Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-08-27
THE RACING
PARSON
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1913, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

One day as Farmer Barrows sat on
his veranda smoking his pipe stranger
driving horse and buggy came along.
Just opposite the house the horse sud
denly halted and refused to go on.
Seems to be trouble here" said
Moses as he walked down TO the gate.
81 should say there wasr' exclaimed
the stranger "Consarn his pesky hide,
but If you'll lend me an ak I'll cave
his head in"
Had him long, Stranger" was asked.
About three weeks, and this is the
third time he has baked on me. Say,
now
Purity good lookin' boss" said Farm
er Barrows after he bad looked him
over. "whered you get him?"
Traded with Teller"
"Mebbe we can swop. I've got
boss that
Then trot him out III trade you
even up for anything with hide and
hoofs''
The exchange was made without
further words, and the stranger drove
Off. Farmer Barrows had said that
there was cause for horse baking.
1t is generally understood that 1t is In
his training.
The new owner began to practice a
system of kindness. The horse did not
get harsh word and was asked to do
only light work. In the course Of
couple of weeks his sullenness had
quite vanished, and be was hitched to
a buggy to be driven TO town. He
took about twenty eight steps and then
stopped. He expected to hear swear
ing and TO feel the whip, but nothing
Of the sort followed. He was given a
lump Of sugar and patted on the back
as a reward of merit
The next day he was hitched mp
again This time he took a hundred
steps before baking No swearing nor
whipping. More sugar and more pet
ting. Farmer Barrows even sung the
first verse of the Sweet By and By"
into his left ear. So It went every day
for week, and the farmer then said
to his wife:
THAT boss is all right now and viii
give no more trouble"
"I hope not"
81 have always contended that kind
ness would do it, and here's plain
case of 1t. / shan't have mite of trou-
bic driving to town and back"
On the road to the village and half a
mile from Farmer Burrows house the
highway crossed swamp by a narrow
corduroy road. Only one vehicle could
pass at a time for a distance Of forty
rods The new horse ambled along
as II it were a JOY to live until he
reached the middle of the causeway,
and then he stopped as suddenly as u
hit by bullet.
"By thunder exclaimed Farmer
Barrows.
He gave the horse FIVE minutes and
then asked him to please so on.
No use.
Then he descended and gave the ami
NAL lump of sugar and toyed with
his ear and asked him as a personal
favor to resume his amble. Not a
resume; not an amble.
Travellers came up and stopped at
either end of the blocked highway and
called out:
Say, you. what in thunder is the
matter7''
Horse has baked on me-"
Farmer Barrows used the whip light
~, apologiztng to the horse at the same
time. No good. He moved his coat
and vest, spat on his hands and was
preparing to give that horse the lick
ing of his life when the parson of his
church drove up with:
Hello, Brother Barrows. What's
the mattery'
Its this internal horsel He baked
with me"'
The parson got down and gave the
new horse looking over and said:
Brother Barrows, you've got sulky
at home. haven't your"
"Yes."
TO the sulky. think know what ais
him"
Cant kin him first?"
"No-come right along"
you'll never get him ten feet"
The parson mounted the sulky as If
he had been there before. and the
horse cheerfully started off at good
trot.
A traveller came along with good
trotter and attempted to pass, but was
left In the dust in great shape. The
parson overlook two or three well
known steppers and beat them to il
handsomely.
well. how many times did ne balk
ON your" the farmer asked as the rig
came back.
Brother Barrows, you are a good
man. but you have no eye for horses"
smiled the parson.
How do you mean?"
you've been treating this animal as
IL he were plug of horse and there
by humiliating him"
''But amt he a plug?"