Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-10-02

was leu away. H1C WoS e&~AA w
big building where there were horses
of every kind-eXcept the right kind.
Each one had his own peculiar "out,"
although you couldn't always tell what
1t was ut first glance.
But Skipper did not stay here long
He was led into big ring before lot
of men. A man ON box shouted out
q number and began to talk very fast.
Skipper gathered that he was talking
about him. Skipper learned that he
was still only six years old and that
he had been owned as saddle horse
by lady who was about to sail for
Europe and was closing out her stable.
This was news to Skipper. He wished
Reddy could hear 1t.
The man talked very nicely about
Skipper. He said he was kind. gentle,
sound in wind and limb and was not
only trained to the saddle. but would
work either single or double. The man
wanted to know how much the gentle
men were willing to pay for bay
gelding Of this description.
Some one OIL the outer edge Of the
crowd said, "Ten dollars!'
At this the man on the box grew
quite indignant. He asked II the other
man wouldn't like silver mounted
harness and a lap robe thrown in.
"Fifteenw said another man.
Somebody else said Twenty" an
other man said TWENTY-FIVE" and still
another "Thirty" Then there was n
hitch, The man on the box began to
talk very fast indeed:
"Thutty, thutty, thutty. thutty! Do
I hear the five? Thutty. thutty. thut-
ty, thutty! Will you make it fiveT
"Thirty-ivew said n red faced man
who had pushed his way to the front
and was looking Skipper over sharply.
The man on the box said "Thutty-
Ave" a good many times and asked If
he "heard forty" Evidently he did
not, for he stopped and said very slow
ly and distinctly. looking expectantly
around: "Are you all done? Thirty-fivc
once; hirty-fve-twice; third and last
call-sOld for $35!
When Skipper heard this he hung
his head. When you have been a $3.50
blue ribboner and the pride of the force
II Is sad to l,e knocked down" for thir-
ty-five.
The next year Of Shippers life was u
dark one. We will not linger over II.
The red faced man who led him away
was q grocer. He put Skipper in the
shafts Of n heavy wagon very early
every morning and drove him long
way through the city to big down.
town market where men In long frocks
shouted and handled boxes and par
rels When the wagon was heavily
loaded the red faced man drove nm
hack to the store. Then tow haired
bow who jerked viciously on the lines
and was fond Of using the whip drove
him recklessly about the streets ana
avenues. :,
Rut one day the tow haired boy pull
| ed the near rein too hard while round
ing u corner. and wheel was smashed
against n lamp post. The tow haired
| boy was sent head first into an ASH
barrel, and Skipper, rather startled III
the occurrence. took little run down
the avenue, strewing the pavement
with eggs, sugar, canned corn. celery
| and other assorted groceries.
Perhaps this was why the grocer soid
him. Skipper pulled n cart through
tbe fiat house district for awhile after
that. On the seat of the cart sat a
lea ather lunged man who roared;
"A-a-a-a-puls! Nice a-a-a-a-puis' a
who-o-ole lot fer quarter!'
| Skinner felt this disgrace keenly
Even the cab horses, OH whom lie useo
TO look with disdain, eyed him scorn
fully. Skipper stood 1t as long as pos
sible. and then one day, while the apple
fokir was standing OH the back stcT
of the cart shouting things ut wom
an who was leaning halfway out OF
fourth story window, he bolted. lie
distributed that load Of apples over
four blocks. much to the profit or the
street children, and he wrecked the
wagon on q hydrant. For this the
fakir beat him with piece OF the
wrecliage until blue coated officer
threatened to arrest him. Next day
Skipper was sold again.
| Skinner looked over his new owner
without Joy. The man was evil o.
face. His long whiskers and hair were
unkempt and sun bleached, like th'
tin end Of pastured cows tall. HI:
clothes were greasy. His voice wal
like the grunt Of IL pig. Skipper won
dered to what use this man would pu
him. He feared the worst.
| Far up through the city the maj
took him and out on a broad avenue
where there were many open spaces
most of them fenced In by huge bill
boards. Behind one Of these sign plas
tered barriers Skipper found his new
home. The bottom of the lot was NOR
than twenty feet below the street lev
el, In the center Of a waste OF rocks
ash heaps and dead weeds tottered O
group of shanties, strangely made OF
odds and ends. The walls were partly
of mud chinked rocks and partly OF
wood. The roofs were patched will
strips of rusty tin held in place by
stones.
Into one Of these shantlcs. just tai
enough for Skipper to enter anu nc
more. tie horse that had been the pride
| of tIa ,nnuutad Dnrk Dolice waS driven
with kick as Il greeting. Skipper
noted, first that there WAS no feed Doa
and no hay rack. Then he saw. or
rather, fclt-for the only LIGHT came
through cracks In the walls-that there
was no floor. His nOstrils told hin
that the drainage was bad. Skipper
sighed us he thought of the clean