The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1881-03-24

though you would be very cautious about
going through such places in our cities.
Some times If in t. hurry you make a
short cut by doing so, unless indeed you
are a good Catholic, and then while you
stop to kneel and "say prayer or two"
you might go round.
Some times you may turn corner to
come suddenly upon two or three COWS
following a man or woman, but they are
motherly, kind.eyed creatures and will
probably give you the proportion of the
road that your size entities you to, but
the little donkeys drawing their high
carts are not 80 polite and you must
back up against the wall to let them
pass. These little donkeys are very in
teresting in their way, and how they
have in their diminutive bodies and
straight legs strength enough to manape
the loads they do is mystery. They
might be termed the jews among domes'
tic animals, and am fer from meaning
any disrespect to those people in calling
them so, for like the Hebrews they toll
and are long suffering and patient under
adversely, and they can point to the
past with pride, If the present is not pro-
pitious nor the luture promising. Some
of the little dark ones are bright d
clipper looking, they see " to feel
dressed up in their fancy little steeple.
| like collars, and existence is not entirely
tread mill affair with them, but the
Cay-colored ones of larger size are the
hom ely, sad eyed disConsolate looking
fellows. The upper part of the body
and neck is generally clipped leaving
the lower body and legs covered with
long hair and giving them the appear.
ance of having on woolen stockings that
very much need washing. The sad look
that their CountenanCes carry, when
seen on a human face means that utter
loss of hope that can only end with life
They are intelligent beyond "their Gay
and generation" and stubborn, hut
whether they have that activity of heels,
that quick perception of the proper mo.
ment to strike and lightning. like rapid
| ity of execution with which they are aC-
credited in America is doubtful. | saw
one introduced in the Drum Majors
Daughter" on the sage one night, its
part being to haul the ambulance or
whatever it is that follows every battal.
ion, and it made its entrance assisted
by half the company, but when it's "exit"
came nearly the whole regiment hNd to
lend their strength,
There are in this part of France the
milk carts, that is the dairy men or wo-
men make use of them in delivering
tn ir milk, the cans being placed in two
large equare baskets or panniers that are
strapped one on each al a of the donkey,
he top on level with it's back. Thus
it can 90 with ease around the sharp
corners and through the narrow streets,
the woman walking, and when she goes
into one house with the milk the donkey
goes on to the next customer and always
stops at the right place. Although we
put them below the horse they seem to
be more knowing, not more human per
haps, but less brute.like. After the de
livery is finished you may see the milk
outfit going home, the big fat woman
sitting between the panniers on the lit
tie donkey's back, and as you look after
them, ou get the impression of single
being, having the head and body of
woman with the legs of donkey, car
rying a basket under each arm, and the
proportions are two fifths woman, two
ffths panniers and one fifth donkey
legs.
The horses in Paris and in the North
as far as l aw are very fine, but in the
South there are many small ones. All
over France you may see them abused
every day in the year, and there are
many down this way that look as if they
never got much else but abuse.
The stout, broad Chested deep hanked
heavy, grey Norman horses that are
driven three abreast in the stages Of
Paris are sight worth seeing, are all
we'll kept and look as ifthey might stand
any amount of abuse or hard work
They are not so large as the immense
Norman stations that are imported to
the United States, but even more power
full, looking just the compact, subbed
bodies, short, thick neCks, small ears
and heavy names, and tails as you have
seen in Rosa Bonheur's Horse .fair"-if
my memory is not at fault, and other
piCtures-but rarely met in our country.
Our horses are more graceful, built more
IOT bp6GuI JLo bdLhO ulhOiOhOO OhoU ca
lists in many articles of manufacture,
ours are lighter but not so durable, or
that between a broad French peasant
and a slender American. Then there
are the dray teams, three, four, and
some times five heavy stepping Nor
mandy horses hitChed one before the
other and drawing large two'wheeled
carts heavier than the freight cars they
have here.
These are not driven to make time,
with necks stretched forward, eyes glar-
ing, and nostrils smoking like those in
the stages, but 60 slowly and sedately,
with necks arched and the one in the
shafts wearing saddle like a small pull
pit that would seem to be load in it
self. They have broad harness trim.
med with bright buckles and the har-
ness painted bright color, spread out
at the top like the arms Of cross, only
not straight, but with graceful curve,
and the ends tipped with brass. The
immense collars run up in way that
suggests the steeple of country meet.
ing house, but with a curve backwards
and the brass tips, and are some times
three feet high. Midway aloft on the
first one is large bull-eye lantern or
small headlight, giving at night the ap
pearance of lighthouse coming down
the street, and then there are bells and
colored sheepskins and other ornaments,
One of these teams coming along with
the steeples swaying from side to side
the bright Colored tails dangling from
the points of the names, the purple tas-
sells, and the bells tinkliDg is sight that
would delight the heart of the American
small boy quite as much as regiment
of soldiers with banners and music.
Young men of means here are much
given to horseback riding and they ride
splendid animals, not handsome as com
pared with the Kentucky thorough
breds, but large and full of spirit; groom