The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1885-12-31
it was dismally cold riding home, and
T ,,,, baIe fro1ay, 0'f

1
am half-frozen
As usual, the conversation was
pleasantly terminated by the we'll
timed request. A woman is never so
4 well pleased as when ministering to
the wants of her husband. particular
ly if that ministration takes the form
of providing him with meat or drink
The next day but one, Friday, was
that determined by long precedent as
the Killnaballew hunt-day The
meet was to be on the Rookery lawn,
i. e., the large field in front of the
house, which is so called in this part
Of the county, even if only grazing
field.
resolved to ride Black Beauty.
Nora tried to dissuade me, but | was
firm. When he was brought round
to the hall door, she eontented herself
with few general words Of praise.
| attributed this lukewarmness to
natural feeling of bitterness against
the usurper Of Dobbin's place, and
did not try to combat it; or possibly
it was due to sudden accession Of
nervousness caused by my rashness in
1 hunting horse of which | knew so
! little
Before [ had ridden a hundred
yards, [ repented my frmness. Black
Beauty was evidently feeling rather
used up and out of spirits, as the best
horse may sometimes. blamed my
lself for not having given him more
than one day to recruit in before rid
ling him in public 1t was too late to
turn back now, as the hounds were
4 just throwing off.
/ A splendid fox at last broke cover,
the pack started off in full cry, and
Black Beauty walked up considerably
as we galloped along. But then the
veriest cart horse could do no less,
and his spirits soon tagged again.
There was some excuse for him. A
sudden change had come in the night,
and rapid thaw set in.
OF course Reynard picked out the
worst possible route. And of course
we were soon toiling painfully over
muddy swamps, and thick, tenacious
clay. Still Black Beauty held his
own, and bravely did his best. | for
B bore to use whip or spur, for he was
evidently straining every nerve to
keep pace with his fresher eompan-
ions.
At last horses and men were alike
! disheartened. The fox, the only
party thoroughly satisfied with the
turn of affairs had taken, ran to the
. earth in an old disused quarry, and no
one seemed to have sufficient energy
left to wish to ride back to cover for
another
Finally, after the hardest, stickiest
run of the season, we resolved to
make the best of our way home. And
this the more readily, as it was driz-
zling in steady, melancholy kind of
way, most depressing to man and
beast | leaned forward in my saddle,
and, patting Black Beauty's neck,
said soothingly-for he too seemed to
share the general detection, while his
steaming TANKS and quivering nostrils
showed that the fault lay in no lack
Of goodwill on his part
Poor old Beauty! You did your
best. didn't you, old boy? But you
shall have a good rest tomorrow, and
plenty of oats to freshen you up after
your hard days work. I must tell old
lOnarleS- Il Ills Was bTeuCulUS OU
dangerous ground, so | broke off alb
ruptly, and withdrew my hand from
his damp neck. In doing so | noticed
that it looked dirty and discolored. and
then [ further perceived that the foam
with which Black beauty's sides were
fecked, had also dark, dull, pnrplish
hue.
"Shockingly badly groomed he musl
have been! Charles shall give him 8
regular soap-aDd-waters scrubbing. He
ought to have seen for himself what q
filthy state the horse was in. Just
what | have often said! His sight is
failing fast. Still, | didn't notice il
myself when | bought him; he looked
clean enough then Hullo! confound
it! Here comes Purcell. and nothing
escapes his prying eyes. .
1t was too late to evade him. He
rode up, observing, "Deuced hard run
that, Langley. The first fox we've let
escape US this season. All, your new
horse. I see! Looks pretty we'll done
up. Had cropper, eh?"
mo, not exactly; but immensely
splashed. What doyou think Of him,
Purcell? Rather a nice thing, | fancy
Only got him on Wednesday, so he's
not quite up to the mark yet. Wants
grooming, and clipping, and making
up generally"
"All the grooming in the world
won't make an old horse into young
one," announced Purcell sententiously
"Old! Why, he's only rising seven
six or seven-the fellow could not re-
member which. I didn't want any
thing younger, as my wife intends to
: drive him occasionally, and she pre-
fers quiet animal"
sRising seUemt Phew!"-the long
whistle was indicative of extreme in
credulity. "Rising seventeen, more
likely! A regular old stager, if I am
not much mistaken! What vet. told
you that astounding cram, I'd like to
know, eh ?"
i "Aw, well! To tell the truth,
don't know the mans name. But
he'd passed the horse the day before [
bought him, warranted him sound and
all that. so knew it was all right"
/ The fact was that / had never take n
into consideration the advisability of
getting vet. g opinion to back up my
own, but there was no occasion for
me to mention this trifing oversight
to Purcell.
"Ah! | see!" he said thoughtfully,
raising his eyebrows and stroking his
long moustache--a gesture | particu-
larly disliked. "Well, he will proba-
bly, be quiet enough in all conscience
for Mrs. Langley to drive-or ride
either But III bet you SOW. he'll
not clear that fence"
''Done!'' l cried, striking my spurs
into his sides, and Black Beauty sprang