The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-09-21 00:00:00

THE COSSACK AND HIS HORSE.

A German almanack for 1879, which is early in the
field, contains a notable story of Cossack ingenuity,
During the late war a Cossack rode up to the door of
a little inn at Braile, dismounted, drank a succession
of glasses of brandy, and then made a show of re-
mounting his horse. The landlord reminded him
that he had not paid for his drink. The Cossack
with a heavy sigh drew out his huge dirty purse and
began fumbling for a coin, when his horse gave a
sudden snort, and fell to the ground. The Cossack
was in despair, he did everything he could to raise
the beast upon. its legs but all was in vain. "He
is dead! he is dead ;" cried out in. chorus a number
of bystanders, who had been attracted to the spot
by the accident. The poor Cossack would not
believe it. The crowd, knowing that a Cossack's horse
is his own property, and that the loss of the animal
would be a terrible blow to his owner, began to
make a collection in order to mitigate his suffer-
ings as far as possible. Even the landlord was
touched, forgot his bill, and presented the bereaved
man with ahother glass of brandy, refusing any pay.
The Cossack lifted up his saddle, slung his lance over
his shoulder, dropped is farewell tear over the faithful
beast, and walked sorrowfully away. When he was
about a thousand pac 38 distant, he suddenly stopped,
turned round, and gave a long shrill whistle. At the
sound of the well known signal, the horse sprang up,
neighed a friendly answer, and darted off with
lightning-like speed to his grinning owner. The
Cossack was soon on his back, making significant
symbols of, thanks to the assembled crowd for their
generosity and sympathy. In a few minutes lie was
out of.sight, and the landlord of the krotschma was
loudly registering his vow that be would never again
trust a Cossack.—Globe.

HABITS OF SWALLOWS.—The following will be read
by naturalists with great interest (says Land and
Water) :—Early in the migratory season a swallow
was seen flying in and out the bedroom window of
Mr. Fison, of Faversham Works, Cambs. Upon Mr.
Fison going into his bedroom about noon, he was sur-
prised at seeing a swallow flapping its wings in front
of the looking-glass. The bird, frightened at Mr.
Fison 's approach, went away, but soon returned to
its imaginary mate, as seen in the looking-glass. For
some days the in mates of the old manor house frequently
saw this sanguine bird either hanging and chirping on
the glass, or fluttering in front of it. At length, after
spending its strength in vain by endeavouring to catch
a shadow for a whole week, the swallow wisely left
the shadow for the substance, and returned to the
mirror with a real mate. Two now fluttered in front
of the looking-glass, and unlike the dog and his
shadow, as the fable goes, these birds had no object in
view but that of sympathy and affection. Wheu the
time arrived for swallows to build their nests, the
domesticated pair had become so attached to the rooal
that they built a nest at the foot of the bedstead. In
process of time four young Mule wtre hatched and
reared, and the old birds pissed in and out while the
proprietor lay in bed. Toe four took to their flight,
and strange to say, five more swallows have been
reared in the bed-room,