The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-11-10

the wrong wsy, dropped i, picked II W
wrong end first. WAS scoloea =" ~;ror-
took Il by the handle, gave ~
GUS shake, and after letting u ia1 49, so
eral times, set 1t on the table. can
while platform was brought IN s o."
norfinc 4 tall post, at the top OF wnicn.
Riuher than a horse could reach, was :
blackboard having chalked on 1t q sum
which was not added up correctly
Sprite, being requested to wipe II OUT
t..ok the sponge from the taDie'
and nlanting her fore-feet ON the pias-
form. stretched her head up. ana Dy
desperate passes succeeded IN wiP'.s
out q part of the figures, and stas'eu ~
leave, but seeing that some remaincu'
went back and erased them
One day she went through . process
which showed conclusively that horses
car reason. She dropped the sponge
the first thing, and it fell down penlnu
the platform out of her sight. cne gos
down, and looked about in the saw
dust for it, the audience curiousiyI
watching to see what she would do next.
She was evidently much perpIexea.
She knew perfectly well that her DUTY
would not be fulfilled until she had
rubbed the figures out, and the sponge
was not to be found. Mr.. Bartholomew
said nothing. gave her no look or mint
or sign to help her out of her predica-
ment. but sat in his chair and waited.
At last, she deliberately stepped on tho
platform again, stretched her head up
and deliberately wiped the figures QUE
with her mouth, at which the audience
applauded as if they would bring the
roof down. That was something clearly
not in the programme, but q bit OF in
dependent reasoning. Yet. navin9
done SO much. she knew that something
was not right. About h1t
sponge-what had become OF itv IL
was her business to lay it on the table
when she Was through using It. She
hesitated, looked this way and that.
started to go, came back, dreadfully
puzzls d and uncertain, suddenly spied
Il, set her teeth in it. put it on tho
table, and went to her place, with .
clear conscience, no doubt, and tho
people cheered more wildly than before.
This was to me one of the most inter-
esting things witnessed; and connect
ing it with some facts Mr.. Bartholomew
communicated, it was doubly so.
He said that it was his practice not to
interfere or help; the horse knew just
what she was to do, and he preferred to
wait and let her think it out for herself.
The other horses all knew, too, if there
was any failure or mistake, and the
offender was closely watched by them.
and in some way reproved by them Il
they could get the opportunity, and at
times this little by-play became very
amusing.
After this was most exquisite dancing
by Bucephalus and by Caesar, whose
steppings were in perfect rhythm to the
music. Then the latter turned in Q
circle to the right or the left and
walked around defining the figure eight,
just as any one in the audience chose to
request; and Abdallah came in with .
string of bells around her, and paced.
cantercd, galloped, trotted, marched
or walked as the word was given. The
horses were generally expected to come
to the f0otlights and bow to the audi
ence at the close of any feat; occasion
ally one would forget to do this. and
then some of his comrades would
shoulder or buffet him, or Mr.. Bartbolo-
new would give reminder: THAT is
not ali, is itp" and back would come
the delinquent and bow and bow twenty
times as fast as he could, as II there
could not be enough Of it. At the close
of one scene all the horses came up to
| the front in line, and leaning over the
rope which was stretched there to keep
them from coming down on the people 8
heads, would bow. and bow again. and
it was wonderfully pretty sight to see.
amanda B. Harris, IN Vide AsCake.