The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1912-01-19
:::::N0UGH Of BUckSkiN
NEW HARNESS NICK DEMPSEY
GOT WAS OF LEATHER.
Thereby Hangs a Good Story Of the
West-How tho Weather Helped
Sam Muidrow to Win Almost
Hopeless Bet.

mick Dempsey was ror a certainty
the most talented teamster that ever
swung the ribbons over a pair of
horses" said the cab driver who had
come in out of the west to take q
position on the box of metropolitan
taxi-whizzer. HE always had the best
team that he could combine, and the
care he took of them was lesson to
the S. P. c. A. And his harness.!
Well, Nick laid himself out on them
and they looked like circus fixin's.
But pride goeth before fall and Nick
got his, bimeby. Somebody told him
that buckskin made the finest harness
in the world, and he didn't rest till
he got set of buckskin harness. He
made it himself, to be sure it was just
right, and it was about the gayest
thing that ever got up to the foothills,
not excepting Sadie McGinniss' wed.
ding toys. and they was some.
mick hadn't more than got his new
harness tried out till Sam Muldrow,
that drove a mule team, challenged
him for trip to the railroad and back,
thirty miles each way and no turn
pike. neither. Nick fairly snorted at
Sam, but Sam shook flfty-dollar bill
under his shorter and told him that
was what was what, and Sam took it
at gulp. he was that willing. We
got all our goods by team and they
was going back and forth every two
or three times a week, but nobody
ever thought Of making speed record
till Sam put it up to Nick and his new
harness.
They got away all right and the
whole road was out to see them as
they trekked along. 1t was the big.
gest thing we'd ever pulled OF and
betting was frequent all around, odds
on Nick about forty-seven to one.
People said Sam was fool, but he
said he was trusting to Providence
and the weather. It did look like rain,
and mules is hard to beat in the mud,
but it was q mighty long shot for Sam
and the few hackers he had. They
pulled in at the railroad about even
and going easy, both of them taking
care Of their critters for the haul
home next day with load.
They was to leave next morning
at seven, and no jockeying on the
start. That night it rained, cleared
of and turned colder, just right fol
travelling. There wasn't anything al
the railroad but station agents
house and shed alongside of the
house, and the shed wasn't any shell
ter to brag on. When Sam got to II
at about six next morning he found
Nick there cussing forty ways for the
Sabbath and repeat. He was slam
ming that fancy buckskin harness al
over the ground and swearing every
time 1t hit, and every time it hit II
made noise like cracking q CHECKER
coop.
"The rain during the night hat
blowed in on it, and when it dried il
was harder than a board and Wouldn'
fit boss any more than an iron cage
would. Prompt at seven Sam pulled
out for home, leaving Nick in the shet
still cussing and banging his harness
Nick got back that night about foul
hours after Sam had gone to bed, ant
the strings and ropes and wires ant
pieces Of galluses and strips Of boot
legs and sections of buckskin tha
made up his harness was a sight {
see. And Sam Muldrow was a gentle
man. He let Nick keep $25 Of tn,
bet to buy new harness with, ant
Nick didn't get no buckskin harnes.
with it, neither, mind that now"