24r PIONEER LIFE ; OB, 



father then stipulated that he should be allowed to 

 strike the horse just as he chose. The opposite 

 party insisted that he should not strike the horse, at 

 all, and they finally left the matter to four men, who 

 decided that he might strike the horse in any man- 

 ner he chose, provided he did it no material injury. 

 He then prepared to go into the stable. When they 

 saw him so willing to perform his undertaking, they 

 offered to withdraw the bet, fearing that Ire would 

 be killed at the first movement. But my father said 

 "No; what I have said, I will try to do." As he 

 opened the door and went in, they tried to persuade 

 him to abandon the undertaking, saying that he 

 would lose his life. He replied coolly, " I have to 

 die but once." He went up to the horse and spoke 

 coaxingly, when it looked ill-natured and turned to 

 kick at him. He struck the horse three times in 

 lhc flank with his open hand, so sharply that it 

 sounded like the crack of a whip. When he spoke to 

 the horse again he stood and trembled. He then 

 went to the horse's head to put on a bridle, when he 

 appeared restive, and attempted to bite him. He 

 spoke to him again, and struck him three times with 

 a stick which he held in his hands so severely that 

 the third blow brought him to his knees. The ani- 

 mal now seemed subdued, and trembled from head to 

 foot. My father then put the bridle upon him, which 

 had not been done by one man alone for a year. 

 He then spoke to the horse, wheeled him around 

 and led him out of the stable. Seeing another horse 

 lie begam to plunge, when my father struck him in 



