The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1873-02-15
THE TRUMPETER's HORSE.
From Appletons' JournaI.l

securely anchored in my old bachelor
| crOtchets that on every occasion sWore,
| with all sincerity and by all the gods in
! the heathen calendar, | would never
take single risk in the matrimonial
lottery; butt counted without the
trumpeter's horse.
It was toward the last of September,
1864. was on my way back from Bad
| en-Baden, and intended to spend, at
most, a day in Paris. l had invited
four or five of my friends, for the hun
hnIg-seaSon, to my estate. in Pitou.
They were to arrive early in October,
and at least a week was necessary to
make preparations, at La Roche large,
for their reception. A letter from my
steward, that awaited me in Paris,
brought me unwelcome news. Ny
hounds were all in good condition, but
five OF my twelve hunters had either
fallen sick of some horse disorder or
had become lame during my absence.
I was, therefore, compelled to supply
| their places with others.
To this end l made tour in the Ely
sian Fields among the dealers, who
showed me any number of animals
some better, some wOrse-that they
recommended as hunters, at mode
crate price-about three thousand
francs, on the average. I had expe-
rienced losses at Baden Baden. and
consequently | was in no h1lmor to
spend seven or eight hundred louis dor
without mature deliberation.
It was a Wednesday. Cheri, one of
the principal dealers, had his first sale
of the season. Without anv further
knowledge of the animals he offered
than what | derived from thecatalOgue
| and from their appearance, | bought
eight 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 beau
tiful. The catalogue attributed no spe-
cial qualifications to him for the chase.
He was entered simply as 90 Brutus, sad
dle-horse, well built, thoroughly broken,
age unknown" He was beautiful
dapple- gray, large, and very handsomely
formed. The next day 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 fell
low had been in my head ever since [
bought him, and | was singuIarly i'm
patient to find ont what kind Of a com
| rade he was going to make, and what
he was capable of doing.
l had him brought out of the stable
first. He certainly had all the signs of
being of respectable age; but he was
clean -imbed, had a very handsome
neck and head, a powerful shoulder
and q well-turned quarter. But it was
not his fine points that so much excited
my admiration as the eintelligentmanner
| with which he observed all my move
ments. He even seemed to be inter
rested in what said. He inclined his
head toward me, in order, apparently,
to hear better; and when I had done
speaking, he uttered a low whinny,
seemingly in response. [ looked at the
other horses hastily. They were oEdi-
nary animals, without anything to dis
tinguish them from thousands of 9th
ly differed widely from the vulgar
herd, and I was impatient to make a
little tour through my park in his com-
pany. He allowed himself to be sad
died, bridled, and mounted, like q horse
that knows his business; and we tout
in the best possible hUmor with each
other. s5.as.- # ."n >z... ..s
Cheriis catalogue had told only the
truth. BPutus was exceedingly well
broken indeed, he was too well broken
for my purposes. He would give me
a slow tFOt or gal1op at call, but would
continually strike the ground with his
| fOre-feet in 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 q
show-hOrse in an arena.
HHmpi1 said to myself; "T have
here-or ] am greatly in error-an old
stager from the riding-sehool of Sau-
mer or St.-Cyr. He will have to be got
ten out OF some Of his fancy. PAGES be-
fore he will do for the chase" ",5 .
was about to return home, having
sufficiently satisfied my curiosity with
regard to Brutus's Accomplishments,
when heard the report of a gun. dis
charged apparently within twenty
yards of me. 1T was one of my keepers
shooting hare, and who subsequently
resolved a handsome present for the
| shot from my wife.
/ was at the moment exactly in the
centre OF an open space formed by the
| junction of six long. shaded alleys.
When Brutus heard the report of the
gun, he stopped short, planted his feet
| firmly in the sand, pTicked up his ears,
and raised his head high in thea
was surprised TO see him SO disturbed BY
! the report of fire arms. [ would have
! supposed that, after the liberal education
he had received in his youth, noamOunt
of firing would have even excited his
curiosity. touched his fianks with nv
| heels, in order to Ilrge him forward ;
but Rrutus refused to bulge. Ttried to
turn him to the right, to the left: not
a foot would he move. He stood like a
| statue and, neVerthele eless-yOu need not
laugh, for, be assured, what I am tel
ling you is strictly true-and, neverthe-
less, at every effort [ made to induce
him to go on, he would turn his head
and glance at me with an expression of
impatience and surprise; then he would
relapse into his statue like in1mobility.
There was clearly some nislnder-
standing between us, for read very
/ distinctly in his glanees that he would
say the horse, but do nv duty, and
| you, the cavalier, do not do y0lrs.s
/ was more puzzled than angered.
What manner of beast is this that
| have bought of Cheri ?n said I to nv
lself. And why does he look at me in
/ this queer way e
was on tile point of having recourse
to extreme measures that is. to admin
lister a shower of well laid-on blows
with my ridingwhip-when we heard
another shot-RrufTs and lat which
| he made one bound. and only one. All
my endeavoFs to induce him to 90 on
were frtlitless. He planted his feet
anew in the sand, and more firmly. il
possible, than at first. I began now to
get out of patience. and, as a conse-
| quence, to ply my whip; but Brutus also
/ lost natienee. and. insfead of s11n1llit-