Year: 1870

SIN I.sR.vEI-S VENTURE.


Sam Varney was a Green Mountain boy.
He had worked as hired man on different
farms, and had laid up some money. He
had frequently been employed in bringing
loads of produce to Boston market, and had
made sales quite satisfactory to his employ
er. On several occasions he had made little
speculations of his own which were quite
profitable.


On one of his visits to Boston, Sam had
fallen in with a sailor, who was native of
the same town where he himself was born,
and they had q great deal of conversation.
One of the interesting facts which Sam
learned from his townsman was, that sail
ors were occasionally permitted to take out
small venture, as it was called, of their
own, little package of goods, a barrel of
mackerel, or something of that sort, which
would not take up much room in the ves
sci. This they sold, and brought home the
product of the country they visited.


On his return home, Sam meditated pro-
foundly on this subject, and finally con-
cluded to make voyage to the West In
dies, and take q venture with him.


The question was, what should this ven
ture be?


He had nothing on hand at the time but
a small horse, which he had won at rattle,
and had not been able to dispose of. He
was not very beautiful horse. On the
contrary he was pronounced by his neigh
bors ian awful ugly hoss." His neck was
too short, his head was too long. His body
was lean and scraggy. His name was rough
and refractory, and persisted in standing
up too much in spite of trimming and
trimming, and his tail looked like mop;
but Sam had ridden him repeatedly, and
found that he was capable of great speed in
rusxnins.


Ttie sailor told Sam that whole cargoes of
hon hes were frequently sent from Connecti-
cu j. tn, West Indies, and disposed of at
great pfSit. So he determined that his
horse should be his venture. Accordingly
he mounted him, rode down to Boston, put
him in stable, and went in search of his
sailor friend. He soon found him and com
municated his plan. His acquaintance,
Tom Standish by name, was afraid he
would not carry it out; but promised to
lend all assistance in his power He had
just shipped in vessel bound for Jamaica,
and more hands were wanted. He intro
duced him TO the captain, who made no OBJ
jections TO shipping him as green hand.
When the question of the venture came up
there was difficulty. He had no accom-
mediation for horse aboard the brig. Sam
offered to put him on deck and take care of
him. This would be inconvenient, and in
terfere with his duty. Determined to carry
his point, Sam offrred to pay freight, cash
down, before sailingj and the captain, rath-
er amused at his pertinacity, and curious to
see how the venture would succeed, agreed
to the proposal. So the horse was shipped,
and the vessel sailed.


Sam was the butt of the sailors during all
the passage out. There was no end to their
eers at the appearance of the little horse.
Their natural jokes on him were inexhaus-
table, and Sam Varney's venture was con-
sidered the most desperate and ridiculous
speculation that had ever yet been attempt
eJ.


Rut Sam was perfectly imperturbable.
He answered all their raileries good hu-
moredlv and told them "they had better
wo,, 10 : 90 the upsbot. He had never made
n had speculation vet, and he guessed he
knew what he was about. The boss was
NOT a verv handsome boss. but he is a very
GOOD one He guessed he could sell him tc
some one.r


Al length the brig arrived at Kingston
Jamaica and Sam soon had his horse land
cd and stabbed. When he came to offer hin
for sale. nobody seemed inclined to buy
The horse was decidedly too ugly for sad
die or gig horse; and the very draymer
turnedS up their noses at him. Presently
the races came on. and everybody was hur
rvino ont of town to the race ground.


sam mounted his horse and rode on will
the rskt. He looked on with much interes
at the first race. He observed that the hor
ses were not remarkable for their speed
There appeared to be no thoroughbret
blood horse among them, and he concluded
that the races had been gotten up BY tn
planters for their love of sport, without hay
ing any real race horses on the island. IL
believed that his little horse could bea
them allrand he determined at all hazard