The Washington times., 1906-04-22

btth tOA4il duCo lOl LldIy
n a long year. The horse
was Joe, the man was DIR.
Potter, but to the irreverent viii
layers they were known as Jo-
seph and Potiphar. Among the
Doctors friends-and he had many
I'm sure there was not one who
loved him more or understood him
half as well as did the ancient Joe
In their judgments and conclusions
they were as one mind. They had
worked all their lives and had fair
ly earned the right to honorable
retirement and rest. but they would
not have it SO, and on returning to
the stable late at night, from 4
drive through an icy winters rain,
the old doctor would stand a mo-
ment with his arm ABOUT the horses
thin, wet neck and say: 1T was a
bad night, Joe, but we've done good
work, and tbs better to wear out
than to rust out, and we might do
worse than die in. harness"
And Joe, in ready acquiescence.
would run his tired old head on his
masters breast-leaving two or
three hundred white hairs there,
but showing all his love in the ac-
ton and in his gently glowing eyes
And no matter how cold or weary
the old doctor was, he waited till
Joe was comfortable in his stall,
and then stood by his head a mo-
ment, while he stroked kindly the
Velvety nose-an action that meant
a handshake and good night COM
bined, and had become as neces-
sary to his old partner as were
grain and water. Many there were
who declared that Joe and the doc
tor looked alike, but l do not care
10 ~ do ldL do NllclN- hNs DOC eo
a fiea-bitten gray and was tall and
old and stiff The doctor, too, was
tall and old and stiff-not f1ea-b1t-
ten, though - but instead was a
mass of lines and burrows. OF
course, they held innumerable
memories in common, and tin
peddlers and girls trudging to
the village with egg filled bas-
kets, and other rustic travellers of
the soft country roads, often heard
the old doctor saying to the old
horse as they passed, DO you re-
member, Joe, the time we did this
or that?" The only difference be-
tween these partners was in their
estimation of Mrs Potiphar's char
acter. That lady was constitution
ally afraid of any living thing that
walked on four legs-the sight of
anything moving on a greater num-
Der would have sent her into a dead
faint. Joe thought her timidity was
affectation and he, like every other
horse, hated hypocrisy as much as
he did cowardice. So, gentle as
+ was to every other creature
careful as be was TO step around
the fallen babies in his way-when
Mrs. Potter, with little artificial
squeaks and squawks, attempted to
caress him, he laid his old ears
back and if the doctor was not
looking, barred his long yellow
teeth at her, conduct that sOrely
grieved the doctor, who thought his
wife the very flower Of womanhoOd,
while it filled with glee the viii
layers. who straightway told how
Mrs. Potiphar had been repelled by
Joseph.
In that summer, when 1 first met
the partners, I remember il was com
mon talk that the doctor was break
ing up, but to me he seemed bright
and alert. 1 being under his care,
saw him four times a week at home,
and often met him on the road in
his withered, sun dried old hooded
buggy. am happy to say the venera-
BILE, fea-bitten Joseph and l had
struck hands, so to speak, at our first
meeting, and many fine bunch of
clover blossoms has he muncbed
from my fingers, many bit of ap-
pie or sugar; and it was not long
before the old fellow, who was al
ways left beneath big pine tree in
front of my windows, would look up
at them expectantly, as on bad days