The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1860-03-31
rHE CID HUNTER:
In at the Death.
DY ags BYRD

The travelling tinker b!vouacked for the
night la the lane, and turned his old horse
adrIlt to pick up his scaufy supper from
the broad margins of short grass, which
the liUeraiItv or carelc-sness OF our ances-
tors usually left bv the roadside As though
expressly To furnish camping ground for
CyI',ies and vaarants There was no need
to tetner the poor animal, for a:,e and hard
ne had uurnchcd the Spirit that had
one. aIiima ed him and though an ex-
eriencei eye might still have detected
ia ms einacIated frame, we'll setsears. and
wia- noStrIis, tokens OF the symmetry
and rl"ii breeding. thai formerly distiu-
guI>n-d MIN. II was but rs the antiduary
among a heap OF mouiderinc walls, the
ancient gioTic, Of some imperial city.
II wa, NOT however with the eve of {,
conuoi>>eur that the tinker looked at the
poor beast as he Crawied away from the
shafts OF the cart which he had been doom
Ell ali day to drag along With a Growl
and a curse he sb~ervcd that there was
not much work lett III the old brute car
case, and turned away. calculating III his
sOrdId mind, the chances of getting q few
shiliings more Tor him, If he sold him for
dogs meat where tie was, IN the midst Of
a huntin. country, instead OF goadinG him
on to town.
The poor innocent subject Of thes" spec
ulaticns, in the mean while. was beginning
10 gather the Inc.,gr- r-past which nj, pet;
" tyrant might decree 10 be his last,
Darkness soon fell around The fire
cracki-d in the sharp frosty air, the smell
of Tia. thinkers supper OF b icon and eggs
tl"at-d through the lane, and vanished ::
followed by the ir-' grant odor OF hiS even
lug pipe The vagrsnis crcpt into their
movea,le den, and were soon fast asleep,
the fire burnt lower and lower. and at
length nothing WAS TO be heard but the
occasiona! snort of the old horse varied
at times bv the growing or sharp bark of
the wary little watch dog that lay under
meath the cart
At day break, other sounds broke on the
stiffness of the autumn morning. First
came the y.ipinr and bayinc al pack of
hounds. followed bv the cheerful notes OF
the Ia rn. The hunt>n-n passed through
a field that bOrdercd on the lane their
horses nei.hing loudly in their eagerness
To ION the dogs With loud answ ering
neigh the. old horse started To his legs
aud followed the sound 20 the lane His
hlood was up, his eve was hr ght once
more, his fine ears stood erect his nos
tril, were distcnd.d and with a vigor
that no one could have expected, he gal
iopped along. seeking for some gap in the
high hedge by which he might gain ac-
cess TO the chase A fvebarred gate pre-
senred itself Such barrier had been
nothing TO him IN his prime, even with Il
heavy rider on his back; but now. old.
stiff jointed, halt-starved, enieebled by Il
long course of brutal treatment, dare he
venture IT.
l.
first loved friend and master had taught
him To do, he sprang forward, and bravcly
cleared the gate. Cleared it. and that was
all His energies were OvertaSked 10y the
effort, and falling heavily. he strove in
vain to rise again Still following with
ycarning eyes the retreatino figures of the
hunt>nen, he whinnied anxiously. as tho
entreatiny them to stay and help him
Bravo, old horse exclaimed deep
thoroughly English voice, a voice that
came from the bottom Of the lungs and
rang like a trumpet through the clear NOR
ming air
The speaker was approaching along the
side of the field following it the track of
the other horsemen. and shouted with de-
light at the gallant leap of the old hunt
er; but when ne saw the poor beast WAS
unable To get up again, his kindly heart
was touched, and he dismounted to as
certain the extent of his injuries
What's the matter hereY' cried ano-
ther huntsman. coming up, and with diff
Guilty refining uphis impatient steed, why,
Grantly. what are you wasting time for
over that old WORKOUT carcaseY
1" He has been 4 fine animal in his day"
said the other sadly; 1.-The noble old fel-
low leapt that gate when he heard the
hounds, and ! fear he has hurt himself
badly. See, he cant get on his legs"
Then you need not be afraid Of his
boiling" replied the last conner with a
careless laugh "come on! The fox has
broke cover, and they'll be at Beechwood
in no time. You can come back this way
after the run, and have plenty of time for
your charitable ministratons.
Hold my horse a moment was the
only reply. am sure know this poor
creature.
IL dare say you do. for you know hall
the horses in England No; I'll not take
the bLidle, nor indulge you in such whims
Mount and come along and we can tell
Saunders to buy your old acquaintance
FOR the hounds, and thereby put o meici
iul end to his sorrows"
The dismounted huntsman continued
Notwithstanding his friends raillery, with
his eyes fixed intently upon the poor horse
who returned his gaze with an eager yearn
ing look that claimed his sympathy by it.
dumb appealing, more forcibly than word.
could have done. As his companion, ir
order to induce him to remount and follow
the hunt, drew back and refused to tax,
1 -. .xnAI h~ rolovA6 ~. 4 IA >e A. -: