110 THE house's rescue. 



he should have had all his feet fixed at the same time. 

 I cannot do away with that lever. If I could it would 

 be one of the biggest things man ever invented. I 

 can see no way except to kill the horse ; then it would 

 cease to grow. Putting on trash to stop a foot from 

 growing too fast, or to make it grow faster and iron- 

 ing, causing great fever and heat, and preventing na- 

 ture from having its course at the same time, is rather 

 antagonistic and claiming a little too much power. 

 Horses must, if ironed, travel on unnatural feet all of 

 the time, with the lever at a greater or less degree of 

 length. Before I get through this woik I shall tip 

 over more than you dream of with that lever power. 

 I started to go to the end of the whole business. We 

 will put Mike in his stable again, pack his feet, all 

 four. The ignorant never have seen anything 

 wrong about the horse's hind feet, which should 

 have equal care. His hind feet and legs are necessary 

 to him. He sends himself off with his hind legs, and 

 draws more with them if he is as the creator made 

 him — which a very few are that have been shod — he 

 does not stay so but a short time. We will have to 

 let Mike sail on the road three or four weeks and 

 watch him. Take care of his feet; no one else will. 

 Neither will they })ay for doing it. They had rather 

 sit with their feet on the back of chair tops and smoke. 

 Doan will shoe, balance all tlje cripples, and cure 

 them and keep them cured. He is willing to do it, 

 and we are willing he should. We can drive the 

 horses off their legs, and then go to him. It is not 

 necessary for us to be broken of our rest, neither is it 

 any use for us to know how he does it. 



