DOWN ON HOSS-FIIES.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1553, 9 May 1887, Page 3

DOWN ON HOSS-FIIES.

-. — « " Speaking of boss flies," said the blacksmith as he brought hi» hind down upon an old pioneer with fjreeu head und bluetipped wings, " this isn't a fust rate year for. 'cm — not nigh so good as last. Ihe idea that they don't flourish and grow fat m the city is all bosh, though I "do reckon they bloom earlier and grow bigger m the countty. Look at that 1" He smashed another which was fastened to the left Bhoulder of a truck, horse, and continued : "The country hoßßes bring 'em m by the dozen, and one the size of that fellar will bite to lift 'em right off their feet. In June I sent my sorrel out to pasture. I was out to ccc him about the first of July, and he was all right. I went out again on the 15th, and he was all run down. He stood m green grass a foot high, and I could not understand what the trouble was until I hnng around a bit. Then I saw it was hoss flies. A drove of about seventy-five of 'em tackled him while I was there. The minit they; lit down that hosa started, and he run eight times round a ten-acre lot before he Jet up. Then I went over and clubbed 'em off." "Clubbed?" " Exactly, young man. I'm telling you straight that some of them flies was as b.'g bb spring ohiokens, and you'd better have had a bull-dog bite you. Some of • 'em actually showed fight, and wiien I got through smashing 'em that hoss was a bloody Bight to sac. There's a country plug over the corner. See him hump and gather. It's hosa-flles at work on mortal spots. Come over and examine." There were seven big hors-flles drawing blood from the animal, and tho blaoktmlth brushed them off with the remark : " They've taken a clean pint o' blood out of his system, and five bushels of oats won't put it back. It's a wonder to me that you newspaper men fool around so much with the Eastern questions, the Mexican affairs, earthquakes, and sioh, to the utler exclueion of the hoss-fly. Where does ho come from 1 Whai good It he? Why doesn't he chaw grain or grass instead of hoß>fle3h? Just you open up on these vital questions, and < you'll increase your circulation by 20,030 mno time at all. Tho hoss fly subject is one of national importance, and I'll vote for no candidate sot pledged to keep down the greenheads." , And he made a wicked pass with his sledge hammer at a fly Balling over from a grocer's horse to one owned by a baker, missed him by an inch, aad went baok to his work on a new shoe. — American papar.