s time. father has sold Nelly to old Si Smith. she was
lame in her hind leg and when she stands in the stable she holds her
hind leg up in the air all the time, and when she goes out she limps
auful but after she goes a while she aint lame. so last nite father
hiched her up and took me and we drove over to Wire Shaws in Kensington
and when we came back he took out the whip and hit her under the belly
with it 2 times and you aught to see her go. when we came to old Si
Smiths she was going like old Billy Robinsons troter. then father turned
round and drove up to Sis and old Si and Shep Hodgden and Gimmy Biddle
and Charles Fifield was there and father said this will make jest the
horse you want for your store and old Si said she aint biger than a rat
and father said i gess she is big enuf to carry out all your lodes
unless you put down your price, and then they all laffed at Si, and then
Si said she was a puller and father said what do you want Josiar one
that you have to push, and then they laffed agen and when father called
him Josiar i know Si had better look out for when father calls me Henry
i know i am in for a liking. then Si said she is lame in every leg and
father said you get in here and drive her and if she goes a lame step i
will give her to you, and old Si said to Shep and Gimmy you get in and
drive her and they got in and drove off and father said he wood take 50
dolars for her and old Si said he wood give 35 dolars for her and they
talked and talked and then Shep and Gimmy came back and said she went
all rite and old Si said he wood give father 40 dolars and father said
she was worth 50 but as Si was a nabor he wood like to acomodate him.
well old Si was counting out the money when he said he bet she was a
kicker father said she is kind as a kitten and dont bite or kick dont
she Harry and i said she cant kick becaus she always holds up one leg in
the stall, and old Si said whats that and i told him how she coodent
kick becaus she held up one leg, and then Gimmy and Shep and Charlie
Fifield and old Mister Page all laffed and hollered and stamped round
and slaped their legs and said that is a good one, and old Si stoped
counting his money and swore aufully and father looked auful mad for a
minit and then he said she is wirth every cent of 50 dolars and asked Si
what he wood give and Si said 15 dolars and they talked and talked and
after a while he give father 25 dolars. then we went home and father
looked prety