The herald., 1911-09-21
A WIDOWS
OLD HORSE
BY M. QUAD
BY M. QUAD
Copyright. 1911. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

mare. She was skin and bone anC
then some more. The auctioneer die
not slander her character when hs
called her an old skate.
There was a general laugh of con
tempt over the old mare. and then
some one bid 81. Out Of pure sym
patty the widow bid a dollar more,
and the nag was hers. She was guyed
by the crowd. but the prize was hitch
ed behind the wagon and reached the
farm in due time without having once
fallen by the wayside. There were
two hired men to grin and chuckle and
talk about crow banquets. but the wO-
man sllenced them with:
Get along, you idiots! Turn that
horse out to grass and take good care
Of her. If she dies her hide will be
worth all paid for her whole body"
This was early In the spring When
the old mare began to fill up she began
to improve. In month her ribs could
no longer be counted from the high
way, and she began to gambol a bit. 1t
was when another horse was turned
into the lot with her Of a Sunday that
the surprise came. One of the men
came up to the house and said to Mrs
Saunderson:
Say. you come down to the fence
and see that old mare!'
Dead. Is she?
Dead! Why, she's the liveliest old
nag you ever set eyes on! Come
DOWN.
The two horses were having a play.
1t was a ten acre meadow, and they
were circling it. The farm horse was
on the gallop and the old mare on
the trot. and yet he could not leave
her behind
"She got that gait before a sulky for
sure" said the man.
Looks like ii to me-" replied the |
widow. After this you feed her a |
few oats every day and use the curry |
comb. and don't either one of you boys |
say word outside"
The Akron county fair. always held
late In September ranked next to the
state fair. Some said the horse racing
was even better. because the track
was better. When the opening of the
entries was announced the Widow
said to one of her men:
Joe. here's the money to enter Lady
Gray. You can claim to be the owner.
You 60 over to Johnsonville and Dor.
row or buy a sulky and get 1t here on
the sly. The old mare is going into
he free for all. and you are going to
rive her."
And few days later she said to the
,ther man:
Tim, here Is a hundred dollars. {
1ou go to town and loaf around for
wo or three days. Bet the money on
'ur horse. Get the best odds you can"
When day and date came they boot
d the widows hired man and his
quine. They had bet to ] before, /
ow they bet Is to l. The widow had
400 in the bank. She drew every I
ollar Of it out, and Tim placed It on t
be mare. !
That was race that is talked Of
ct. A green driver. an old sulky and =
farm horse. AS soon as the mare
OF on to the track her actions betray-
d the fact that 1t was q familiar c
Gene to her. and her driver had the 5
ense to let her take her own way in II
lead OF hauling her about. When the
unch got away at last be simply held o
Is horse steady and prayed with all o
Is might She had gone some" on Il
lie highway, but she seemed to be fly.
e now. She picked up horse after o. o.
orse until she had the lead, and she r,
lme In winner by such a distance 81
lat the other horses were booted or Vi
lie track. Not skip, not a break :,
Ist a fast and steady pace, and a nj
liver who was so scared that be had Sc
be helped down from his seat.
The roll OF money gathered In by the
'1dow Saunderson on her wagers and On
the sale Of the mare after the race it,
as exactly the size of fifteen cent m m
mato can. With the bundle In a Dill 70
wslip she called on the minister of Il.
II church few days later and said: te
'Parson. l know you have figured al
ings up. How much to paint the co
Getting houseT' al
"A hundred and fifty dollars" he re- III
led.
And how much for pew cushions? ?"
"A hundred" =.
And for the red carpets in the tn
,lesT as,
Fifty will do it." bPoo
And can't we get an organ for no
boz" IN
We certainly can" pre-
And a bell?" ais ais
Two hundred" rat
And how much salary Is due your" Tes
'Well-ahem- well. don't like to
so, but the sum is about 5000"
Figure 1t up and count 1t out, par
l." said the widow as she handed for for
er the tomato can" bal
But, widow. I don't understand OF
Won 1t at the county fair the other rat
r." cha
Then ! can't take 1t. 1t is tainted am an
ney." scr
Parson. don't be an idiot! The men aha
o paint the meeting house will of
ear. The men who cast the bell ,eti
swear. ThereTl be swearing over enc
Cushions and carpets and organ. a Iet
ere'll be tainted money inst M r,r,h the