The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1905-07-26
:. The MANKILLER. :.
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Q . ton was bad. FOR his moth
I Il J or was peevish. irritable,
EOf~ vicious mare. sam Per
kins. who owned her, bought her
cheap: she was only mongrel, any
how. aud her intolerabie temper made
her still less valuable.
"But she'll do to raise colt from. '
observed sam. remark profoundly
foolish, but by no means original, as is
evident to any horseman who has wit
messed the occasional stock breeding
performances in those districts where
few horses are raised.
Peters father was n thoroughbred.
and from him Peter inherited many
noble qualities. There was not another
horse in all Perkins Neck who could
show such clean, Hat limbs rs Peter,
or who could travel so far without
WEAKNESS. or who was so fearless Of
objects along the Dads. Nor had Peter
any bad habits ,n harness. But over
all this the bad disposition hung like
a cloud.
1t manifested itself in a thousand
surly looks and impatient ways. and in
q disposition to hurt all people who
came near him. This inclination
seemed irresistible at times, at others
held painfully in check. 1t was as
if two spirits We're struggling for the
mastery in the black horse.
He bit or kicked every farmland
until none would consent to take care
of him. Upon sam. who was thus
constrained to the disagr reeable duty.
he left so many marks that one day.
in sheer evaporation, Sam tied the
horse to a tree. and with a nicely
trimmed birch sapling gave him a
thrashng.
, He amt wuth his barn room an
keep" said sam.
This sentiment was echoed by every
person on the farm except Ruth. Sans
sixteen-year-old daughter. For Ruth,
alone of them all, understood, and
when the others abused him she said,
''Poor fellow"'
And did Peter never iniure RUthF
Yes, once. on her white shoulder
there is still the mark of his tenth.
But that was before he learned all the
sympathy there was in that kind little
heart.
Life is no brighter for n suriy horse
than for surly man OF woman. and
when Ruth visited the stable. Peter
would lay his cheek wearily against
hers, and sad look replaced the an
CRY glitter in his eyes. as if he were
saying. "Oh. why am l in this wretch
ed world at ALL who by every law Of
humanity and common sense ought
never 10 have been bred. never to
have been bornw
One day-it was shortly after the
thrashing-Sam essayed to enter Pc
ter's stall. although a peculiarly wicked
look in the horses eyes might have
warned him to take special care.
Out flew the iron-shod heels. and
Sam received an injury to his thigh
that kept him confined to the house
for a week. II was then decided that
il any one was fool enough to buy
him Peter should be sold. \ customer
soon appeared in the person of big
red-headed Irlshman. named Patricl
Rafferty,.
"Sure, its mesilf can break any horse
in the wurruld nv his vices" said Pat
On arriving home with his new pur-
chase. he discovered promptly that Do
had some vices to break For after
leading Peter into a stall ana tying
him. the Irishman found no way OF
getting out
If he tried to come out as he went
in. the horse was ready with a pah
of very wicked heels: ana f he climbed
ignominiously forward through th
masger, n strong set Of teetn was ir
waiting TO harass him. a dozen tim
did he back the horse out kick tiu
savagely IN The belly With his rowui1
boots and then lead him hack au
renew the attempt but TO no purpose
Pat was puzzled as wei q , fur'ousi
angry Tie bad "brobeu" n number %
moncreis. but Peter WAS ha'fthorou2l
bred-a very different thing.
Pat rad heard Of The nxuodtorev o.
laying down horse iu u case 'il5e tll,~
in fact had once seen # done. wild
excellent results II resolved 10 tr
it, But he proposed q few improve
ments on the original method whlcl
was too simple ANA humane TO suit d.
ideas
Mike, his son, suggested the Pre-
priety Of repairing to the pastur.
where the ground was soft but PA
laughed him to scorn.
An make it aisy for him, is it,
he beloved, his face crimson wit
rage. ITS here on the cobblestoue
I'll throw him. for it amt for of
pleasure I'm throwm' him.
With Mikes assistance Peters o
forcfoot was now strapped up. a SUI
clnele buy ykled round him. ana piec
Of clothes line run through it and fas
ened TO his near forefoot A pus
sidewise. q jerk on the line, and til
game was on.
Peter leaped into the air like tig'
when he found his two fore legs tle
up. so high, indeed, that Pat was 60
strained 10 let go the brldle-rein. bl
he kept his hold on the clothes-lin
Then down Peter came upon the co
blcstone pavement. crushing his bea
tifully formed knees nearly to the bon
Up once more. 4 Wild spring into Il
air, and again the crushed and bee
ing knees We're brought down vii
terrible force upon the pavement. Th
time Pat succeeded in catching II
rein, and the horse went over on b
side
UAnd ,ov,- Afti,ou eh.foi,o1 r.,