Smyrna times., 1867-04-17
Love and Lightning,
MIS- I'LL A E0 US.
For the "SmyEna Tines"
A Chapter ON Pets.

From my earliest recollection / have loved
horses; and from the time l could reach
horses head by standing on the manger, have
known how to bride and ride one.
My father used to have an old gray horse
named Charley, and In my youthful days it
was the height of my ambition to ride him.
He was as tat and lazy as plenty Of oats and
nothing to do could make him but woe be
unto the reckless individual who dared to touch
him with the whip or mount upon his back
No man or boy that ever attempted to ride
Charley, escaped without severe bruislng and
rousing fall. A gentleman who had former
ly known the horse, said he would let lady
ride him, but would try to break the neck of
any man Who tried 70 manage him ip any way.
| Whereupon, my mother, who forgot that her
riding days were past, had Charley brought up
one day, and with the assistance of two nen
and chain, mounted him. But being rather
fat and roly-poly, and on the whole "not so
young as she uster was" no sooner was she
seated upon Charley's broad, smooth back,
than over she went on the other side, receiv-
ing fortunately, no injury greater than Q good
shaking up. The astonished horse walked of
few steps and turned and looked at her as il
to say, "sorry you're disappointed in q ride,
but hope it will be lesson for you" j
guess it was, for believe that is the last ride
ma ever took.
Charley was one of the gentlest horses in the
world, while he was treated with respect, bu
he always said, "thus far shalt thou 20, anc
no farther" No one was allowed to ride him
and he wouldn't be harnessed; except to car
riage. ANY child could drive him, as long Al
he chose to let it, but once cross him, and h,
could display all the vicious tricks ever known
among horses.
Dear old Charieyi wish could do jus
, tice to his merits in this memoir; but my dea
reader, confess sorrowfully, that when OF
tempt to talk or write horse" | find
am getting into water too deep for me. low
: horses, madly-recklessly perhaps, if natur
had not made such ridiculous mistake rs
place check-rein upon my desires by doomin
!. me to wear hoops and O waterfall. Neverthe
4 less, / must confess to q wholesome fear of vi
cious mouth and heels, and although ! rea
everything can lay my hands on concernin
the horse, and sigh bitterly over all the racin
reports in my New York horse paper" al
= forced to acknowledge that horses can be n
v pets for me.
My New York horse paper!' How prt
cious are its pages to mel How often as
read it, do repeat the lines,
"Come hither--come hither, by night and by da,
I. We inger in pleasures that never are gone,
Like the waves oil the Summer, ss one dies away,
1 6hoAs*f as aWtct anu as SHINING COMES 0us
And the sport that Is DER, in expiring gives birth
=. = To new one, as warm, as unequalPa in bliss,
=, And oh If there be an Elysum on earth,
=. IL is this--it is this."
e. Next to horses, love dogs. And even Chi
:. taste cannot be gratifed. For what would
~ thought of lady who kept house full of dog,
<, And at least dozen should have, if i coul
te get to, and wasn't afraid of Mrs. Grundy.
ne A pug-nosed bull dog, with "crapped" ca
G. and tail, a sneaking, skulking half hound, ha
O {. cur, and various other kinds Of the same
81 81 nomination, excite only emotions of disgust
,ss But whenever see big shaggy Newfoun
on land, OF. .foxhound, or Beadle, or noble BIZ
dog, / always envy the owner, or at least, WI
" / might caress It without being considered
Il; fool. t-
with an inferior species OF terrier. had
tie rat terrier when was child, presented
IN III me when a mere baby, and we grew up
- gether without hard thought of each 9th
|, Mine was the only lap that he ever condesce
!, ded 10 rest upon, and mine the only hand Il
sh' ever dared to caress or punish him. For N
ad. was dog who stood on his own legs. W
knew his rights, and knowing. dared maint'
them--with vengeance. We grew up
sss. gether, never separating, until / took upon
!. the bonds Of matrimony. / have not seen b
since, but have been told that he never. b
.. up his head after went away, but moved W
rily about for . few weeks and then died.
= shed many q tear when / thought of him
terwsrds, for when troubles we're being hea,
upon me by human, or rather inhuman han
!, !" until was driven almost to suicide, gr
:" comfort it would have been to me to h
known that possessed the love Of even a ,
} " little dog. Time remedied this howe,
or rather, my own strong viii and detArm;
ton not to be murdered, led me out ~ 4,
80 ness into comparative light; and althour]
10y cannot yet think Of little Nep, without a.