Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-07-23
SUNDAY DOINGS AMONG HORSES.

POAbhi DOi-hpO hhONu llOltDEp.
Our parson is one of the kind who gives the
people the worth of their money, so he gets up
pretty extensive sermons for such hot days-
Last Sunday sat TIL he got to llthly, and, by
that time, | got as dry as a contribution box
SO stepped out to get drink at the pump
The meeting-house is on the corner, and the
horses are hitched along on both sides.
AS went out saw something was on foot
among the nags most of them had their ears
back, and were showing their teeth and stamp
ing in anything btt religious mood. When
got my fluid down | stopped to investigate
the disturbance among the horses, and as
knew horse-latin, sat down on the steps to take
notes. All were outside the rails and hitching
posts in paved gutter, each beating a tattoo
with quartette of ron hoofs, which thought
would be more profhble for the blacksmith and
farrier than for the owner; but as the owners
were mostly rich, it was none of my business.
The little Black reached his head over to the
little Chestnut and whispered something; when
the Chestnut moved the meeting to be organiz-
ed, by calling the big Bay to the chair. This
motion was carried, and the chairman proceed
ed to state the object of the meeting as fol-
lows:
FELLOW HoRsEs.-We have now organized
ourselves into convention for the purpose Of
peaceaby discussing our grievances, in accord
ance with the republican character of our in
alienable rights. We are brought from our
stables and pastures every Sunday to be tied
up here, in this hot weather, upon a pavement
of viilainous bouders, exposed to the heat of
midsummer sun and the bites of merciless flies.
Many of us have not stitch of fly nets to our
backs, and all of us have been more or less in
capactated from protecting ourselves by having
our tails clipped to crafty an unseemy fashion,
which neither our masters nor mistresses SEEM
ed disposed to honor at this time in their out
ward combinations. Besides, our check -reins
are left tied so tight that we cannot bite fy
from our shoulders, or ease our aching muscles
single minute. In view of these abuses, we
feel that our condition calls loudly for redress,
and hope this convention will devise some
means of relief
The Black then nominated the Chestnut as
Secretary, which was agreed on.
The Cream Color moved committee of three
to present platform for the consideration of
the meeting. Carried, and the chair appointed
the Cream the Black, and the Roam said Com
mittee.
While this Committee was consulting togeth-
er, the Chair called for an expression of opinion
from the different members of the convention,
and requested that each one bring in a resolu-
tion embodying his sentiments whereupon the
following were offered
BY the Deacon's Yellow Mare
Resoiced, That the mercful man is merciful
to his beast. Adopted.
BY Old White:
Resolred, That every horse should be provd-
ed with fiy-net
This was amended by the Sorrel, so as to
read: "and that the said ay-nets should be con-
structed so as to protect the hanks and legs, as
Es 6 the Ias haet aaoass2qr Ga i" this "r" h"
BY the Bobtail Black:
Resolred, That it is an abridgment of our
own natural rights to cwtaH US at one end and
tie the other, while the flies are suffered to
suck our blood. Carried with much unanim-
ty.
By the Black Pony:
Resolred That these flies bite like HI!
Objected to by the Deacon's Yellow Mare
(The Pony had been brought up in livery sta
BILE where his morals had been sadly neglected.)
The little Sorrel said the Pony was right. The
old Dun thought the language too strong for
the place, but would vote for it any other day
but Sunday. The Big Gray moved to strike
out all after Resoired and insert "that these
flies have the faculty of causing the members of
this convention, and our race generally much
pain and annoyance"
At this the Pony fairly kicked one leg over
the shaft, and bit splinter from rail. He
said:
Mr. Chairman, the horse just up is an old
fogy; l 60 for calling things by their right
names. This standing up here in such weather
is ID outrage, which no Christian horse
could endure. Master is in there on his soft
cushions, hearing Shadrach, ETC., in the fiery
furnace, that did not burn them whit, while
we stand here in a fiery furnace that does near
ly take the hair off, and are tormented by flies
to boot! protest against Dun's milk -and-wa-
ter substitute and call for the previous ques-
ton on my resolution.
This was seconded by the Bobtail Black, Lit
tie Sorrel, and Dapple Gray, and the resolution
was carried by large majority.
The Cream announced that the Committee
on platform was ready to report, and present.
ed the following:
natural defences, they should be effectually Sc
cured against flies, etc., while confined in har-
ness.
I'd. No good Christian will have his horse
tied in the sun, upon paving stones, when there
is shade and soft ground within fifty yards.
Sd. No city lout should harness his horse to
ride half mile to church, because his wife's
petticoats are so long that she can not keep
them out of the dirt.
4th The man who keeps q check-rein hitch
ed up, while the horse is waiting by the hour,
ought to go to the place we read OF.
9th. The provisions of the Golden Rule
should be construed so as to apply to horses as
well as men.
This platform was adopted by an unanimous
neigh, and the Secretary was ordered to furnish
a copy to every horse-c congregation in the city
for ratification, with request that the subject
be acted upon next Sunday.
Just then the people began to come out of
the church. The little Black tossed his head
and gave the Chestnut wicked leer. The
Yellow Mare whinnied for her colt, the Pony
champed his bit sulkily, but all were so glad to
get away that they moved off at the word, and
| guess this convention, like many others, will
end only in talk. However, if no reform is eff
fected in a short time shall look for further
action. SCIoTA
-Neo York Spirit Of the Times.
We have generally observed that a man bit