The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-08-30
BLACK EAGLES LAST RACE.

O4ACA bA016'o AASx 1ACEs
"When Mars Dick-dat's your uncle
chilyun-went of TO Europe, / heah'd
him a-sayin' fe'well to yur farder
you've got de 'heritance yet, Robert, he
says you've got de house an de Ian.
I'se de prodigal son. pse LEFT myself
salivants. Will yur glib 'em shelter till
(ey dies, in 'membrance OBJ ole times =
Dem sahvants war dat boss in de stall y0n-
me-" And the speaker gave emphasis tc
over his skinny little figure, as he sal
" Yis, sab! Dat war jes' like yer Uncle
Dick-allers free-handed-gibin 10 d.
right ham an de lef' de mos valooblest
things he ownedI Dab he is now, in dem
far-0f lan's admin wild Kings, an
a-waltzin' wId Princesses-de Furlongs
alleTs KEEP de best OBJ c0mpany-an neber
niger eb mis- own to black his shoes.
HOw's dey to know he's de owner ob dat
great boss, Black Eagle, sab, Or OBJ me
Yur fader, he's got us. He alters had de
pick an de choose, Mars Robert did.
The Furlong boys did not relish this
everlasting grumbling OF old Point. They
had pretty clear idea of the true story OF
Uncle Dick. Boys always do catch
glimpses Of the family skeletons, no mat
ter how tightly the closet doors are locked.
They suspected that it was on racers
like Black Eagle that Mars Dick" had
sQuandered his property, and that now,
in his old age, he did not spend much OF
his time in dining with the crowned heads
of Europe. But their father, whenever
he appeared in the stable-yard, did NOT
allow them to argue with the old man,
no matter how cranky he was.
He was faithful to your Uncle Dick,
to the last he would say. Poor
Dickl'' And-stroking the old black
horse tenderly-"I wonder if you remem-
Der your Old master, old fellOwf" And
always when he went away, he would
give orders to Sanders, the man of all
work, to "take especial care of that
horse"
Sanders, who was grabbed, but order
~ Scptchman, when behind his masters
back would often call Black Eagle " old
carbon" and threaten to take him out
some fine day and shoot him" whereat
Point would rouse from his doze on the
barrel, suffering with rage.
De hoss understand you, sab, but he
can't answer you'll Talk 10 me, sab! Ell
Mars Dick On'v knowed how his ole age
was being made misabul by desc poor
white tIashl''
To which Sanders only replied by de-
claring that he couldn't keep the barn
yard tidy as long as Mr.. Furlong cluttered
1t up with the carcasses of beasts and old
men,"
So the squabble went on from day to
day. suspect both the old men enjoyed
it at heart, though Point insisted that the
horse was made wretched by it.
Dat boss, childun, neber ISOLATED
wild sech white trash befoh. He's KEEP
mighty fine company in his day He be-
long to an English Prince when he's o
colt; an when Mars Dick buyed him,
and bringed him ober, all de papers in de
Lam war tellin' de news. mind de fus'
time he run on de Metairie Course. All
dc bess gemplun OBJ de Souf war dar to
zee him an dey war all his frien's. Yes,
sab an when he run agin dat grearcrack
horse In de NOrf, all de whole Souf bet on
Black Eagle. Now he hears dis missabul
ole ratcatcher call him carrion!' tell
yuh, childun, his heart is broke!"
Indeed, the Joys, too, fancied that the
poor old horse followed Sanders with his
eyes, a. man might, when his vulgar
abuse YVES loudrst.
aspect he feels pretty much as that
lion in the story did when the ass kicked
him." Joe Furlong said.
Whether the horse understood or not,
there could be no doubt that, old skeleton
rs he was, there was real pride and in
telligence ip his eyes. They were GER
tainly different from the eyes of any other
animal the boys had ever known.
Dick, who had just put on his first
trousers, chose to make Black Eagle his
principal companion. He almost lived in
the horses stall. He could take any
liberties with the old racer, who would
scarcely allow Point to touch him-crawl-
ing even over his back, sliding down by
his tail, and leading him, on warm after
moons, out to the sunny meadow back Of
the stable, for trot. Often the bony old
beast and dirty, chubby Dick, would be
found lying there together upon the grass,
fast asleep. Point was delighted with the
boy because Of his friendship for the
hUfse.
:. He am got de right namel He's got
his uncle's blood. He knows de HOSES,
and de bosses knows him, at fus' sight"
But Dick. unfortunately, was not an in
fluential friend. Mr.. Furlong left the
affairs Of the stable to Sanders, who moved
Black Eagle from one stall to another, to
make room for the new mare, or, as Point
said, "dem low bred Canadian ponies,n
until his place was next the door, in a
draughty, damp stall. Many time, too,
his supply Of oats was but scanty.
Dick brought out many lump of sugar
to his friend, but he fancied that, as win
ter came on, his eye grew duller, and that
he paid little heed to him. Dick was sure
that the mare, and the COW, and every
other ordinary brute about the premises,
allowed their contempt for the horse, and
that he felt it 1t was Point, of course,
who gave the idea to the boy.
Look at that duck, now, a-quackin'
't0ut his heels, bitin' OBJ 'eml She's tell
In him he isn't Wort he's salt. De dogs
wallops der tails in his face. Dey hears
Sanders talk, yuh see. Oh, dey'smighty
cute, tall yuhi Dat are donkey n0ws
1Aughfn' am brayins alongside oh himl
G'lanE Wild yuhi'' with whack Of his
stick across the mules legu. . You've
got 70 know your betters! You're muffin
but = niggah OBJ brute. anyhowi''
But Black Eagle stood in his exposed
stall, day after day, with dropped head
and dimmed eye. He ate little. His
wrinkled skin grew feverish. At times
he chafed feebly against the bars, striving
to see outside Of the stable to the open
field beyond. It needed but little fancy
10 suppose that the old racer knew that
death was near, and l0nged for q breath Of
freedom.
"What he wants Is TO be on de course
once more. fob he dies, !" said Point