Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-04-25
UNCLE PETERS HORSE.
A Story Of washingtOn IN wartime
BY GRACE GREENWOOD.

nately refused TO heal. were TAKEN OUT peyonu
the city limits and shot. There was one partic-
ular point, q low-lying spot on the bank Of the
Anacosta, which was perfect Place de Greve, q
valley of death, for the poor creatures-an
equine Golgotha.
One summer evening, at the hour appointed
for these executions, a little newsboy, with a
package of THE EVENING STAR under his arm,
appeared on this trsgical spot, drawn by a GER
tain fearful attraction. and stood watching the
eIecutioners at their dreadful trade" as horse
after horse was led, limpIng or painting, up to
his deom-to receive into his brain the leaden
sleeping potion that sho aid end all his thankless
toll and mute, unpitied pain.
AS the lad looked on, curious and as pitiful as
ne thought becoming to a newsboy of his inches,
little sickene d now and then by the unneces-
sary brutality of the men, whom he thought
might be content with shooting a horse, without
swearing at him to the last and kicking his car
bright, long-taIed bay, which, though eS-
tremely emsciated and .'dead lame," had yet
the remains OF considerable beauty. Something
moved the boy to intercede in the most earnest
manner for the life of this animal.
Now, see here" he said, "don't you go to
shoot that horse! IN take him of your hands
Say, won't you let me have him."
''YOu! why what in thunder will you do with
him?' asked the chief executioner, laughing
quite humanity.
81 don't just know, but 1 guess father will let
me keep him in our backyard. and L believe
he'll get well after awhile, / do
Well, my little chap, what'n you give for
" GIVE, why ha'n't got nothing to give but
these here STARS. You can take 'em out to
camp and sell em, or hold on to 'em and they'll
keep you in reading for month"
swell, my lad, hand them over, and take the
horse; but if you get sick Of your bargain, you
must get rid of him the best way you can.
Don't Bring hum back here, now"
"Oh! don't you be afraid never backs out
| of a bargain, and whatever's up we won't come
place, you bet" replied the lad, ioyfuily deliv-
| ering up his STARS, and taking his horse by the
halter-about yard of knOtted rOpe-tO lead
him away. His horse! How his small breast
swelled with the sense of possession, as he con-
| templated his purchase-noted all his points; in
| imagination beheld him cured OF his lameness,
| the envied of all his compeers, the first mounted
| newsboy of his time, dispensing STARS from his
sadde-bow! But the animal was "jolly lame,
| and no mistake" Very slowly and painfully he
1 hobbled along, coming now and then to a hope
| less halt, and requiring something more sharp
and cogent than neral suasiOn to induce him to
| take another step forward.
| In fact the afternoon was far advanced be-
| fore Master Tom made his triumphant entry in
| to the little backyard in which he intended to
quarter his steed, until, in some happy coniunc-
| ton of unlikely events, under providence look
| ing out especially for newsbOys and broken
down army horses, a stable could be provided.
| But alas! he had left too much out of his cal
| culations, certain fine old Irish gentleman, all
| of the olden time, who, on occasion, could be
the n most lIen0raee al, and "contralry Of sres;
| and support of his maternal parent, who not
only failed him now, but went boldly over to the
| enemy. In short, he was not only forbidden to
| keep the sorry brute on the premises, but COM
manded to take II away, and dispose Of it, as
speedily as possible.
Then the poor fellow, feeling very like the un-
fortunate man who drew the elephant in rattle
embarrassed with his riches, set forth, leading
his poor, hmping, detected prize, and looking
out, right and LETT, for a purchaser. He made a
considerable journey along the outskirts of the
city, vainly crying up his just-alve stock, his
discharged charger. At last, he CHANGED upon
4 old frfa f,,1r trio ,NIa
man, somewhat past his princeton he had been
prime negro''-who now, rejoicing in
freedom, lived with his own little family, on his
own little place, and fortunately had at this
time, just back of his house, vacant cow-shed,
which might serve as a stable for the nonce. To
him our newsboy obligngly offered his horse as
an animal of good blood and tine points, though
slightly out of condition. and triie lame.
| To you, Uncle Peter" he said, with the
most amiable condescension, al will sell him
Tor only twenty dollars-the halter thrown in
and he II pay for himself In week, Uncle Peter,
when he gets well Of his rhumatiz-see if he
| don't"
Itwas tempting offer; but as it happened
that greenback of the modest denomination of
| two dollars was all the money then in the pos
enough not to appear over anxious TO invest even
that sum in such dubious hOrsetiesh the animal
finally went for the said two dollars, halter and
| all
Exit newsboy, whistling ''Dixie.,
| I ncle Peter, the new master of the long
tailed bay, had fortunately some little veteri-
| mar knowledge, having been brought up on q
large Virginia plantation, and he entertained a
| lively hope that he could make something out of
his fOrlorn purchase.
After sheltering, feeding and watering the
animal, whose big brown eyes regarded him in
a sort of wistful wonder and gratitude, Uncle
Peter put on his spectacles and made a careful
examination of the lame leg, which, from the
knee down, was much swollen and painfully sem
sitive. At last he discovered, buried deep in
the frog of the foot, large splinter, the cause
OF all the trouble. This he succeeded in re-
moving with pair OF pincers, to the i'm neliate
relief OF the sufferer. He then syrn ged the
wound with some soothing wash, and he re-
peated this operation once or twice day for
several weeks, patiently watching the slow SUBJ
siding Of the swelling and the closing up of tn at
| ugly hole in the foot. Finally he was rewarded
by seeing that once condemned, sick and un-
slightly animal halting and hobbling no longe
but as sound and symmetrical in every limb as
Bucephalus, or Chiron, the original Head-Cen-
taur.
In the mean time, worthy Uncle Peter had
invested all his spare earnings in forage for his
Protege, besides keeping the Younger members Of
and clover from common and fence-corners.
Uncle Peter himself carefully watered and
groomed him, and Aunt Polly disdained not to
plat, now and then, his somewhat scant name
and tail to give to them the fashionable fullness
and crimp.
and never did horse give better return for faith
ful care and tendance. He grew fat and sleek
he held up his head and became playful, even
AT length, with the help of kind friend or
two, Uncle Peter became possessed of a harness
and small cart, and then brought forth his
long-concealed treasure, and put him to actual
service. He exacted from him but light labor
at first, establishing with him sort of Irregular
local express business-being anxious not to
have his spirit broken or his comeliness marred
by rough usage or heavy demands on his
That remarkable animal not only came out
perfectly sound in wind and limb, but proved to
| be very fast-a trotter OF no mean capacity.
| uncle Peter was q man Of modest and serious
department, tnsignem ptetate; he desired not to
be pulled up by his sudden prosperity and dis
function; he endeavored still to bear himself in
the old, humble, deprecating way, acquired In
long years Of servit1de, and still becoming to an
elderly Christian Of his condition; but in spite
OF himself, he would brace himself back, and
hold his head high, whenever, happening on one
OF the fashionable drives, with q light load, the
spirited bay, bearing hard on the bit, would
strike out calamity, whirling that little rough
cart past elegant equipages, and even light trot-
ting wagons, whose Proprietors looked utterly
dumbfounded at the phenomenon. These
| uiumphs were trial to Uncle Peters humility
but he kept taunt rein and q grave counte-
nance, and bore that trial with Christian two
| forty
In truth, do not believe that prouder or