The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-03-05
DROVE FATHERS PET
CHEERING NiSCENCE OF
eoYhOop DAYS.
Story That Lifted Gloom from the
BroWs of Overburdened Busi-
ness Mcn--Retrospection as
Cure for the Blues.


Ever stop to think of your boyhood
/ days?
Nothing like It to drive away the
blues. w S~l
The other day a group of business
men. whose cares are not the lightest,
were seated about restaurant table,
grabbing hurryup lunch. Every man,
of them was grouchy. Just then the
door opened, and another, just as busy,
as far as results go, 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 1t was imaginary.
did | ever tell YOU about the time
/ raced the old mans driving mare
against time?" asked the CHEEKY ndi-
yidual.
No one spoke,
"Well, / did" he said 1.-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. | had a pony, but it 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
man was away, and down | goes to a
stretch of road near the railroad track.
Say, but hit up a pace, hanging onto
the lines for dear life.
when | got home | had half the
boys in the neighborhoOd running
across the fields 10 meet me- and we
put her in the barn | got busy and
wiped her off. and the hired man
never tumbled.
Next day. by agreGnent, got her
out and half The town. the boy part
of it, was there drove her down tb,
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 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 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.
81 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
took the mare out for the last
warming up heat, and all the boys in
town were there The other kid was
afraid to take out his horse except for
tae race.
I'VE went down to the head OF the
stretch, and as | turned TO go along
came that railroad train The mare
went down the road scared and | was
perched upon the seat hanging on. A
wire fence on the side of the road kept
the mare from boiling.
cit looked like a spill for me, but
hung on like grim death.
Near the place whore 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, reckon" said
a quiet listner.
well, did he" said the CHEEKY one
But he made me drive that race Said
he tbuluh ANU W idft tilt Otlltl
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. like the sun
had come from out under cloud.