The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-08-03
Turned Out to Die.

Saturday afternoon there hobbled up
Grand River street, following his master,
an old gray horse, SO lame that he could
hardly step, and his bones marked plainly
the faded skin. He was being led
out to die. The man icrked and pulled to-
make him hobble the faster, and stopped
several times to incite him to a quicker
gait by oaths and kicks. But the poor
beast could do no better, even though he
was to have liberty from work and toll.
AT Third street the halter was slipped
from his head, he was given a last kick,
and he hobbled off, going away to die.
And 1.-THE poor old horse could have spoken
he might have told OF years of toll, OF
days when the manager was empty, of
louder oaths and harder kicks. He was
almost thirty years old, turned out at last
because he could not work. Perhaps he
Ouce praIced along before the carriage Of
wealth, champin@ his bit and arching bis
neck, tossing his head in contempt at the
overworkcd beasts that passed him on the
way. one day there came u change for
him, because he had even then grown old,
and his step was not so light and his pace
was slower, and he was made hack horse.
He was driven early and late; he was
pushed when ready to drop from travel;
he was whipped when he knew not for
what. The drivers stormed ut him and
struck him hard blows.
He used to stand in his stall and wonder
why men abused him so when he tried to
be faithful. He never complained of his
hay and oats and if they took him out to
Workagain before he hadtinished his meal, he
gave no outward sign that told of the still
hungry feeling within him. Over the cob
bic stones, up and down the streets, out
into the hot sun, the cold rains. the snow,
a 4 No lrsx,s Tnx
last so sore and lame that there came morn
ing when he was sick, and when he told
them by his groans that he could not work,
and that his blood was like fire and his whole
body aching, they called him hard names,
and said that another and better horse
should have his place. And when he gets
little better they made him hobDle away,
and sold him TO II cartman. And Tor years
the poor beast drew dray, and was
pounded and overloaded, and there came
another day when be could not pull even
the cart, and then he was left to take
care of himself. And he was led away
on Saturday turned out Oh the COM
mons to. stand and shiver in the blast
to see plenty around him, and yet be hun
cry; to think Qor horse can think) of
mans ingratitude. He limped off towards
the leatless trees, the barren branches, cold
and .desolate, like his own dreary winter
OF old age. Aud the darkness found him
there, the wind whistled through the
branches, tossing up his yellow name and
faded hair. He was waiting, not for an
other morning-not for his master-not for
God; he was waiting there for death. He
knew, perhaps, that death was not very far
away, and that it would not be long ere he
would fail, and then. the passer-by would
note the dead body OF horse-nothing
more. No board will be put up with Tom
engraved thereon; no one will stop to Ia
nent no one speak of the useful life; no
one care--he was nothing but horse
Detroit Free Press, ... q -@-ge