Many incidents connected with the horse purchases for Government
will probably become matters of history hereafter, and we will
add one just learned from a friend, which we think will stand
pre-eminent among the evidences of the honesty of the loyal men
who acted as agents or the Government. A number of horses were
purchased at various prices in the Juniata region, which were
examined and passed by an inspector named Sherbourne. As the
Government had no forage the horses were placed among farmers in
the vicinity to board. Among the rest, an old farmer on Shaner’s
creek was allotted six head. He took excellent care of them, and
was getting along finely, until one day one of them slipped his
wind and his spirit soared away to where oats is plenty, the
pasture forever green, and no driver’s lash to goad him on to
labor – fabulously known as horse heaven. The farmer was
alarmed, because, honest, conscientious man as he was, he feared
Government might hold him responsible for the loss of this fine
army nag. In ord