Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-11-24
glonlha' Column !.
HORNY AND TOMMY.

their names -one a dog, the other a
pony-and both gentlemen of their
race"
ssIt's not their cue to talk writes
Winthrop in John Brent, but if the I
gift of talk should come to them.
they would disdain all unchivalrous
and uncourteous words.
Horny and Tommy had both been
on the old farm at Orange Mountain
for some time, when / went there to |
board. Tommy was born on the place
"a young, handsome bay pony
rather wild and frolicsome, disdain-
ing to notice any one, save his young
mistress, who had brought him up,
and whom he had carried on bis back,
generally under protest, dancing and
curvetting all the way up the noun
tain road.
[ think / never knew such a rest
less fellow as he-never walking
quietly as other horses would, when
taken down to the brook to drink.
No! Tommy must come gallopping
down, flinging his head up with a
toss, his name and tail flying about,
as if he spurned all control.
Horny, the dog, had been brought
up at Mrs. McQuaide's when little
puppy, and been christened Horace
Greeley, in honor of his nomination
for president at the time of Horry's
birth.
Horny was now, at the time of
which [ write, a large Newfoundland,
black and glossy, with large, hand
some brown eyes. Though kind and
courteous to those he liked, and
terror to all wrong-doers and maraud-
ers, / was the only one, out of
number of us, to whom he gave his
love-.
7ouatt says ''dogs do not attach
themselves indiscriminatelY to any
one, but they search about till they
find the right one upon whom TO be-
stow the fond title, Master -
One often sees strange dogs, home
|
less ones, who will stand watching
each passer go by them, with an ear
nest examining look, till suddenly
man comes by he may be well OF
i'll dressed gentleman or a tramp
the dog trots mp to him, siding
along, and follows him home, whcr-
ever it is; and he rarely makes a
mistake in his man; he grasps tele-
graphically as it were, the good there
is in him in a second of time.
So Horny would single me out, and
would always be waiting to accompa-
ny me in my rambles along the noun
tain roads, always leaving the one
who owned him to follow me.
One day Horny was jumping in the
water after stick his master threw
in, when came by, at once the stick
was dropped, and no calling OF per-
suasion or threats from his owner,
had any effect. Horny simply turn
ed around at each call, as much as to
say, "don't bother me; you say that
you own me, perhaps you do, but
this man is the one l love- and with
a sniff of inexpressible satisfaction,
al having settled the matter so quiet
ly, he would trot on after me, occa-
sionally looking up at me, as if to
say, "I'm glad we got rid of that
other fellow, aren't your
And so the summer came and went !;
the days grew shorter and brighter,
the nights chill and cold. l had not
noticed anything out of the way with
Horny, for he loved and followed me
the same; but Mrs. McQuaide and
Emma said, Il am sure that Horny
isn't WE'LL" And the old farmer said,
s'He shirks his food, and warn't nigh
to fly at strangers as he used to be" {.
That afternoon Horny joined me in
my walk but he did not scamper off
as he had always done before. This
day he stayed close by my side. L
tried all of the old amusements to
tempt him off on his gambols, but no !:
he would give me look of love, out
of bis great brown eyes, and step
closer to me. Poor old fellow he
knew it was to be our last walk to-
gether, land tried hard to tell me so.
The next morning, on going out,
no Horny greeted me. On searching,
| found him lying under Tommy's
feet in the stable. Tommy, who was
generally finging his heels about like
nine-pins, was now standing quiet,
and when Horny evinced desire to
have me near him, by striving to
rise and lick my hand, Tommy stood
still and allowed me to pat my friend.
Horny seemed to get no better, and
there were Tumors of his having been
poisoned. He had taken to lying in
the corn crib, and this day his means
were terrible to hear. The sound
came floating into my room, where
[ sat at work, and | could work no
e longer. l went out and spoke to
y Horny, patted him, and told him how
much | loved him, how much | long
ed to help him but | could not. He
h licked my hand but could not STOP
. his means. / turned away, and then
| wont back Horny Iool-ad m, .t ~,