Holidays at the Grange; or, A Week's Delight: Games and Stories for Parlor and FiresideHiggins, Emily Mayer
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Holidays at the Grange; or, A Week's Delight: Games and Stories for Parlor and Fireside
Higgins, Emily Mayer
Amusements -- Juvenile literature; Children's stories; Indoor games -- Juvenile literature
In what way they drove the cart down stairs, history does not mention.
That was the concern of the owner and of the college authorities, and
not mine nor my heroes--it may be in the hall to this day, for aught I
know. But how they got up so high in the world is another matter, and I
will let you into my secret, merely to convince my incredulous hearers
that the thing was possible. Each of the fellows shouldered as many logs
as he could carry, conveyed them to the appointed place, and returned
swiftly to the charge. The wheels were now off, and ready for four of
them, and the body of the cart for eight more. Forsythe and Barrington
reserved for themselves the honor and glory of managing the live-stock.
Slipping woollen socks over his feet, they somehow got him up-stairs
with marvellous celerity; and whilst his owner was gazing up and down
for his vanished property, the astonished horse was again tackled to the
loaded cart, his hose were taken off, and he was left to his
meditations, in solitary possession of the hall. So quietly was all this
done, that, although students and tutors were in the rooms adjoining,
nothing was suspected, until the horse, who felt himself to be placed,
without any fault of his own, in a false position, made known his
sentiments by his impatient movements.
The worst trick our heroes ever played, and one of a somewhat kindred
character, consisted in ornamenting Professor X's horse. At midnight,
when the authorities were sound asleep, they took the poor animal out of
his comfortable stable, and shoeing him with an extra quantity of felt,
to prevent any noise, they conveyed him, with great difficulty, up the
staircase, to the hall in the third floor. That might have satisfied
them; but no, they were not pleased with his color. He was of pure
white, and the scapegraces wished a variegated hue. So, after a
preliminary shaving, they painted him in green stripes, and when they
had arranged it to their satisfaction, they went to their own rooms. The
unfortunate victim was not well contented, either with his quarters or
his condition, and stamped about at a great rate, being quite unable to
get down stairs. In the morning, when the Professor was ready for his
usual ride, where was his horse? It had vanished, and the stable-door
was open: thieves must have been prowling about in the night. At last,
the trick was discovered; and then, as Will Forsythe said, "I could
paint that horse, which was rather restive, but I would not undertake to
paint the wrath of the Professor." Of course, no one did it--it was
impossible to discover the guilty individuals. But the poor animal did
not enjoy the frolic as much as the wild youngsters, for he died in
consequence; and this unfortunate termination of the exploit put a stop
to any practical jokes for the enormous period of several months. To
make up the unexpected loss to the Professor, the two friends sent him,
anonymously, a sum of money equal to the value of the horse.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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