SOUTH DAKOTA AGAIN 175 



driving about the region in search of veterinary 

 work. 



The "chum" was glad to see us and invited us 

 to "hang around" as long as it suited us. He 

 said we could use one of his horses and his buggy 

 free of charge and that he hoped we would make 

 a barrel of money. 



We felt as though somebody had made us a 

 present of a gold mine ! The next morning after 

 breakfast, he ordered his hired-man to put the 

 harness on "old chip" and hook him to "Lizzie's 

 buggy." We thought he was too good to us and 

 told him we could just as well do the "hitching 

 up" ourselves. He assured us that nothing was 

 too good for us. I asked my brother what made 

 the fellow so generous; I thought maybe my 

 brother had saved his life on some occasion or had 

 raised the mortgage on his farm. He was "too 

 nice for anything." 



But when the hired-man led up "old chip" 

 hooked to "Lizzie's buggy" I changed my opin- 

 ion of the whole business; I thought then that 

 maybe my' brother had done him a dirty trick 

 once, and I have often wished since that I had 

 taken a picture of the outfit to keep as a 

 remembrance. 



"Old Chip" looked to be about the oldest chip 

 off the block; he had every bump on him that a 

 horse can have and still retain enough flexibility 

 to be able to walk. He was so sore in front that 

 a person felt like hollering "Ouch!" for him every 

 time he put a foot down. And the buggy! Did 

 I say "buggy"? Well, anybody seen riding in a 



