Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-12-16
THE TRUMPET HORSE,
From the French.l

From the Frenchl
And after George had told us how he mad
lacn married at % by his aunt, the Baroness
le Stilo: l, said Paul, was married by the
trumpet hose l was nearly in my forties,
md found myself so peacefully anchored
n the ways of old bachelorhood that, with
he utmost sincerity on all occasions l vowed
" all the gods would never risk myself by
'unning the great hazard of marrying. But
Il counted without the trumpet horse. It
was in the latter part of September, 1854.
had just come from Baden, and it was my
Intention to pass only twenty-four hours in
Paris. [ had invited four OF five of my
Observation-Disclosures Bernheim, Vslreas, and
Fondeyille-to come down to my place in
Potion for the meeting. They were to arrive
the first of October, and there was only
= week in which 10 put things in order at
Roche-Targe A note from my head hunts
man reached me in Paris, and this note
brought me disastrous news: the dogs were
all well, but out of dozen hunters 1 had
down there, five during my sojoilrn in Baden
had become i'll or lame, and found myself
in the necessity of stocking up my stables.
made round of the dealers in the Champs
Elysees, who showed me for hunters fine
collection of old worn-out horses-lowest
price 5000 francs. l had had bad luck at
trente ct quarante, and l was not in the
humor to spend in this manner 700 or 800
louis in one morning.
1t was Wednesday, and Cheri was hay
ing his autumn sale. l went to Ponthieu
street in the course of the day, and in the cata-
1ogue l found: Excellent hunters; jump
well; have hunted under lady, etc, etc.
l bought eight horses, and they only cost me
5000 francs. among the eight" l said to
myself, ''there will be four or five that will
go and be good enough to send as relays"
Among these horses there was one which,
I must confess | had bought on account of
his coat, which was beautiful. The catalogue
did not attribute any especial aptitude for
hunting to him 1t simply said: "Brutus,
saddle-horse, rather over age, very we'll
drained" He was a large dapple-gray horse,
but don't think had ever seen better
dapple-gray. The black and white of his
coat were SO well mixed. The black was
well distributed over the white. l left the
next day for Roche-Targe, and the day after
early in the morning servant informed me
that the horses had arrived. l Immediately
went down to see them, and, first of all, 1
looked at Brutus. l had been thinking of
him continually for forty-eight hours-that
devil of gray horse-and now I had an odd
desire to know what kind of horse he was,
and for what he was fit.
l had him brought out of the stable first.
A groom led him out quietly. The horse had
long teeth, deep hollows over his eyes, and,
in fact, all the signs of respectable age; but
he had a powerful shoulder, a large, broad
breast, high witherS a fine neck, a well-set
tail IN irreproachable back, and carried his
head we'll Aud it was not all this which
especially attracted my attention. What l
admired above al was the air with which
Brutus regarded me, and with what an atten-
tive, Intelligent, curious eye he followed my
movements and my gestures. My very
words seemed to interest him singularly He
bent MS head toward me. as if to hear better,
and before had finished speaking neighed
joyogsly, as if to answer me. They showed
me the other seven horses; examined them
rapidly and with an inattentive eye. These
were horses just like all other horses. Brutus
had certainly something odd about him, and
was impatient to take q little ride around
the country in his company. He allowed
himself o be saddled, bridled and mounted
like :. horse who knew his business, and then
we two went off together in the most peace
full way.
held him at first by the snaffie, and Bru-
tuS went at small pace, his neck little stiff
and his head q little heavy; but as soon as /
made him feel the curb he started up with re-
markable ease and rapidity, tossing his head
and champing his Bit He then took a slower
pace, light and uniform, raising his feet high
in the cir, and beating the ground with the
regularity of a pendulum.
Cheri's catalogue had not lied. This was a
well-rained horse; in fact, he was rather toe
well trained I had him trot and then gallop
He had nice little trot and galloped well
but he always threw his head down and nearly