the hired hand near went daffy trying to think what to do. He was afraid Josh would died before he could get Dock home, and he was afraid to go home without him. While all the loafers in front of Hen Worleys store were trying to help him think, a little, weazened, old man came across from the Skinner house and listened.
 ESPll go with you, my friend" said he.
 Are you a doctor?" asked the hired hand.
 Not exactly" said the little yellow man with a queer smile. Just now I am phrenologist. By the bumps on J should follow to make your fortune the sort of a wife you should marry and the faults you should correct. all for 20 cents. \ With chart, half dollar. My name, 1 Mustapha Hadji."
 Hum" said the hired hand looking tdoubtful.
 tfI will, however" Mustapha went on, Wathout seeming to care whether anybody Was suspicious or not turn aside from orc rafn (; man. Will some of you give me a lift onto the horse?7
 Nobody moved till Mustapha turned to Dave Benson and looked him in the eye. Dave jumped as If he was shot, and in minute more was boosting the dred-up little stranger on the horse. The hired hand didn't quite know what to do about 1t but it was that or nothing, so he took : a chance and headed Dobbin for home. Josh was lying comfortable enough on ithe hay when they got there, but as soon as Mustapha examined him he shook his head.
 What is it, Dock?" asked Josh. aTell me the truth, right out plain. kin stand it. Am l a goner?'
 No" said Mustapha, "but you are paralyzed from the waist down. You'll never have the use of your legs again, as long as you live" ..
 Josh lay and thought it over quite a bit.
 q suppose Aggie'll say it's a judgment on me for not bein' satisfied with the legs the Almighty give me, and I reckon ! it is. I was sort of blasphemous, l guess, for wishing l was, a centower all these years.
 "A what?' said Mustapha.
 "A centower. Half man and half horse, you know. You've seen pictures of 'em. ''
 "Oh, yes, 1 see," said Mustapha.
 But blasphemy or no blasphemy,' Josh went on. "I wish I could be one yet. If you could jest graft me onto Dobbin, wonder, I'd give ye a hundred dollars spot cash"
 Mustapha looked at Dobbin and queer snap came into his eyes.
 Give me two hundred and Ih do it!' he said.
 'Kin vel" exclaimed Josh. By ginger, If ye kin do it go aheadi And whatever you do don't send word to Aggie. I want to surprise her"
 So Mustapha did it. The job seemed to be a simple enough one to him, too. and before Mrs. Peabody got back the joint was healed and there was Josh, walking around as spry as you please on Dobbins' sleep bay body, as fine a centaur as ever wore whskers and smoked corncob pipe.
 The day his wife was to come home Josh spruced up fit to kill. Put on a boiled shirt and his Sunday coat and vest and his best hat, and even were a collar and tie besides, and in this get-up he strolled down to the gate just as Aggie and the children drove up. Mrs. Pea body. was surprised, all right, but she wasn't pleased a little bit
 q knew it I knew iti' she said. "I knew that if I dared to leave you alone over night you'd go and do some fool thing. Three year ago, when Uncle Zack died. you let a fruit tree man sell you a passel of trash that wouldn't grow and now ye've went and spoiled Dobbin forever and a day. Come out here and git them preserves Aunt Caddy sent along, and be careful you don't break them geranium slips on top. Cousin Effie gave me them. Her young'uns has got the measles and l suppose Willyum and little Caddyll have 'em now. and all the harvestin' comin on. too. Drafted if I ever see such a man! What all possessed you anyhow? And why haint ye got some clothes on? I never did see the peat in all my lifer'
 Rv the time JOsh had the hlr0ov