The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-12-31

iduS uler, anu GuTcell IOllOWeU SulG |
with hearty goodwill. He was the
first to recover his gravity.
II say, Langley! Look here! What's
up next? This looks serious. I'm
afraid your horse is going to have
fit or something of the kind | never
saw a horse foam like this in my lifer'
| looked round, and saw, to my hor-
Tor, that he was almost covered with
a dark, purplish foam, while the water
that streamed from his dripping
hanks was also tinged with black His
breath came in short, quick gasps, and
his sides heaved painfully, like those
Of broken-winded horse. Then
saw, too, that my hands were darkened
and stained through coming in con-
tact with the wretched animal while
wallowing in the ditch. Even Pur-
cells scarlet coat had not escaped
scot-free.
"By George! This is bad business,
Langley. Get him home as fast as
you can. Tell your old groom to at
tend to him at once. He'll under
stand the case better than you will
Possibly" I suggested, too thor
oughly alarmed to resent this speech
possibly the foundering about in
that abominable ditch has done the
mischief. Look at his legs! They
are perfectly yellow! He must have
been half buried in clay!"
"That's not clay!'' exclaimed Pur-
cell, stopping down to get closer
view Of his legs. "I'm. Dutchman
If it hasn't turned the hair yellow!
And look there at his side and his
shoulder! just the same, by Jingo!
Most extraordinary thing ever saw"
"There's no use standing here in
the rain to discuss it, said, rather
sulkily, remounting my poor horse as
| spoke. Some chemical property of
the water, | suppose. At all events,
I'll hurry home now"
"All right! It's decidedly the wisest
thing you can do" And we rode on
silently side by side. Black Beauty
labored on, looking almost dead-beat.
| saw with dismay that the strange,
sickly yellow hue was extending over
his whole body, and the purple foam
dropped from his jaws to the ground:
| I was absolutely at my wits end, and
began to wonder whether horses were
ever afflicted with jaundice, and
whether this could be case in point.
While mentally revolving this ques-
tion, was startled and annoyed by
the sound of yell of laughter from
my companion. And not only one
explosion of mirth, but peal upon peal,
until ] waxed seriously wroth.
For mercy's sake, man, stop that
row. / call it deuced unfeeling of
you when a fellow is in a nasty
| fix"
"a nasty fix!'' he echoed, with an
other uncontrolled burst of merri-
ment. "a nasty fix! Ishould rather
think it was. Oh, Langley, my boy!
They've done you this time. I verify
believe it will be the death of me. y
And he rolled from side to side in his
saddle, as if about to justify his own
belief
ssThey've done you this timer' he
reiterated, with ever-increasing gusto.
"This is glorious! Too, too utterly
glorious! It's the best joke | ever
s heard! Don't you see it, my boy ?
Look at him! Shades Of Rarey and
Nimrod; behold the ancient chestnut!
and he pointed to poor Black Beauty
Yellow Beauty he might now have
been more correctly termed.
Ny choler increased as / beheld the
poor animals really pitiable plight
Cant you mind your own business,
Purcell?" / asked angrily. Il don't
see the point Of the joke, though you
seem to. in paying ESQ for horse and
losing him a couple Of days after.
The poor brute's dying! Any fool
can see that-or any madman either
with savage glance to emphasize
the words. II wish to goodness I'd
never sold old Dobbin!'
! "You haven't! you haven't!'
screamed Purcell in an ecstasy of de-
| light. ''Look at him! only look at
him! EGO for the old chestnut-for
old Dobbin!''
Not like lightning-fash-not like
a thunder-clap-but softly, insidious-
| ly, the horrible truth stole into my
mind, with a cold, sickly chill that
brought conviction with it.
The horse that | bestrode-my
thoroughbred hunter, my noble Black
Beauty-slowly resolved itself into
can [ confess it?-into old Dobbin.
There was no room for the ghost of a
doubt.
In blind, senseless fury Of mofti-
fication and rage, | dashed my spurs
against his sides, lashed him heavily
with my hunting-whip, and galloped
wildly home.
How [ resolved to shoot the horse
to sell him.to give him away-but
never. never to let Nora know the
horrible, humiliating truth; how I
found her waiting on the doorsteps,
and heard the joyful exclamation that
greeted her old favorite; how | ate
humble-pie ad Hbituns in the presence
Of old Charles, who averred that he
had known the truth from the first.
but thought Master John" would
rather find it out for himself; how I
resigned into his hands the reins of
government for the rest of his natural
life; and how finally resolved to keep
old Dobbin, who had cost me so dear,
for the lest of his natural life,-all
this may be better imagined than de-
scribed.
So also may my resolve to track out
and bring to richly merited punish
ment the scamp who had deceived me
by his simple, guileless face, and Graf
tty, fattering tongue; and my utter
impotence to do so.
Thus much l found out. He had
taken old Dobbin to stable not half
mile from Killnaballew, and there
he must have effected the transforma-
tion.
There, as Purcell gleefully informed
me, he must have dyed him black with
soma nranaratioy, of herbs we'll known