The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-06-15


verer than he deserved. A limp and
leaning shoulder complete the inven-
tory of external traits. Having eaten,
he set q candle in the old barn lantern.
"Waal, mister" said he when all was
ready, "come out an look at my boss"
The teacher went with him out under
a sky bright with stars to the chill and
gloomy stable.
Look at me-" said Tunk, holding up
the lantern as he turned about "Gosh
all fishhooks, I'm wreckv'
"What's the matter?" Sidney Trove
inquired
"All sunk in-right here" Tunk an
swered impressively, his hand to his
chest
'How did it happen?
'Kicked by boss; that's how it hap
pened," was the significant answer.
Lord! I'm all shucked over to one
side. Can't We see itT'
"a list to sta'b'rd; that's what they
call it. believe" said the teacher.
"See how I limp" Tunk went on,
striding to show his pace. "Ain't it
RwfulY'
How did that happenT
Sprung my ex," he answered, turn
Ing quickly, with a significant look;
thrown from sulky in boss race
an sprung my ex. Lord! Can't ye see
IT.?
The teacher nodded, not knowing
quite how to take him.
"Had my knee unsot, too" he went
on, lifting his knee as he turned the
light upon it. "Jes' put yer finger
there" said he, indicating a slight
protuberance. "Lord, it's big as bog
spavinv
He had planned to provoke a query,
and it came
"How did you get itY'
"Kicked ag'in," said Tunk sadly.
"Heavens, I've had my share O. bang
in! Can't conquer a skittish boss
without sufferin' some-not allwus.
Now, here's a hoss," he added as they
walked to a stall. "He amt much t.
look at, but
He paused a moment as he neared
the horse-a white and ancient palfrey.
He stood thoughtfully on Cooked an
kles," every leg in a bandage, tail and
name braided.
"Get ap, Prince" Tunk shouted as
he gave him a slap. Prince moved
aside, betraying evidence of age and
infirmity.
But Tunk repeated, with en-
phasis.
"Ugly?" the teacher queried.
'Ugly!" said Tunk, as if the word
We're all too feeble for the fact in hand.
"That's what he is! Look out! Don't
get too nigh him! He amt no con-
science, that boss amt"
'Is he fastY'
Creased lightnin'r' said Tunk, shak-
ing his head. "Won twenty-seven
races"
you're a good deal of a horseman,
1 take it," said the teacher.
'Waal, some" said he, expectorating
thoughtfully, "but 1 don't have no
chance here. What dye 'spect of a
man livin' with them OF maidsr
He seemed to have more contempt
than his words would carry.
every night they lock me upstairs"
he continued, with look Of injury.
"They amt fit fer nobody t. live with.
Amt got no boss but that dummed OIL
plug"
He had forgotten his enthusiasm Of the
preceding moment. His intellect was
a museum of freaks. Therein Vanity
was the prodigious fat man. Memory
the dwarf and Veracity the living skel-
eton. When Vanity rose to show him
self the others left the stage.
Turks face had become suddenly
thoughtful and mOrose. In truth, he
was an arrant and amusing humbug.
1t has been said that children are all
given to lying in some degree, but see
ing the folly of 1t In good time, If, in
deed, they are not convinced of its
wickedness, train tongue and feeling
into the way Of truth. The respect for
had not come to Tunk. He continued
to lie with the cheerful Inconsistency
of q child. The hero of his youth had
been q certain driver of trotting horses
who had limp and leaning shoulder.
In Tunk the limp and the leaning
shoulder were an attainment that had
come OF no sudden wrench Such is the
power Of example, he admired, then
initiated and at last acquired them.
One cannot help thinking what graces
Of character and person like per-
sistency would have brought to him.
But Tunk had equipped himself with
horsy heroism, adjoining 1t to his own
fancy. He had never been kicked, he
had never driven q race or been
hurled from sulky at full speed.
Prince, that ancient palfrey, was the
most harmless of oil creatures and
would long since have been put out of
misery but for the tender considera-
ton of his owners. And Tunk-well,
they used to say of him that If he had
been truthfulhec couldn't have been alive.
"Some time" Trove thought. Ibis fol-