A Horseshoers Christmas.

A HORSESHOER’S CHRISTMAS By Woods E. Houghton It was the day before Christmas and just my luck, My calendar told me I had ten horses to shoe in all of this muck. Oh, this cold weather is hard on my bod. But they had to be shod. I finished the last one, in the barn light. And it was way past dark thirty, as I settled down for the night. The wood burner stove was lit and a glow. I was thawing out but it was slow. When all of a sudden, there was a knock at the door. Who could that be, I thought as I crawled from the floor. I opened it to see. A tall lean cowboy looking at me. With a long soft southern drawl he asked of me. “Are you the horseshoer, here and about.” Something told me to say nay, But I heard myself say, “Sur, I am the only one about” This old cowboy he was quite a sight, with his mustachio that was all curly and white. I am in a hurry tonight, and what he said next gave me quite a fright. My lead pack mule has thrown a shoe. It was a quarter till dawn, and it was dark. And cold, but what else was there to do. He needed my help regardless of my desire, We went to the barn and I set the forage with fire. When he look at me with eyes full of glee, “Use one of these, if you will please. The shoe that he handed me was light, as light as a feather. I took it and shaped it to fit, The mule was well behaved and did not mind a bit. When I was finished, the job done right That shoe nailed down good and tight. I asked, “What made that shoe so light?” As he mounted his horse with one smooth swing He started off in a trot, “Star dust my friend, without it you see, these mules cant fly with me. I chuckled to myself and turned to see, that string of pack mules above my tree. As the cowboy above shouted out with glee, To all the children, ranchers and the like Feliz Navidad, and to you all good night.