The Rock Island Argus., 1885-06-24
AN INTELLIGENT HORSE.
A Dramatic Horse In Boston Rises to a
Conception of His Opportunities.


New York Tines
There can no longer be any doubt that
the horse is a noble and intelligent animal
His admirers have always insisted upon
his mobility and intelligence, but
very many persons have failed to
agree with them. They have asked:
"How can an animal be called intelligent
who lives in terror OF sheet of paper lying
in his path, anil wherein consists the nobility
of the beast who will run away without any
provocation whatever and smash valuable
carriage and more or less valuable driverl"
The very fact that an animal as powerful as
the horse will consent TO be a slave seems to
show that he is mean-spirited and stupid. A
lion or tiger would utterly refuse to spend
his life in dragging Third avenue car, and
there can he no doubt that in all wild beast
circles public opinion is very far from ac.
cepting the theory that horse is either no
BILE or intelligent.
1t has remained for Boston horse to vim
dictate in the most thorough manner his
right TO the high estimate placed upon the
horse by all horsey persons. From time i'm
memorial horses have been introduced into
dramatic representations, and hitherto they
have accepted without remonstrance anv
part which manager might assign to them
They have walked meekly on the stage,
blinhed at the footlights, and walked IF
again at the proper time. Some horses.
| trained to act in "Mazeppa," have allowed
large and heavy actresses to be lashed to taeir
nacks, and have then solem mnly pranced up
n win ing pathway OF wooden rocks ami
pretended to gaIlop at speed of two mile,
M hon fha
that might be done by really intelligent
dramatic horse, it seems sad that our stupid
horse; should so long have failed to avail
themselves of the opportunities afforded by
he stage. How many oppressive stage vii
aims might have been suddenly kicked into
| a pro SceniuIn box, and how many yellow.
haired blazeppas might have been lifted
by their hair and dropped into the Orches
tral But never until the other night has a
dramatic horse risen to a true conception of
his opportunities.
The o,ton horse in question came ON the
stage in quiet and undemonstrative way,
but he had evidently made up his mind
what t. do. He walked promptly to the
| fdotlights and threw himself into the orches-
| ira, lanling on the bass drum. The harrow
| Ing incidental music came to an abrupt
| pause, and the musicians, who had intended
| to play Sweet Violets' at the end of the act,
| fed in all directions The bass drum was
| glorously and irretriovably smashed, and
the horse, having accomplished his noble
| work, permitted the supernumeraries to lead
him quietly away.
Hero was noble purpose intelligently
executed IT may be said that the failure OF
the horse TO kill one or two of the fiddlers
and the man who plays the cornet solo was
reprehensble, but in view Of the smashing
of the bass drum it would be nngrateful to
find fault with the horse for anything. He
accomplished his purpose of silencing the
drum and Of frightening the orchestra Sc
thoroughly that it did not venture to play
"s;weet Violet," during the whole evening
Let us honor this noble and intelligent
animal, and hope that his example will be
followed by every horse which hereafter
appears on the stage.