Sifting Through the Sands of Time

I see by the different methods that people use in familiarizing their horses with interurban cars, automobiles and other road “boogers,” that many of them very much underestimate the intelligence of the horse. I saw a man about seventy years old drive his horse up to a telephone pole and jump out and get a hitch rein and tie his horse as quick as if he intended to head off a jackrabbit. I wondered what he was going to do so suddenly. Just then a car came by, the horse scared at it a little. He unhitched it and went on. That was a new way to me, but it was better than getting on the side away from the car and trying to hold him by the rein between you and the car.

I saw a young man and his girl driving a nice rig along by the track and as they met the car the horse shied and nearly threw the buggy over and the young man drew the whip and gave him a cut or two with it, before the horse knew whether it was the car hit him or the boy. Then I thought the next one he meets the horse ought to throw him out. I was standing on the road talking to a man nearly eighty years old. He was in a two-horse wagon with his team. He looked up and saw a car coming and said to me: “Stand between my team and the car. You needn’t take hold of them, but just stand between them and the car.” I did so and they scarcely noticed the car. He had no doubt noticed that horses were not nearly so afraid of things that you yourself didn’t seem to be afraid of. Horses seem often to scare and be afraid of things to scare their drivers. By all means never scare your horse by scaring at your horse. If you have confidence in your horse and can make him see you are not afraid of the thing it is scaring at, few of them will scare. A hose is a good “bluffer.” Words of Wisdom

Flirtation is attention without intention.

A woman never exaggerates when speaking of her age.

He’s a sure-footed mule who can kick the same spot twice.

Never forget a friend—especially if he owes you anything.

It’s often what the wife wants that the husband says he can’t afford.

A woman is proud of her wedding ring if her marriage is a failure.

Opportunity is apt to dodge the man who spends all his time waiting for it.

The trouble with the average man is that his ideals are higher than his salary.

It’s difficult for a man to swallow his indignation after being compelled to eat his words.

You are less than nothing if you do nothing.

Two heads are better than one—in a drum or a barrel.

Pawnbrokers prefer people who have no redeeming qualities.

Truth is not to blame because it isn’t eligible in the beauty contest.