The Sorrel Horse

ín the village of Saybrook, within the routines of the Pine Tree State, lived Deacou Aaron Adamson. He was not only decoi], but he was also esquire, havingbeen nppointed Justice of the l'eace by Uovernor Hubbard at a time when men were not plenty who would gocept the office, and pay the fee- at least they liad uot been ilenty in Saybronk. Hut. bc he deacon, or be he esquire, no glitterinjr tide, or hlghsounding refrain could cover uu the man- and the man was only a skin llint.j as we sha 11 see. The deacon had been In his day a noted breeder of horses: and he might have beoome wealthy from ihat aource alone could he have Contented himself with the honest returns for his ventures; but nothinr would content liim while there appearcd a shadow of gain bevond the stated bound. The last penny hu would pocket, and then fume, and storm, and harle, and lie until he eot another penny upon that. Yes- he had been a horse-dealer in his day, and what he did not know about horses was not worth knowini, Of late, hovvever, he liad kept little stock, choosing, he declared; " to shelter one or two of the very best horses in the woild, rat her than have Uis stable filled with conimon, everydav trash." J J But the truth was, he did not keep many horses because nobody who kne w him dared to buy of hiui; and ahorse known to have been bought of Deacoti Adamson was very hardtOMÜ. One spring there moved into the town a young farmer, najoi 'd Moses Midwell, who purcfiasea the Olü l iimiiiing piacc, tiellcvitif; be could brini: ie back to what it had been in otlier years, when it had rateil as the best farm in Cuinberlaiu county. Midwell liad boughtthe farm, and paid forit- had bought all the tooUof the tonner owncr -and had luncht, and paid cash lor e very - thlug needed, suve a horse. IK: had heard his tather, in the years aone. speak of Deacon Adamson as the best judgeof boraellesh in the state, and havlfig leained Ihat the deacon was still alive, and Hvlng at the villaje, he concluded that he would applv to him lor a horse. "Ifyou're going to trnde with Deacon Adamson," said one of his neighbors, "do you jest keep yer eyes open. He's a dreadful cheat, and he's got so used to lyii ' tbat be don't railly kuow when he doet let the truth slip out." llowever, Midwell knew somethinfr of horses, and was not afraid of beine badlv chented. "But, "said he to himself.'Mf he does cheat me inrentionnlly, I shall try to et even with him." 80 Mr. Moses Midwell called upon the deacon and made known his want. "Ah! Midwell! sou of my old friend! 1 declare, it does me good to see yon. And you have cometo live with u.s ! (iood! Your lathcr and I were like brothers." And so the old man rattled on as they walleed toward the stable. "Upon my word, my dear boy, you have hit me in just the right moment, if you want the kind of a horse I should want, if I were in your place. Only the color- I don't know how that will siiit you. Some folks don't like sorrel- and 1 ca'nt t-ay itV a favoiite color with me." Hut Midwell did not object to that. They reached the stable and the deacon backtd the horse from the stall. It he pinohed the animal's nose, or twlsted his tongne,jor stuci a pin latoliU ihoulder, wecannot say; but we can say that the horse came out lively, prahdbig 'and vifrorous, with ears erect and nostiils distended. And t was certuinly a handsntne horse - standing proudly erect (though a picssuie of the deacons's thumt) and flnger under the jaw may have had soniethmjr to do with that,) limbs well proportioned, and smooth in uvery joint; with aooat line and glossy. "There, sir, there you have him. I was otlered a hundred and 11 lmlffor him yesterday and refused it poiut blank; but' for old association's sake- as a token of pleasant remembrance of your good old father- I'll let you have him for just that figure . Merc.y: if you can lind fanlt with that, Ihere'll be no use in my (hinking to serve you. The deacon forg-ot to state, that the offer to whlch he had alluded had been made by liismvn hojietulson. Howevcr, that diiln't matter for the horse, if perfect in every otlier respect, was worth evcry dollar. But he perfect? "There you have him, just as he stands, Mr. Midwell. I can warrant him sound in wind and Iimb, because I know; but 1 oan'l warrant him free frora tbinga that no human beinjr can see.' "Mr. Adainson,I must trust to your word - to your honor. Of course you know that I would not wlíh to pay a hundred and liity dollurs for a horse that had a serious blemish." "And you dont object to the coloj?" "No; 1 rathcr like it, Borrel is a plain color, and stands well.". "Then, my dear Moscs," gaid the deacon, standing by the horse's hind quarter and looklug over the iweap oL the haunch "i can rfive you my word that the borae nnsn t got ah oul chai I can sec- not one kind, and willing um itroag, umi sound-windcd, .-nul mi -lml,,.,l, and tough-footed, and I never knew liim to see an.vihnifr thlt frfghtenedfor startled Mm. lint, dear boy, don'tyou teel delicate about refusing the trade. If you don'l wau t lniii at that prlce i's all rlght 1 i' aps I cm help you to a trade Bomewhere Jiut Midwell wanted the horse, and wheu lic lefl the dcacon's preniises lic liad paid '¦ver tn that gotíd oíd man a hundred and Mlty dollars, and he look the horse with liini. n his wy home Moscs was puzzled bv Berend peculiar rementg of the orreJ horse; and, anivedat Uis own quarters, the anima], in entering the stable, following nis new owner at the end ol a ioodly length OÍ haltcr-stmis nin hte luad- bUDip, agaiust the door-post. - strange thought eitne to the farmert mimi- a fancy that made hint dizzy, and tiiai caosed his heart to bound, lic led tho horse to the ïinddle of' the barn floor and there flushed a white handkerchlef huddenly hcfore lus ejes- flashed it once- twiee - thricc- but nota tingle iniiscle of the hue'a eye quivered- not a tierve was startlod. The sorrel horse was as blind us a stone ! And then Jloses calleU to ïnind how adroitly the deacon had eyadcd and played around that one point. It had been a beartless swindle. He went away by himselt' and sat dn n and refleeted. "W cll, well," he sakl to himself, in the end, "we'll tee how thia thlng will come'ut. h wc hoth Uye tong enough, 1 may get Simare with hiui." On the IoIIowmiííiI.iv Uosea nut [Ha jon Aii.mison al tlic villaje". 'l'lie(dd man limvcil and offered bis hand, as though nothing unusual had happeoed. lle would not have spoken of the hone had not the „thcr iutioductd the subject. ¦¦(11 coarte," Mid Aloso '-you knew that horge's eyes were not rlghtï" 'Vcs, .Mo.m.s - J dld. 1 never seck to dcfcivc. We dld bot s'peak of hU eyes. Ha ha- y.m'll have to s,c i,ir liini.1' ¦'S,, 1 liavc.liM-,,, ,,.,!; ,.,,,,! Adainson, as I do nol like a blind horse, u H et you have him Oack tor the ainoiint 1 iiaid lor liini." "Are you in carnest, Aloses?" "1 am." The deacon placed the end f his forefinger beneatb his eye, and pulled down the lower lid. "There's DOthlng green therc, dear boy?" ' Nu." Then I guees we'llcall a trade- a trad. . You ve got a good, strong, kind, serviceable Uoi-se, and a color that jileases you. Uutleally, Moae llie lessou will do you gOOd. Nexl linie you'll look a littlesharper with yourown eyes." ''1 he iH'Xt timi ,''"sai I MoSBS as llé turned away, "lslmll aeek to trade with au honest i mui).'' "Üli! don't be angry, Moses. Don't lay il up." From that time Bioses Midwell met the deacon frequently, and alwaya witii a reBpectful shIuuüoh. He dia not profesa triendly teellng. nor did he display anv Icelingof ill-vill. The season passed, and Moses floutïslied on lito tann. Jie had purchasetta new and improred threeMng machine, mei he siso owncd i horse-power forsawing wood, and nr those qms the .-orrel borae worked in wcll and profitably. Deacou Adamaon bad preparad for layingdown a two-acre lot to grain and grass. Danngthe season laai paased hehadraised upon that lot the largest erop of corn ever raised from the same territory In the county. lic had applied dressing without stinl, and liaving taken off the eoin, he meant now to show tueheaviest burden of (raas upoo those two acres ever out from the same extent of euri&ce. lu layiug it down be waulcd a goodly quantity of red llover seed, and he had been informed tlmt Moses Midwell had threshed out several bushels of the verv beet clover seed ti be found anywherc. 'Wheu he next met Hoses he asked liim f he had the seed to Ml. "Yes- I shall '11 most of it. In fact, most of it is already engaged. "liut you eau spare me cuougli for rny two-acre lot ?" i'Yes- I thall haye plenty left for that." " bat ahall jon charge me tor il f" ïherell heno trouble on that core." 'Aiul you'll warrant it te be pure red clover?" "No, slr; 111 warrant nothlngof the kind. ltnl l'll teil you this, sir; 1 liave just tlnee boshels of seed in my granary, and 1 can We you my word that every sced was thresbed from as tlnesndpure clover as evergrew, There's notblog elseef leed in my chestp, save my wlieat, and barley, and oals. " "All rlght. I sh&ll look to you for the seed.'' "Aml you sliall have it." .Moses Alldwell went home, and that niht afiiT everybody else was a-bed and asleep, he went out to hta biirn wbere LU thresning machine atöod upon the greal Jloor; and kavlng led out the Borrel horee, and harnewed htm n place, he brougfit lortli from a lar corner oi om. of the seaftolds u lol oí inatcii.'il uhich had bsen caréfally gathered upon hls ohl sheeppasture, and tea II tothe maw of the thresKiug machine; aml he then went to the work of vlnnowlng a aeed that, we flimly bellere, had uever been before and has never been iince threshed and wlnnowed intentioiially. l'wo daya after that Deacon Adamson canic up for liis clover seed. "Thla la all deni-y" siid the purebaser, as he hamled over the luonev and took the ba" of (eed. 'i threshed and winnowed it myself," answered Dioses, and 1 eau warrant il to be the seed of the Crim.ion üxalix, pare and unadulterated." The deacon's eye sparkled. He wat pot a learned man himself, bot t dtd him good to hear learuedquotatlonaand clas-ical expresalbna. And Deacon Adnnison went home, and Md down hl two-acre lotto oats, herdsmd Crimton Oxalis, and then awalted the coming oi ewnts, The oats jrew and Uourished, and au enormoua erop bleseed the buebandman. And above the Btobble of the oats. appeared th! green bladesof the graas erop - that uhich wal to i;ive torth its mility growlh In auother year, 'Ah!" said the expectant man. "walt till you see my erop of clover. If I aint groad; dbappólnted l'll show yon a leetle the blggest erop of red clover, you ever did Ml'." And this be told to all who looked upon his lield - told It 80 olten and told it toso niany, that did a cominir (reus cicate more anxiety of nu tiet pation In the booi the riUage boya iiian did the coming of that e in the bosonis f the good people of S.ivhrooL. At lenglh the warm spring days cain.-, and the two-aeie lield put on coat of greeik The daya of Juoe oasis osi apaoe, aml the green btade grew rank and luxuriant; but - not like clover! - Dot üke any eiuvei' uhich the people oi Saybrook had ever Men before. Mercyl how rank and how green ! - and how thiekly the strange (frowth oovered the thegroundl lint, Itcould not beolover. Thefdeaooo leaned upon the fence, and looked over lato the lield. The leavetof the luxuriant herbaga ere begiunlng to pul on a strangely familiar look. ilis heart lluttered. "ijamuel," he said to his Bon, "wkat was it that Afoses .Midwell called that sced that he let me have?" "He called it Crimson Oxalis." An hour later the deacon met I'rof. I)odem. "Profeaaor, what is Crimson Oxalis?" "Where does it irrow, and bowl" "1 11 i flelil - tliick." '"In sueh 11 oase t must bc commol li,ii Sorrel." "And that'a ts feonest iripn i Crimm Oxalis f" . '0xal4t, la Borrel, certalnly; and ofcourse you know what crimaon is." Two daya later the deacon met M taea Midwell and ctilled liltn aaide. ow. Moeea -look here; we alntgolng to brave any worils unless 1 oan pro you vc lii d to me, which 1 thlnk 1 can do. Duin I tou swear to me tt&tyou hadn'l a !ii oi leed u yoargranary but pure dover, besides your coinmon (train?" "J didn't s ear.deaeon; lint I toli] yon go " I'iicn whsre did you gat that aeod tliát you let mé have?" '1 went home and ou that vrrv 1 1 i _; 1 . t . after all save myself weré abed and asleep I wout to my bain and broughl forth froXD a far scaffold a erop I bad cul ffom the old sheep puature, and then I hitchod up the old aorrel horae, and threabed It out and winnowed It] I tojd yon honeatly what the seed as u hen I i,-t you haye t. Ifyou have been deceived, It Bhpald be a lsöon to Jou; and I can ,siy to yon US vou once said 10 nu - let- " "llcild ¦ui ! Never mlnd the leaaon now. Moses Midwell, L'm afraid you've caughl up wil h me. Y'ou oll'ircd once to let me buvethe orrel liorse back for the sanie prlca that you pai.l. ril gire vou that prlcs in 1 u 11, witli ipterest, il you'll put that two-aciv licld of Red Sorrd wbére no hutuaq benig can ever Btfi il nioie !" '¦Hrally, Dea(bi), i1hti riorretd i: ibai. I made u-r oí the sorrel liorae, and you may makc line of ihai öüier soirel. Jnét plough t in lor a dosaing befóte ti goes lo $eeJ." The deacon ciuhi ai the idea, and liur in-d away; and befiire another twetity-four honra had passed the two acres or sorrel had all been ploDghed in mu ofslght. The eve-aore was removed, bat the outting facl rémaine Tüe story bad leaked out- the story oi the horaé u-a.ic. and oí the return traile in Crimson Oxalis; and to the la test day of his lile D.ai A.damaon waa free i" declare that bis sale oí tbe blind horse Midwell liad pi'oved lile BQreSl plece of bustneaa ka hlniMll that be ever did.