The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1876-01-14

no. UifE Nh ~ f2OLa5ES.
In 506, duiiu2 tue cam. aiCn Of
AusJeiitlL. a bj-.siHai..s ~ officer pos
sg~seu beautiful, aud, III ether re-
spects, a 5erviceabie, mare, but which
one peeuliaSity rendered q. times very
dangerous for The saddle. She bad \
decided aversion to paper, whicE she
Immediately recognized the moment
she saw il, and even in the dark il one
or two leaves were rubbed together.
The effect produced by the sight or
sound Of it was 30 prompt and vio.ent
that i'm many cases she unhOrsed her
rider; ard in one case, his foot being
entangied in the stirrnp, she dragged
him n considerable way over n stony
road. In other respects this mare had
not the slightest fear of objects that
would terrify most horses. She re-
garded not the music of the band, the
whistling of the fnlls, the roaring Of
the cannOns, the fire of the bivOuacs,
or the glitteringsof arms. The confn-
sion and noise OF an engagement made
no impression upon her; the sight of
no other white Object affected her: no
other sound was regarded the view
Or the rtIsting of paper alone reused
her to- madness. All possible means
were employed to cure her of this ex-
traordinarv aud dangerous alteration,
but without success anil her master
was at length compelled 20 sell her, for
his life was in cOntinual danger. "A
mare belonged to the French guard
royal from 1915 to 1921. She was
perfectly manageable, and betrayed no
autipathv to the human being, nor TO
other animals, nor to horses, except
they were of light gray color, hut the |
moment she saw gray horse she |
rushed upon it aud attacked it with the |
greatest fury. 1t was the same at all
times AMI everywhere. She was all |
that he wished on the parade. on the |
route, in ranks, in action and in the |
stable but such was her hatred toward |
gray or white horses that it was dan
gerous to place them in the stable with |
her at whatever distance. II she once
caught glimpse of one. whether horse
or mare she rested not until she had
thrown her rider. or broken her halter,
and then she rushed on it with the
greatest fury and bit il in Thousand |
pieces. She generally, however. seized |
the animal BY the head or throat, and
held it 50 fast that she would sutfocate |
it if it were not promptly released from
her bite.
As she grew old the mania was not |
quite removed, but it was somewhat |
weakened. No other body of a white |
color appeared to make the least i'm |
preston upon her. A mare belonging !
to the fiflh squadron of French hussars
feared, on the contrary. all white imam !
innate objects, such as white mantles. |
coats. or even the sleeves of shirts and |
chemiseS COO much displayed, and par
ticularlv white plumes. When snv of
these white boo les, especially in motion
were first perceived, il they were of
any magnitude, ani their motion Was |
rapid, she was in . dreadful fright. and |
strove to escape; hut If they were of |
no great size anil moved more gently.
afe rushed furiou-ly upon them, struck |
at then. with her fore feet. and endeav-
Ored To tear them with her teeth No |
other "olOIs proiu, ed the slightes. eff |
feet upon her. nor did the appearance,
however sntidcn. OF a white horse. or
dogs of the same color: but if II white !
plume waved. or n white sheet of water [
fioated by her, her fear or rage was !
ungovernalle. These three cases of !
singular and peculiar aversion possess |
alI the characters of the true mono |
mania.