Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 April 1880 — The Trick Mare. [ARTICLE]

The Trick Mare.

On one occasion we w ere preparing for our promenade through the streets, when a kind of ‘ ‘ hanger-on” to our company, who, through his invariable politeness of manner, had been nicknamed ‘ ‘ Sweet William,” was deputed to ride a highlytrained black mare, one of whose tricks consisted in undoing her girths with her teeth and removing her saddle. “ Sweet William” was the last to leave the stables, the others having passed out before he had mounted. Suddenly loud cries of “Murder!” were heard to proceed from the stable, and I shouted out as I went toward the spot: “ What’s the matter? Who is it?” “It’s me,” replied the agonized voice of “Sweet William.” “Make haste—the mare’s got hold of my toe!” And sure enough I found the man on the mare’s back, writhing and twisting about, his face describing the most painful contortions, and his toe in the mare’s mouth! The more he struggled, the harder she pulled at what, through some misadventure, she mistook for the girth-straps. Perhaps, also, she mistook his shouts for the vociferous cheers of a pleased audience, and thought it was all right, and at it again she went with redoubled vigor. By some means he must have made some slight movement, which the mare thought to be her signal to perform the trick, and went to work accordingly. However, the man was speedily released from his awkward predicament, and the cavalcade proceeded on its way, but it was a long time before the incident itself ceased to excite a good-natured laugh at the expense of “Sweet William. ” — Chambers' Journal.