Weekly Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1919-1920, 1919-04-02
THAT "'HOSS".

TASK Ill 1dNOl VI ehS
School student who lua.v be caiied up
on by his Teacher, ant VINO KNOWS
all about horses from tA1elr ears to
their tails, to write about t. hat animal
But the following facts nave peen
carefully noted.
Josh drove up in front of tn e couh-
ty store in the little town CT d
got out of the rig over the BACK OF
the seat, from the queerest 10 oklhG
vehicle ever seen in the village. apeh'
eezer. called Eben or Eb, for hort
the all around clerk, who spent n lnci
time looking from the window, OBJ
served the movement noted abo We
What in tarnation is Josh up to no w
he unused also observing that tt 1t
horse, a fine looking animal was q
bran new one for Josh, as for tn
wagon it had the appearance of hav-
ing been hastily thrown together, the
parts coming from different junk
heaps; but to cap all this to see josh
alight from over the back of the seat
was quite enough to arouse susplE~
ion.
He turned to call Mr.. Paddock's
attention to these things, but too late,
Josh was already coming in at the
door, "Moorin' Josh you are down
early, hows everything on Ryder
Hill?" One look however at Josh
convinced him something was wrong,
his face was wrinkled, corners OF
mouth dropping and Eben thought
he had never seen so sad a face be-
fore. as Mr.. Paddock ter hum" en-
ouired Josh without paying any heed
to the Jerks salutation, but he now
saw that worthy merchant, who was
at the far end of the store weighing
up maple sugar, and he fastened III
that direction, the clerk following
with much wonderment.
I saw Mr. Paddock do you want to
buy a boss darned cheap? Yep and
wagon throwed in tcw butte, by gum.
What's the critters name enqulred
Eben, Mr.. Paddock cast whitening
glance in his direction for interrupt
ing this now, to him, very interesting
situation for if there was anyone thing
Mr.. Paddock was noted for more than
another in the village it was his keen
ness for a trade, however Josh stop
ped long enough to answer the ques-
ton casting a half glance in the
clerks direction, he pronounced just
one word, which proved afterWard to
be very significant, "Blizzard," spoken
in an off hand manner, as he might
have said Bill or jerry. Well Josh
what's the trouble, what's your pro-
position, what are you down to the
village so early as this for, and, low
ering his voice a little and dropping
!. some of the buster, say Josh, tell me,
where did you get that horse? Haint
been over the other side of forty
five have yer? with Il twinkle
in his eye toward Eben; nc
Sur no sech thing as that, listen.
Betsey that's my woman, got word her
second cousin on her Fathers side,
that is Jake what lives in Ellabalmy,
down tew Mobile | think twas, some
sech names that; ennyway don't make
no difference, his Boys been over
tew France fighting Germans, and the
BoldshiverS, and the Hottentoys, and
what not; and he got "greased" you
know. I assed a Soldier who | see
wearing the U. S. uniform what that
ment. Tell yer what I'm mighty proud
to see one of our Boys in that rig
and ] Suited, and says l did you go
acrost? and he says kinder prompt
like, "you bet," says | then you must
know what it means to get "greased''
and he says oh yes sure, the Germans
you see get so gol darned hungry that
they eat the American prisoners and
the last thing is to greas them. Must
be an awful death. Wei Jake's boy
has cum home; and nothing ter due
but he must see Betsey. She tuck
care of him when he was youngster,
and he limited he had remembered her
by bringing some suferniers, what
ever them air; and she callates eff he
don't get we'll he has left her some
money tew butte. Yes yes, from Mr..
Paddock, hem, clearing his throat
that is all very interesting, but what
about this outfit outside, lets get
down to brass tacks, how old is that
horse, and why do you wish to part
with him! come now if there is any
hole in this property we want to
know it. Josh put on a most inno-
cent expression mingled with an in
jured look; he took out his red hand
kerchief wiped his eyes and resumed.
If you had bin thru one half the stuff
, erin have since Betsy first got that
letter you'd have tew go ter bed. How
somesever, bracing up and looking
quite triumphant after getting off
this word, / callate that thare Hoss is
in the naborhod right round some
where nigh seven year old; not a day
over eight.No surrce. Why do you
want to sell that rig. With SORROW
full shake of the head and another dis
play of the red handkerchief, he
broke out. You see if Betsy is goin
tew Ellabalmy she must have some
money, clean cash you know; and
then l cant work the boss alone, my
hired mans gone, with a shudder, how
did that hapeen put in Eben, regard