Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1910-07-08

the opportunity to come in the man
ner it did.
The days slipped by and the corn
was coming up, but the difficulties
on the Shane farm had not improv-
ed any. The horses were still not
fit for use, and Hodges could not
tell when they would be.
II don't believe there's anything
the matter with that bay Dick, "
said Shane, and I'm not going to
fool with him any longer. He eats
as hearty as ever, and | saw him
down in the pasture trotting around
as timber as any horse. I'm goin to
hitch him up an make him work or
break his neck. Here's the corn
comm up an some of the horses
have got to go in the field pretty
soon"
Having come to this conclusion,
he said he would hitch Dick up to
the cart and drive him to town. and
see if he couldn't linn Der him up un-
der the whip.
Do be careful" said Mrs. Shane,
you know that horse has a bad tenn
per"
oh | guess Dick knows me by
this time, and he knows won't
stand any nonsense. If he's as lame
as he pretends to be, it won't be
much trouble to handle him"
Accordingly the harness was put
on Dick, and he was hitched to the
cart. He stumbled around like a very
lame horse, and made a very bad
show of getting along. No one but
Shane would have undertaken to
drive him in the condition he appear
ed to be in.
Poor Dick" said Edith, as Shame
stopped at the house; Il don't think
papa ought to drive him when he is
so lame" and she patted his neck
and smoothed out his long name.
Don't drive him hard, papa" she
continued, and I'm sure he'll do the
best he can"
Shane made no reply, but drove
away toward town. The drive to
town and return was a slow one. for
even Shane's hard heart would not
permit him to drive a lame horse out
of walk. Shane was rather proud
of the fact that he had succeeded
in driving Dick, and said that all the
horse needed was exercise. and he
would be at work in a few days. He
thought, perhaps, little exercise
would do the rest of the horses good
The next day Shane proceeded to
hitch Dick up again for the purpose
of driving him.
"There's no use talkin'," he said
to Mike, Il have got to put these
horses to work"
Better go slow" said Mike, Cor
if ye put thin sick horses to work
too soon ye may have dead ones"
1t is better to have dead horses
than useless ones, just standir'
round eatin. A dead horse don't eat
1t would be money in my
pocket if they were all dead" and
he gave Dick sharp cut with the
whip to start him. Dick laid back his
ears and hobbled away; but his
looks appeared to indicate that a
very little of the whip would Timber
him up too much for the good of
health. Edith being away
there was no one to give the horse
a kind word to put him in a better
humor. Shane mounted the cart and
clucked to the horse to start. but
Dick stood still. He had, evidently,
made up his mind that he did not
want to work that day. Shane gave
him cut with the whip, but Dick
laid back his ears and shook his
head, as much as to say, there is
trouble coming for somebody"
you won't go, eh?" said Shane,
and he gave the horse blow after
blow with the whip, almost cutting
the hide open. Dick made a lunge
forward, but Shane pulled with all
his strength on the reins, and the
hard bit cut the horses mouth until
it bled, and threw Dick back on his
launches. The sudden halt threw
Shane forward, and the reins were
This was Dicks oppor-
tunity, and he seized the bit in his
teeth, a trick horses learn when
they the abused, and which tley
practice to save themselves from
by the bit. Before Shane
could recover himself, Dick hal
started down the road, forgetting all
his stiff legs. Shane pulled on the
reins until his arms ached, but it
was the strength of a man against
the strength Of a horse. 1t was the