The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1909-02-18
DROVE FATHER'SPET
CHEERING "REMINISCENCES OF
soYHooD DAYS.
Story That Lifted Gloom from the
Brows Of oVerbUrdeHed 5usl-
ness Neutrality-suspicious. as
a 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 llghtest.
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 so. but never acting
as though he had 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 | ever tell you about the time
raced the old mans driving mare
against timer" asked the CHEEKY indi.
vidual.
No one spoke
We'll. ! did" he said THE old nan
and the mother had gone away on
visit. Dad had 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 pony, but II wasn't
fast enough SO what did l do but get
that mare out and put her into
sulky-"
The other men were listening now
Put her into a sulky when the hired
man was away, and down goes to
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 to meet me. and we
pnt her in the barn. got busy and
wiped her off, and the hired man
never tumbled.
Next day, by agreement, | got her
out, and half the town, the boy par.
Of ii, was there drove her down tbs
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 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 race on Tuesday
Il went nome and rubbed that mare
down going over her legs like regular
jockeys and wipers do, and never sale
a word to the hired man. On Monday
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 | turned to go alons
came that railroad train The mare
went down the road, scared, and wa
perched upon the seat hanging on. A
wire fence on the side of the road kept
Tho ,,ora fro,,, bcIffrg
1T looked like 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 crasl
into the end Of the train"
He stopped
Every man sat up
How did you ever get out Of tn
hospital, if you went into the tramp
asked one.
Il didn't" said the CHEEKY one, blu
say, dad and mother were riding in
the last coach and looking right at
mel"
Tanned your hide. reckon" said
quiet listner.
Well. did he" said the CHEEKY one
But he made me drive that race SAID
he couldn't afford to have the othe
man think he would allow his boy Ia.
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 came from mt undar n oloud