Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-03-30
THE TRUMpETER,s HORSE.

was nearly forty years of age, and
felt myself so safely anchored in the
peaceable haven of bachelor life that
nothing ooul induce me to run the
risk of disturbing it by marriage. But
l had reckoned without the trumpeter's
horse.
1t was at the end of September, 1864,
that arrived Mt Paris from Baden. in
ten ling only to remain four and twenty
hours. | had invited four or five friends
to join me in Poitou for the hunting sea-
son, and as they were to arrive at the
beginning of October i had only al
lowed myself week at La Roche large
to prepare for their reception. Aletter
from home awaited my arrival Mt Paris,
bringing me the disastrous intelligence
that out of twelve horses five had
fal en- ill or lame during my stay at
Baden, so that was under the ne es-
S ty of remounting my cavalry before 1
let Paris.
made the round of all the horse. deal
ers of the Champs Elysees, where was
age price of which was f120, but l was
neither in humor nor in cash to throw
away my money upon such useless
DCuStS. ~ was w CuuCSud1s bhS
of Cheri's autumn sale; l went to the
Rue de Ponthieu and purchased at a
venture eight horses which cost me al
together t20o. "out of the eight,
said to myself, 'there will be surely
four or five whi ch W II CO."
Among tn Sc horses there was one
which, i confess, l bought pr ncipally on
account of his coat The catalogue did
not assign him to any special qualiiica.
tions as a hunter. All that it stated
was: "Brutus, a saddle-horse, aged,
well-broken." 1t was large, dapple-
gray horse, but never had / seen one
better marked, its smooth, white skin
dappled over with fine black spots, so
regularly distributed.
The ne t morning left for La Roche
large. and the following day my horses
arrived. My first care was for Brutus.
This cray horse had been running for
the last forty-eight hours in my head,
and was anxious to try his PAGES and
see what he was ood for. He had long
teeth, and every mark of a respectable
age. a powerful shoulder, and he arried
his head well; but what most admired
in Brutus was the way in which he
looked at me, fol owing every move
ment with his attentive, intelligent, in
quisitive eye. Even. my words seemed
to interest him; he leaned his head on
one side as ii to hear me, and when.
had finished speaking replied with a
merry neigh. The other seven horses
were brou hit out to me in succe sion,
but they resembled any other horses,
and Erutus certainly was different from
them all. was anxious to take n little
ride in the country in order to make his
acquaintance.
Brutus allowed himself to be saddled.
bridled and mounted as a horse who
knew his work, and we started quietly
together, the best friends possible He
had n beautiful mouth. and answered
TO every turn of the rein-arching his
neck and champing his bit. His PAGES
were ! erfect lie began by a slow,
measured canter, raising his feet very
high and letting them fall with the
regularity of pendulum. tried him
at trot and a short gallop, but when l
sought to quicken his pace he began to
amb'e in grand style. "Ah," said 1;
~ see how it is; i have bought an old
hor of the cavalry riding school at
Saumur."
was about to turn homeward, salts.
fled with the talents of Brutus, when q
shot was heard short distance oil. II
was one OF my keepers firing at rab
bit, for which shot be it said, en- passant,
he afterwards received handsome
present from my wife. i was then ex-
actly in the center of an open space
where six long. green roads met. Or
hearing the shot Brutus stopped short
and put his ears forward in an attitude
OF listening. was surprised to see hin
80 impressionable. After the brilliant
military education ] assumed he had
received in his youth, he must be ac
customed to the report of gun.
pressed my knees against him to make
him move on, but Brutus would no
stir. ltried to back him, to make hin
turn to the right or to the left, but il
vain. / made him feel my whip. bu
still he was immoyable. Brutus wai
not to be displaced; and yet-do no
smile, for mine Is q true history-eacl
sime urged him to move the hors,
turned his head round and gazed upor
me with an eye expressive of impa
tience and surpriseand then relapset
into his motionless attitude. There wa
evidently some misunderstanding Re
tween me and my horse. saw II II
his eyes. Brutus was saying as plainl,
as he could without speech: ~, horse
do what ought to do AID you, horse
man. do not perform your part"
| was more puzzled than embarrassed
"What a strange horse Cheri had sol,
mel and why does he look upon me Il
suoh wEyr was about 10 procec,
70 eAtfamatiee aud administer 10 him