THE horse's bescue. 165 



her or brand her. I was going to try to cure this 

 horse without medicine, and in si:x: months they 

 would not know her. Then I went to another part of 

 the town. As I marched away I heard mutteringlike 

 tliis, " The damned old fool is crazy." That I knew 

 would come, and worse, before I started out. I got 

 another crowd in another place, and told the same 

 story over. This I followed up for several hours, then 

 led the horse up Main street. She hobbled along, 

 stepping about eight inches, one foot over the other; 

 head down ; lame on both feet, and Inmei* on one than 

 the other. On mv route home I w:is in the center 

 of the. street. People were passing and repassing on 

 all sides of me. I had got to be quite well known at 

 that time. I. took it on all sides, but all they could 

 get out of me was, "My money paid for this horse.'' 

 I led her in the yard at my house. My wife looked 

 at her. She did not say much, but I could see she 

 did not fancy my purchase. I put the horse in the 

 barn. Next morning she liad to be led through Main 

 street to get to my shop. I took the center of the 

 street. This street parade got up more opposition. 

 The old women took it up, and tliey went to talking 

 horse. When I had attracted their attention I thought 

 there would be hopes that some of them might want 

 to know what all of this racket was about. In that 

 case there would be a good chance to teach them. 

 But these rackets, would rise and fall, and no one 

 seemed to learn anything about the horse. By their 

 talk I judged they knew it all, and for this reason the}'' 

 could not learn. When a man arrives at this stage of 

 progression, there is not much hope. When a man 



