88 JUSTIN MORGAN 



an energetic, thrifty man, and Colonel Davis engaged him 

 to do some clearing on his farm, seeing that he now had 

 a good strong young horse. Thus Morgan once more 

 became a farm-horse, but as Shepard was well to do and 

 kind, he fared well in his new home. 



His dinner in a pail, and oats in a sack for the Mor- 

 gan, Shepard would go out for a day's plowing or clear- 

 ing the while Mistress Shepard remained at home to serve 

 customers at the Inn. 



A "halloo" from the forge would make the blacksmith 

 hurry back to aid a passing traveller whose horse had 

 cast a shoe or whose wagon or "shay" needed mending. 

 He would leave the IMorgan in the care of Maximus 

 Fabius Davis, the son of Colonel Davis, who — as boys 

 went, in Morgan's estimation — ^was pleasant enough. 

 Morgan was ever fond of men and women, al- 

 ready grown, but the stage of childhood, required to 

 develop them into such, did not seem to interest him. 



Now and again Maxy would ride him home in the 

 evening, and if there chanced to be a horse at the forge 

 anxious for a test, there would be a race or some trial 

 at pulling. Tales of his speed and strength spread for 

 miles around, and all who called at the Inn or the forge 

 were anxious to see him. But they always said after- 

 ward it was a shame to turn such a fine animal into a 

 mere farm-horse. Shepard had his answer ready, that 

 he "was but a farmer himself, and needed a good plow- 

 horse — not a racer eating its head oft in his stable." 



Through honesty and that thrift for which the Ver- 

 monter is famous Shepard soon acquired considerable 

 wealth, and wanting a larger place he exchanged the 

 Morgan, his smithy, and the Farmers' Inn for the large 

 farm on Dog River, belonging to James Hawkins. Thus, 

 Morgan changed owners, but not homes, for Hawkins 

 came to Montpelier to live. The horse was glad of this, 



