The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1880-11-10
Old Hannibal.

"And Barry's only n little colt yet?
Well, you may bring him and Prue out
TO the grand review in the afternoon, but
/ guess I'll ride the black this morning.
You can put Hannibal in the carryall
Perhaps he'd like to take alook again al
regiment Of troops in line"
Barry and Prue listened with all Their
ears. They knew there was to be a grand
parade Of soldiers that day, and they
were prouder than they knew how to
tell Of the fact that their father was to |
wear uniform, and ride horse, and |
give orders to some OF the men.
"Pue," said Barry, Gathers going
to 'speck them.
"h.speck them," whispered Prue,
correcting him. "Nobody else knows
how"
That might be, for Col, Dunway had
been m officer Of the regular army, and
he was now Colonel Of n regiment OF
militia; but there was one thing he had
said that puzzled Barry and Prue dread
fully.
BARRY" said Prue, after breakfast,
dis NibIle old ?"
"Father says he it,"
"And he said he was fat"
CDR. Barnes is old, and he's fat"
"But his heads bare.
"Nibblc isn't bald, and he isn't gray,
either"
"Iic's brown"
Mrs. Dunway had told the exact truth
about Hannibal, or Nibble, ns the chill
drcn called him. He and Barry were
lust of an age, and he had been n mere
2-ycars-old colt when Prue was u baby
in her cradle. II was after that that
Col Dunway had taken Hannibal with
him to the army and brought hlm home
again. He had been II wilr-horse, the
Colonel said, and 80 it would not do to
turn him into plowhorse, and the con
sequence was that Nibblo did not have
enough work to do, and he grew fat too
fast. Yet he and Barry were only .
years old apiece. That made eighteen
years between them; and, if you added
seven wears for Prlc, it would only have
made twenty-five, and everybody knows
that is not very old, if you had given
them all to Hannibal. Barry and l'ruo
would have given him almost anything
thcy Ind, for he was n great friend and
crony OF theirs.
"Pruc," sud Barry, "let's go out to
the barn. I've got an apple"
Gle can have my bun"
What there was left of it, that meant.
for Prues little white teeth hid been mt
work ON the bun. That had been n
troubled morning for Hannibal. Before
he had finished his breakfast party OF
men rode by the house, and one OF them
was playing ON buge. He had set
Unnnibnl's mind ut work upon army
matters and war 80 when Barry and
Prle came to see him he would not
even nibble. He smclled OF the apple,
and he looked at the bun, but that was
all.
"Ie's getting old, said Barry.
"And fat, added Prue.
"Tel you what, Prue, let's take him
out into the lot. J. know mother'd let
u.s."
That was likely, for Mrs Dnnway al
WAYS kept safer about them II Nlbblt
were keeping them company.
"Ill get on his bnck.
"And I'll lead him. WHIT till | fig
the halter"
Pruo climbed up on the sido OF tho
stall where Nibble was, and he STOOD
perfectly still while she clambcred over
10 her place on his back. Barry Knew
exactly what to do, and the old war
horse began to think he did himself. lie
must have been thinking, Tor he hnlt
closed one eye rs he was walking ont,
and opened the other very wide, with
wonderfully knowing look. lle was
looking down the lane, and he saw that
the front gate was open, and just at that
moment there came up the road, very
faint and sweet, the music OF the cavalry
bugle.
"Nibblel Nibblel" exclaimed Barry,
"whcro are you going.?"
Hannibal did not answer n word, but
walked on down the lane very fast IN
deed, and Barry lost held OF the halter
AsfOr Prue, she was not scared phrti
Gle, for she had ridden in that way many
a time, and her confidence IN herself ant
old Nibble was unbounded.
"Cluck, chuck, cluck-get-ap."
"Stop, Pruc, stopl He's going
faster" =,
"Get-ap! Come, Barry. Oh, there's
mother at tho window
Mrs. Dunway WINS not frightened any
more than Prue, for she said to herself
"Too old, indeed! Well, they're more
like three children, when they're to-
gether, than anything else. I'm glad he
is fat. He won't go too fast for Prnc."
He was in tho road now. and he
seemed disposed to keep Barry from
again getting hold Of that halter.
"Oh, dear, said Barry, "the parade
grounds down there"
Hannibal knew that, by the music,
and he was almost trotting now. In
fact. he was looking younger and
Younger, somehow, every minute, and
Barry felt more and more as II he ough,
to have hold of the halter, instead OF
merely running alongside and shouting
to Prue. .-.....
The regiment was drawn up on the
great bare field where the review was To
be that afternoon, and they looked
splendidly. Col Dmway was saying
so. rs he sat in front of them, on his
handsome black colt, and n number OF
other officers who were riding with him
said the same, and so did the ladies who
were keeping them company.
Just then the bugle sounded again,
from the head Of the column, and Prue
had to hold ON hard. for Hannibal sui
denly began to canter, and he answered
the music with loud, clear whinny Of
delight. Barry was half out Of breath
1881 ..'.L SO llel