The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1919-06-25
"OldECalico"
B. GEORGE ELMER COBB
Copyright. 1913. By western Newspaper union.)

Copyright. 1913. By Western Newspaper Union.)
1 'For lawsy's sake! What you got
now2''
" was the wife Of Ethan Greene
who propounded the inquiry, staring
hard at a horse that her husband was
leading through the road gateway.
TITS a new swap, Nancy" replied
Iher husband, '.and the best bargain ]
lever struck"
"What you been trading of, now7''
my old watch, the load Of potatoes
and the old mare and wagon. The
whole lot wasn't worth hundred dol
liars. and I was offered double for Old
Calico that's what I've named the
thorse."
"The name fts," observed Mrs.
Greene with some asperity, ''mottled,
lstriped and homely!"
that's all right" nodded Ethan.
NOld Calico is sound as dollar, and
hes got strength and steady stride
/ "But his color-why, he's the picture
Of some freak circus horse"
~That's probably what he was, but
he's smart-smart as ginger, Nancy.
Happened to pass an organ grinder
lover in Topeton. Bless me, if that
-|anipal didn't start dancing in perfect
Istep to the tune. r. VII
i The claim that Ethan had made a
rood bargain was fully substantiated.
Old 6 Alic0 went ut draught duty with
sIaizest that showed there wasn't lazy
bone in his body. There was spice
LOT the unique in the animal that at
ionce attracted the interest Of the pref
|ty daughter Of the family, Verda
Greene. Old Calico carried the milk
pail to the pasture in his jaws. He
would come around to, the front porch
and seize the bell knob with his teeth,
land amazed and delighted verda, and
!capered about in token of his gladness
1T having her company. All kinds of
lgoOd- hum0red chatting greeted Ethan
when he drove to town.
! verda became SO attached to her IA
vorite that she leased her father for a
isidesaddle, and the bright-faced girl
and her odd-colored charger became a
familiar pair along the country roads.
Ethan took on new lease Of an.
ieighty-acre field. and this necessitated
the purchase of a team. Old Calico
was retired to light work and for
horseback service, pleasure and bust
ness combined. ,, &l
Eighteen years old-your birthday,
!eh?" Verda's father hailed her one
bright summer morning. "Well, daugh-
tier. I'm going to give you Old Calico
Jail for your own. I suppose you've
been expecting some gewgaws, but
taking on that extra eighty-acre tract
has sort Of pinched me. Besides,
there's your wedding outfit coming
|along, and ma Is scraping and saving
[for that"
Verda expressed the sincerest de-
light at the gift. She had been engaged
ito Harold Drake for over year, and
they planned q wedding for late fall.
Mrs. Greene had expressed herself as
|of the opinion that the devoted pair
should wait another year, when some
debts out Of the way, they could at
ford to give Verda the trousseau she
deserved, but the daughter and her
lover were anxious to start out togeth-
er In life before new year began.
One pleasant evening Verda started
out for ride along the river shore.
As she came to the cross roads she
was about to turn back homewards
when a great placard posted there an
nounced zone performance only" and
that evening, Of ''the great megath-
erian Varnum show, circus and me-
nagerie combined" The within came
70 verda to 60 two miles further to
Hopeton to view the crowds, and the
spirit of adventure was enhanced as,
pursuing the turnpike, she came upon
2 steady concourse on its way to the
Of the evening.
Verda and her steed had come with
10 q few squares of the circus when,
suddenly, old Calico sprlcked up his
ears, gave a wild and ringing snort
and nearly endorsed verda as he made
forward plunge. Then, rivaling
svery animal on the road, Old Calico
yet up, pace that fairly took away
Verda's breath. Pedestrians made
Urgent haste to get out of the way.
Straight forward the excited steed
ped. A band Of music was his guide,
ind its first notes had acted as the
stimulus for his extraordinary acting.
z -, ~ : fL IL . B. j. L
Old Calico half rounded the circus
ent. AS II instinctively locating the
lressing tent, past its Tapping canopy
le bounded. Into the ring he darted, L
twice and only halted
vhen half dozen Of the performers
aced him, grasped his bride and led
i'm from the view Of the puzzled and
tartled audience. Then, In the dress
ng room, the ringmaster and his as