Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1873-01-30
THE TRUMPETER,s HORSE.

was nearly forty, and felt myself so
securely anchored in my old-bachelor
crochets that on every occasion swore,
with all sincerity and by all the gods in
the heather calendar, would never
take single risk in the matrimonial lot
terry butt counted without the trum-
peters horse.
1t was toward the last of September,
1864. / was on my way back from Ba-
dem Baden, and intended to spend, at
most, day in Paris. I had invited four
or five of my friends, for the hunting
season, to my estate in Pitou. They
were to arrive early in October, and at
least week was necessary to make pre-
parations, at La Roche-Targe, for their
reception A letter from my steward,
that awaited me in Paris, brought me
unwelcome news. My hounds were all
IN good condition, but five of my twelve
hunters had either fallen sick of some
horse disorder or had become lame dur
ing my absence. I was, therefore, COM
PEELED to supply their places with 9th
ers.
To this end made tour in the Ely
sian Fields among the dealers, who
showed me any number of animals
some better, some worse-that they rec
commended as hunters, at q moderate
price-about three thousand francs, on
the average. 1 had experienced losses
at Baden-Baden, and consequently was
In no humor to spend seven or eight
hundred louis dor without mature de-
liberation.
It was a Wednesday. Cheri, one of
the principal dealers, had his first sale of
the season Without any further knowl-
edge of the animals he offered than
what I derived from the catalogue and
fr<,-,, fbair T h0nOht oinht
for five thousand francs Among them
hoped to find four or five, at least, that
would do for relays, which would enable
me to get through the season.
Among my purchases there was one
horse that bought almost solely on ac-
count of his color, which was truly beauti-
full The catalogue attributed no special
qualifications to him for the chase. He
was entered. simply as Brutus, saddle
horse, well built, thoroughly broken,
age unknown" He was beautiful dap
ple-gray, large, and very handsomely
formed The next day 1 went home !;
and the day following, early in the fore
noon, servant came and informed me
that the horses had arrived. / imme-
diately went out to see them, or, rather,
to see Brutus for this handsome fellow
had been in my head ever since bought
him, and was singularly impatient to
find out what kind of comrade he was
going to make, and what he was capable
of doing.
- had brought him out of the stable
first. He certainly had all the signs of
being of respectable age; but he was
zclean-imbed, had very handsome neck
and head, a powerful shoulder, and a
well-turned quarter But it was not his
3 fine points that SO much excited myr es
fha fnfo11ioapf TaonraT ole
which he observed all my movements
He even seemed to be interested in what
I said. He inclined his head toward
me, in order, apparently, to hear better !;
and, when I had done speaking, he ut
tered low whinny, seemingly in re-
sponse. I looked at the other horses
hastily. They were ordinary animals,
without anything to distinguish them
from thousands of others. Not so with
Brutus. He certainly differed widely
from the vulgar herd, and I was impa-
tient to make a little tour through my
park in his company. He allowed him
like horse that knows his business /:
and we set out in the best possible humor
with each other.
Cheri's catalogue had only told the
truth. Brutus was exceedingly well
broken; indeed, he was too well broken
for my purposes. He would give me a
slow trot or gallop at call, but would
continually strike the ground with his
fore-feet in a peculiar manner; and,
when tried to make him raise his head,
which he carried very low, he would
nearly tear my arm off. Finally, he
took to prancing in grand style, like a
horse-show in an arena.
g Humphi" said I to myself ST have
here-or am greatly in error-an old
stager from the riding fchool of Saumul
or st. Cyr He will have to be gotter
ont of some of his fancy PAGES before he
will do for the chase"
was about to return home, having
sufficiently satisfied my curiosity will
regard to Brutus' accomplishments
when I heard the report of gun dis
charged apparently within twenty yardl
of me. It was one of my keepers shoot