Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-06-11
THE HORSES FROG.

If we were to go to any blacksmith
and ask him if he did not think nature
had made q mistake in putting the
clumsy frog into the horses foot, he
would hardly be willing to say yes, but
would put on surprised look and per-
haps explain that in some countries
horses did very well without shoes, and
SO the frog was left to care for itself.
But, while not ready to take ground with
you in any criticism of the plan upon
which the foot is constructed you have
but TO look in the corner of the shop
where two horses stand newly shod; Lift
up their feet and observe for yourself
that if the smith has not, the knife has
said that the frog is a bad thing and
must be cut away. The horses do not
stand on the ground, but nearly half an
inch high, on the iron of their shoes, and
which puts the weight of the horse on
the outer shell of the hoof. The prac-
tice is as sensible as it would be for
a man who had to travel on all tours,
takinghisweight on thenails ofhisfngers
and toes rather than on the cushion that
lies between them. It is always the soft
part-the India-rubber part of the foot
of animals that have such-which re-
ceives the weight, and not the shelly,
hard part. Weknow what an elephants
foot is it is all rubber-like. The horse
has the same incased in a shell, which
gives him accuracy and steadiness of
movement. Now, this casing protects
the frog. It grows slowly, the frog
grows rapidly. The healthy foot Of the
colt shows a center, if not protecting, at
least level with the line of the hoof. He
does not take his weight wholly on the
rim of his feet, Old horses would have
feet more like them if blacksmiths would
allow that they knew little less than
nature, and really knew enough to read
her intentions. The object in shoeing
the animal, aside from the occasional
one of changing its gait, is simply to
prevent the wear and shattering of the
outer shell, and to enable it to take
frmer hold of the ground, escaping the
slipping of the unshod horn. 1t is an
unfortunate incident Of our system of
shoeing that the horse is raised from the
ground as boy is when he mounts
stills. Exchange.
THE NEWSPAPER MIN.
The reason why SO few men compare
lively succeed in journalism, says a
sensible exchange, is because SO few
have for it the temperament and the
constitution. More than a moiety Of
mankind is slow, lacking in alacrity,
and devoid of sense Of proportion.
The art Of putting things rapidly in
shape is not well understood by the
public. This is the reason why we have
long-winded sermons, lectures pro-
motive of somnolency, and magazine
work which presupposes that longevity
vouchsafed to the long-abiding old gen.
tlemen and ladies' Of the Old Testament.
The public is not inconsiderate- it is
only ignorant. The newspaper is a
mystery, of the manufacture Of which
it knows hardly anything. Those who
give to it the enthusiasm of youth, the
vigor of manhood and whatever of
wisdom old age may have brought with
it might have abiding fame in
this department. of literature, or
the other, in the field of sci
ence, in the arena Of public affairs.
Taste or accident has betrayed them
into humble sphere Of human exer-
ton. nor do they quarrel with their
fortune. He who drifts into journalism
rarely leaves it /; he still plods on in the
daily toll which for him has a rare fas-
cination. Often there is no fame for
him. The cleverest newspaper men
may be utterly unknown, and not for
gotten only because he has never been
remembered. His heart, however, is
stout, at any rate; and, come compe-
tence, or the lack of it-come the high
est or the humblest position, he still
tolls with irrepressible cheerfulness, and
hopes when all is over with him that his
associates who survive him will be
reasonably sorry or solemn at his funeral.
THE DUKE OF WELLYNGTON,S DUEL.
Under date of March 81, at night,
1929, GreviIle writes "This morning
the Duke fought duel with Lord Win
chelsea. Nothing could equal the as
constituent caused by this event. =