Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-02-18
DROVE FATHERS PET
CHEERING REMINISCENcE OF
6OYHoOD DAYS.
Story That Lifted Gloom from the
8rows of OVerburdened Bust
ness Neutrality-suspicious. as
Cure for the Blues.

Ever stop TO think Of your boyhood
days?
Nothing like it to drive away the
blues.
The other day a group of business
men. whose cares are not the highest
were seated about a restaurant table.
grabbing a hurryup lunch Every man.
Of them was grouchy. Just then the
door opened. and another just as busy.
as far as results 90. but never acting
as though he had a care on earth.
came in.
He sat down and everyone turned
with a half-scowl.
They were feeling blue. and did not
want anyone to convince them that
some of it was imaginary.
Did I ever tell you about the time
raced the old mans driving mare
against timer" asked the CHEEKY indi-
vidual
No one spoke.
We'll. I did" he said THE old man
and the mother had gone away on a
visit. Dad had a mare which he was
proud Of, and no one touched It. Used
TO watch the hired man when he
hitched her up. like a hawk Well.
on the day that they went away. got
restless. I had pony. but II wasn't
fast enough. So what did do but get
that mare out and put her into a
! sulky-"
The other men were listening now.
Put her into a sulky when the hired
I ma 4
stretch Of road near the railroad track.
Say. but l hit up a pace. hanging onto
the lines for dear life.
When I got home had half the
boys in the ncighborhood running
across the fields 20 meet me. and we
put her in the barn. l got busy and
wiped her of and the hired man
never tumbled
Next day. by agreement. I got her
out. and half the town. the boy part
of it. was there. l drove her down the
stretch the proudest mortal in the uni
verse, and the other boys looking on.
Next day was Saturday The folks
were coming home Wednesday and
was getting down fine as a driver. and
the mare was falling off a little in
flesh. but the hired man wasn't wise
Saturday who should come around
but the son OF a man down the pike
who had another driving mare Father
and he had always quarreled about the
nags, but beyond going down the road
side by side, each one seeing that he
wasn't beat. they never came together
Result was that kid and matched the
horses for a race on Tuesday
Il went nome and rubbed that mare
down, going over her legs like regular
jockeys and wipers do. and never said
a word to the hired man. On Monday
I took the mare out for the las.
warming up heat. and all the boys in
town were there. The other kid was
afraid to take out his horse except for
the race.
I'VE went down to the head Of the
stretch. and as I turned to go along
came that railroad train. The mare
went down the road scared. and wa
perched upon the seat hanging on. 4
wire fence on the side of the road kept
the mare from boiling.
1T looked Ike a spill for me. but
hung on like grim death
Near the place where the road
turned away from the track It ran
close and as we neared that turned
toward the cars. expecting to crash
into the end of the train"
He stopped.
Every man sat up
How did you ever get out of the
hospital. if you went into the train?"
asked one.
Il didn't" said the CHEEKY one. but
say, dad and mother were riding in
the last coach and looking right at
met"
Tanned your hide, l reckon" said
a quiet listner.
We'll, did hel" said the cheerv one
But he made me drive that race. Said
he couldn't afford to have the other
man think he would allow his boy TO
be bluffed
And | won by a neck"
The party broke up.
Every man of them was smiling and
things looked brighter, ike the sun
had come from out under a cIOud