The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-03-15
Two Celebrated Horses.

Philip Ashley was undoubtedly tn
best horse.tamer of his time, and as
judge Of what may be called "tricl
hOrsefieshpj he has perhaps neve
been equaled. He generally obtained
his stud from Smithfield, caring as b,
said, "ittle for shape, make, or color
temper was the only consideration ,
He rarely gave more than five pound.
for each. For this price he had OBJ
tanned his accomplished horse Billy,
great popular fayorite, playful as 8
kitten with those he knew, and deep
ly versed in all the learning of the
circus. Billy. could fire off pistols,
take a tea-kettle off a blazing fire, Law
the cloth, arrange cups and saucers,
and invite the clown to tea. Ali
agreed that he could do everything
but talk. But one day Billy was
arrested by the sheriff, not ON account
of any extrayagance of his own, but
owing to the misconduct of q groom,
one Saunders, to whom he had been
lent. Saunders had been many years
in Astley's employ, aud had borrow
ed Billy to exhibit him by way of
private speculation. This terminated
in the imprisonment of Saunders in
the fleet, and the sale of Billy to the
highest bidder. For three years the
favorite was lost sight of. Accident
ally two of Astley's "riders" discover
ed Billy drawing a cart in White
chapel. There could be no question
OF the fact, for upon hearing . pecu-
liar clicking together of the nails of
the forefinger and thumb-one of the
signs or sounds Ashley had always
employed in training his stud-Billy
had pricked up his ears, pranced and
danced in very remarkable manner.
The recognition was mutual. Billy's
present proprietor was well content
to part with him at very moderate
price, "for," as he explained, Though
he's the best tempered-creature
breathing, yet sometimes he does cut
such very rum capers that we calls
him the mountebank." Forthwith
Billy was restored to his friends; all
was forgiven, and he reappeared in
circus as though he had never been
absent from it, made tea, went
through all his business" and so
to do for many years, dy-
ing at last of sheer old age, uniyer-
sally respected and regretted.
But steed even more famous than
Billy was Astley's charger, the Span
sh horse given him by Gen. Elliott |
after the German war. The Spanish
horse could perform all Billy's tricks
md more; could ungirth his own
saddle, wash his own feet in a pail of |
water, and, as some allege, even cur
'ycomb himself. The Spanish horse
$ reputed to have lived to:the mature
lge of fOrty-two. When his teeth
allied him, he subsisted upon daily
allowance of two half-quartern loaves. |
Even after death. he served the theatre
If which he had long been main or
lament and support. His hide was
AIMED and made into q thunder
lrum, (which" writes an intimate
l,iend of the deceased, "was placed
IN the prompt side of the orchestra,
md when its rumbling sounds died |
IN the ears of those who knew the
it served to the recol-
ection as a parting knell." The
hunder-drum probably y went the way
# many theatrical properties. 1t
must have perished in 1S41-if it sur
lived so lOng-when for q third time
Astley's amphitheatre was consumed
y fire.-AX the Year Round. |