The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-08-23
A Plaa for tha Old Horse.

nc Is ScbtluS 10 OIO IOf SERVICE.
We shall have to put him away
We heard the remark the other
day from the lips of man whose
property counts up to half q million,
as he and q friend of his were
looking at the old family horse, now
close on TO twenty years old.
There he stood in his stall, his old
head erect, his eyes still bright, his
whinny of greeting as joyous as
ever-he was glad to see his master.
The master who, after eXacting from
him all those long years of service,
talked of putting him away" be-
cause he no longer had the style
and power which the proud man
desired in q family horse.
A man buys a horse when the
animal ia young aud buoyant. He
takes pride in his strength and
speed he feeds him we'll that he
may excel, and grooms him careful
Iy that be may be fine to look at.
His wife pets him, his children
learn to love him, and as the horse
grows older, and his spirits sober
down, how many long, pleasant
rides these children have behind
their willing friend, who, NO matter
how tired his sturdy legs may be,
or how much his hard, strong mus
cles may ache, still plods on until
the familiarsmanger is reached, and
the toll of the day is done.
AS years go on the horse fails a
little. He can no longer glide past
the 2 40 teams on the road. He
puffs in going up hill, and when he
tries to respond to the chirrup of his
driver by quickening his pace, it is
only for short distance, and then
he subsidies into the old jog-trct
again. The years have told upon
him. He is no longer young. He
is an old horse.
1t is then that his owner talks oil
which phrase generally means SELL
ing him to the highest bidder with
out regard to the poor animals flu
ture. If the mans wife Or children |
venture word IN behalf of their |
fAvOrite, his owner laughs at them.
"He's only horse, and can't live
long. Twenty dollars, ten dollars,
is better than nothing. l must get
rid of him, or the first thing L know
he'll die on my hands,"
And the faithful old servant is
sold for a paltry sum-sOld to any
body who offers sold to be beaten,
and thumped, and whipped, and
sworn at, and ill-treated generally,
just as old horses are generally
treated.
A man who calls himself a man
should be ashamed of such an act. |
He ought to be ashamed for his
neighbOrs to know that he is mean
enough to do anything of the kind.
A faithful horse, who serves his
life out for your benefit, who gives
to your service all that the Creator
has bestowed upon him OF strength
and capacity to labor, who has
worked his life out in your interest,
and cOnduced in thousand ways
to your benefit and pleasure, de-
serves something better at your
hands than to be sold into cruel
servitudc, when he is too old to DO
what you require of him.
There comes time when your
horse is no longer fit for active duty
and then he should be retired with !
honor. 1fyou are too poor to give
him loose box in winter with
chopped feed, and the luxury of
idleness, and green pasture in
summer, then put an end to his life
with pistol ball, and bury him de-
Gently out of sight. Do not sell him
for five, or ten. or fifteen dollars, to
some one who will beat him, and
starve and kill him by inches.
Think of the years of faithful
service. Let them plead for him. |
Rom hAF no fhrornh hnok 0~6
cold, in storm or sunshine. he has |
come and gone at Your bidding,
bending his own will to yours, car
ryiug you and those you loYed safe
ly, willingly, in the pursuit of pleas
sue, or on the urgent call of bust
ness, when his every nerve was
strained to meet your requirements. |
He has been good to you; be good
to him. --.- -.-,....-.
No matter if heartless men do
call you fool, it will not hurt you.
Their opinion does not establish it |
as fact. No man was ever injured |
yet by being called fool, for it is q
title by which we have all been Dig
nified at. some time or other by
or other. We have all |
survived tive shall be likely to
do 80 a great many times more if
we live long enough. rH
Be kind to the old horsel Teach |
those around you to be kind to
him. He deserves to be honored,
if he has done his duty faithfully. |
He deserves a quiet old age in idle |
ness and plenty, and If this cannot
be given him, grant him at least q |
kindly death; and q rest in the earth
where bone-boilers and glue-makers |
cannot disturb him.-Kate Thorn,
in New York Weekly. t