THE GOODMAN HORSE. 209 



night, without making the least apparent headway in his 

 subjection. The horse was now put in the stable, when he 

 went to eating as unconcernedly as though nothing had 

 happened. Next morning I again took him in hand, put- 

 ting him before a cart, and working him until dark with- 

 out, so far as I could see, making any progress whatever in 

 his control. I went to bed thoroughly tired, but deter- 

 mined to go through the matter at any hazard. 



Next morning, after breakfast, I went out to look at 

 him. He stood eating, apparently as quiet and unconcerned 

 as though he had not been touched. I stepped into his 

 stall to study him a little closer, and found his mouth simply 

 a little sore from the effects of the bit which had been used. 

 In attempting to back him out of the stall he resisted. 

 This so provoked me that I determined for once to have 

 the best of him. I put the hitching part of the halter, 

 which was of ordinary rope, through his mouth, and sent 

 him back on a run to the middle of the floor. At this 

 point he collected himself for a desperate fight, but my tem- 

 per being up, I sent him back out of the barn into the mid- 

 dle of the yard, against the reach of an old lumber wagon 

 which happened to be there. Now commenced a most des- 

 perate struggle, which lasted fully a minute, he making 

 an effort to kick up, and I to hold him so closely against 

 the reach that he could not do it. He finally gave up the 

 contest, quivering all over. His whole nature seemed now 

 to be changed. I knew I had him safe, and at once hitched 

 him up without breeching, and drove him through the 

 streets perfectly gentle. All expressed themselves per- 

 fectly satisfied, saying, " You are a good fellow," etc. Cer- 

 tainly I felt happy in being able to feel myself out of the 

 scrape. At my request the owner took him to Carrolton, 

 about thirty miles distant, where, to the surprise of the 

 people who knew his former bad character, I drove him 



14 



