The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1878-01-31
THE TRUMPETER,S HORSE.

I was nearly 40 years of age, and felt
myself so safely anchored in the peace
able haven of a bachelors life that moth
ing would induce me to run the risk of
disturbing it by marriage. But had
reckoned without the trumpeter's horse.
1t WIS at the end of September, 1864.
that [ arrived at Paris frena Baden, in
tending only to remain four and twenty
hours. [ had invited four or five friends
to join me in Poitou for the hunting
season, and. as they were to arrive at the
beginning OF October, I had only al
lowed myself a week at La Roche large
to prepare for their reception. A letter
from home awaited my arrival at Paris,
bringing me the disastrous intelligence
that out of twelve horses five had fallen
i'll or lame during my stay at Baden, SO
that / was under the necessity of re-
mounting my cavalry before / left Paris.
1 made the round of all the horse
dealers of the Champs Elysees, where I
WAS shown a collection of screws, the
average price of which was f120, but I
was neither In a humor nor in cash to
throw away my money upon such use
less beasts. 1t was a Wednesday, the
day of Cheri's autumn sale; / went to
the Rue de Ponthiou, and purchased at
a venture eight horses, which cost me
altogether e2O0. "Out OF the eight. -
said to myself, +" there viii be surely
four or five which viii CO."
Among these horses there was one
which, 1 cor fess, bought principally
on account of his coat. The catalogue
did not assign to him any special Gualifi-
cations as hunter. All that it stated
was, "Brutus, a saddle-horse, aged,
well-broken." 1t was a large, dapple-
gray horse, but never had I seen one
better marked, its smooth, white skin
dappled over with fine black spots, so
regularly distributed.
The next morning / left for La Roche
large, and the following day my horses
arrived. My first care was for Brutus
This gray horse had been running for
the last forty-eight hours in my head,
and l was anxious to try his PAGES, and
see what he was good for He had long
teeth, and every mark of respectable
age, a powerful shoulder, and he carried
his head well but what most admired
in Brutus was the way in which he looked
at me, following every movement with
his attentive, Intelligent, inquisitive eye.
Even my words seemed to interest him
he leaned his head on one side as If to
near me, and when had finished speak
ing, replied with 8 merry neigh. The
other seven horses were brought out to
me in succession but they resembled
any other herses, and Brutus certainly
was different from them all. I was anx-
ious to take little ride in the country,
in order to make his acquaintance.
Brutus allowed himself to be saddled,
bridled and mounted as q horse who
knew his work, and we started quietly
together, the best friends possible. he
had beautiful mouth, and answered to
every turn of the rein-arching his neck
and champing his bit. His PAGES were
perfect. He began by slow measured
canter, raising his feet very high, and
letting them fall with the regularity OF a
pendulum. tried linn at trot and a
short gallop, but when I sought TO
quicken his pace he began to amble in
grand style. "Ah," said I; 81 see how