The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-04-07
THE TRUMPETER's HORSE.

l1OEtSE.
was nearly forty years of age, and
felt myself 80 safely anchored in the
peaceable haven of q bachelors life that
nothing could 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 at Paris from Baden, in
tending only tOremain fOur-and-twenty
hours. had invited four or five friends
to join me in POitOu for the hunting sea-
son, and as they we're to arrive at the
beginning of October Ihad only allowed
myself week at La Roche large to pre-
pare for their reception. A. letter from
home awaited my arrival at Paris, bring
ing me the disastrous intelligence that
out of twelve horses five had fallen i'll
or lame during my stay at Baden,
80 that was under the necessity of
remOunting my cavalry before left
Paris.
made therOund of all the horse deal
eTs of the Champs Elysees, where was
shown a collection Of screws, the aver
age price of which was $120, but i was
neither in humOr nor in cash to throw
away my money upon such useless
beasts. IL was a Wednesday, the day of
Cheri's autumn sale; l went to the Rue
de POnthieu and purchased at a venture
eight horses which cost me altogether
e200. "Out of the eight" said l to my
self, "there will be surely four or five
which will 60"
Among these horses there was one
which, confess, | bought principally
on account of his coat. The catalogue
did not assign him to any special quail
ticatiOns as hunter. All that IL stated
was: "Brutus. saddle-hOrse, aged, well
broken" 1t was a large, dapple-gray
horse, but never had L seen one better
marked, it's smooth, white skin dappled
over with fine black spots, so regularly
2 distributed
The next morning left for La Roche
large, and the following day my horses
arrived. My first care was for Brutus.
This gray horse had been running for
the last fOTty-eight hours in my head,
and was anxious to try his PAGES and
see. what he was good for. He had long
teeth, and every mark of respectable
age, powerful shoulder, and he carried
his head we'll; but what most admired
in Brutus was the way in which he
looked at me, following every move
ment with his attentive, intelligent in
quisitiYe eye. Even my word seemed to
interest him; he leaned his head on one
side as if to hear me, and when had
finished speaking replied with merry
neigh. The other seven horses were
they resembled any other horses, and
Brutus certainly was different from
Them all. L was anxious to take little
ride in the country in order to make his
acquaintance.
Brutus allowed himself to be saddled,
bridIed and mounted as a horse who
knew his work, and we started quietly
together, the best friends possible. He
had beautiful mouth, and answered to
every turn of the rein-arching his neck
and champing his bit. His PAGES were
perfect. He began by a slow, measured
canter, raising his feet very high and
letting them fall with the regularity Of
pendulum. l tried him at trOt and
short gallop, but when l sought to
quicken his pace he began to amble in
grand style. 'Ah," said 1. 81 see how 1t
is; L have bought an old horse out of the
cavalry riding school at Saumur.
was about to turn hOmeward s1tis-
fed with the talents Of Brutus, when
shot was heard short distance off. 1t
was one of my keepers firing at a rabbit,
tor which shot be 1t SAID, en- PEASANT,
he afterwards received handsome
present from my wife. / was then ex-
aetly in the center Of an open space
where six long, green roads met. On
hearing the shot BrutuS stopped short
and put his ears forward in an attitude
of listening. was surprised to see him
so impressiOnable. After the brilliant
military education assumed he had re-
ceived in his youth, he must be aceus-
toned to the report of a gun. / pressed
my knees against him to make him
move on, but Brutus would not stir.
tried to back him, to make him turn to
the left but in vain. / made him feel
nv whip, but still he was immOVable.
Brutus was not to be displ2ced; and yet
do not smile, for minef5 true history
- n n, q d H.
horse turned his head round and gazed
Z upon me with an eye expressive of inn
< patience and surprise and then relapsed
into his mOtiOnless attitude. There was
evidently some misunderstanding be-
tween me and my horse. saw it In his
eyes. Brutus was saying as plainly as
he could without speech: 81, horse, do
what ought to do, and you, hOrseman,
do not perform your part" N
Bwas more puzzled than embarrassed.
"What a strange horse Cheri had sold
me, and why does he look upon me in
such WayY L was about to proceed
4 to extremeties and administer to him a
good thrashing when another shot was
fired.
The horse then made one bound.
thought / had gained my point and
a again tried to start him, bnt in vain.
=, He stopped short and planted himself
lomOre rssolutely than ever. then got
:. into rage and my riding whip entered
into play; took 1t into both hands and
4. struck the horse right and left. But
Brutus, too, lost patience, and, finding
passive resistance unaVailing, defended
himself by rearing, kicking and plung-
ing, and, in the midst of the battle,
while the horse capered and kicked, and
~ exasperated, was logging him with
.Sthe butt end of my broken whip, Brutus
nevertheless found time to look at me
not only with impatience and surprise
but with rage and indignation; Wail. "