Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1871-02-24

A NOBLE OLD H0asE-ADoIUOS TO THE
/ Woo1 CRor.-I WAS born and brough, up
on a farm, and like all country boys. had TO
put ms own shoulder TO the plow. The parlicu-
] Jar instrument to which WAS generally detailed
was always driven by an old horse named Tom.
/ Now this autiquated nag bal seen better days
/ but that WAS before my time. There was tra-
/ ditiou in the family thst the " Father of his
/ Country had often mounted the noble beast aud
/ that it was through his influence alone -hst the
/ embryo nation had been carried into successful
/ IN dependence It was said that whenever the
/ Generals spirits dropped he bad only to look into
| that horses heroic eye for renewed courage and
/ equine-imity The uo5e animal was gifted
/ with but one g,tering orb and it was per-
/ hsps this " single eye 90 the public welfare
thst inspired the immortal George in his efforts
10 cut down the invaders As easily ss he had
ruined the chop-fsllen cherry tree Bu; am
driving away from my story.
Many year old Tom ami had plowei to-
gether and although had often gone of the
candle - it seemed as If that piece Of horseAsh
would never give out. At last noticed hat his
pro ID eye began TO droop, and his intelligent
face assumed melon collie expression. l doc
tored him for the mumps, SPAWN and gsnglene.
but all 10 no purpose and one mellow au-
tumn veuing, when the god cf day was riding
eff IN hi golden chariot, the beautiful but ems
cisted ani NAL lay down upon the roadside, cast
last, long ug look NJ a fed OF ripe oats, and
ceased to L resthe The fact was duly chronic'ed
in the count paper, aud the many good qualities
o. POOR Tom were proclaimed A family coun-
ell WAS csllel andit Wss resolved TO let the noble
brute remain on the spot " where he originally
fell l natur ally objected to this plan, as was
deeply attached 90 the friend Of my boyhood. In
hoarse. husky tones, while the tears filed my
ewes, / claimei that his carcass belonged 70 me.
We had turned II any furrow together, snt he
had ceased to exist felt It was my right to
bury him. / was given the privilege, and the
next morning hurried away TO perform the last
rite for the spirit that had left When | gszed
into the mute up-turncd face OF the dead hero,
my heart smote me- - And must | bury thee
from nv sight2' ! cried. ' Neigh neigh -
seemed TO come from the dumb lips. After a
few minutes concluded TO cut the skin away
from his bones, and hide il in some place where
| might look IN secret upon It. and think Of the
departed. / proceeded 10 my task, and had just
lifted the last shred away from his flank, when
TO nv horror the stripped beast began TO kick,
turned swivel-fashion, and finally stood upon all
fours Imagine my dismsy | could. scarcely
believe my ewes But there, right before ne,
stood the naked steed, eating the short grass
tbst rrew around a though nothing had hap
nepej rau home with all possible speed, and
summoned the whole house. They all hurried
To the scene. and there H. was, az well ana
hearty as ever, plainly proving that his all
meutf. ike those Of come beings more human,
were only skin deep" No time was TO he
lost he could not live hlieless HIS own coat
had shrunk so in the stripping process that Il
would now be mis-ft. \ happy thought
flashed through my mind " Let Us fay half
s-dozen sheep cried, " and while the skins
are warm and bleeding, clap them on him A
few busv hands soon performed the job, and
old Tom appeared before US in his new dress,
looking as proud and handsome as General
Wool ever did, or any other man. lie sui
lives. and may be seen at our place by any
graduate of the Blind Asylum. He is further
more valuable addition to our farm stock snd
supplies more fleece at the proper time than a
dozen full-grown ewes-probsbly because ne IL
used so well may sdd tha, Tom, though now
far advanced in age, is still smart and qlieA'
and though sometimes be is rather sheepish no
one can - pull the wool over his eyes