St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-07-25
AN AFTER DINNER STORY.
For the Globe.

PcIicHCS uo lttu 1Ouuu tiidL HIS guests Gil
joyed the informal chat Immediately fol-
| lowed the dinner. At that time the diners,
especially if blessed with good digestion,
were better pleased with themselves,
others and the world in general than at any
other period of their existence.
a good dinner in process of digestion
should never be hampered by light and eX-
| ternal objects. The diner should, if pos
sible. be kept in the dark, as in that way
his mind reverts to former pleasant expert
fences and the enjoyment of the present is
intensified by pleasant retrospection of the
/ past. A cgar-a good cigar--iS a great aid
both to digestion and to starting the train
| of thought that runs back to some incident
| that the mind recalls with satisfaction and
that we live over in exquisite enjoyment.
After the heavy dinner the old and the
young man are. nearer alike than at any
other time-they live in the past, the for
mer at all times, the latter for the nonce.
The host was an experienced man and
knew, therefore, how TO contribute to the
| pleasure of his guests. He not only gave
them well-selected and varied meal, but
| also arranged it so that they could enjoy
| themselves to their fullest extent immedi-
ately after partaking thereof. The house
GO iAi Nai hliSoos ullo WIG pOlCH upOl w
was seated the guests, was in the same con-
dition, for while they sat there and smoked
and talked, the night grew on and different
faces became visible only in the subdued
| light of the glowing cigars.
| The conversation turned ON riding horses,
| their good and bad points; and many stories
| and anecdotes were related of the peculiar
! little incidents that had occurred, within the
| experience of those present, in connection
with the faithful horse. They all agreed
| that it was a bad thing for the horse to
allow any stranger to ride him and that no
| experienced hOrseman would willingly grant
another the privilege of a mount no matter
| how good a rider the latter might be or
| how friendly his relations with the owner
of the steed. 1t was announced authorita-
| lively that a horse became used to one rider
and acquitted himself most creditably when
thus mounted, and became less valuable as
| he changed riders and owners.
That reminds me Of little incident that
occurred to friend of mine in Kentucky,
years ago." said voice in the darkness
which the other members of the little
gathering instantly recognized as that of a
middle-aged mana Southerner with a his
tory.
If there is a time when men are romantic
it is Immediately after a dinner. Conse-
quently the auditors permitted their imag
nations full sweep, and associated with
the talker all the stories, true and false,
which they had heard about him. He
ceased 10 be an ordinary Woodworking
lawyer, and was again the young son of a
rich old Kentucky farmer-a Shareholder
who lost everything by the war. They
pulled at their cigars, while he continued
his Renaissance.
He was a great horSeman," continued
the speaker, ''and prided himself. as his
father did before him, on having the best
horses in the county. Like all Kentuckians
he set more store by his riding horses than
anything else and never lost an opportunity
of getting a new flyer. One day a Gypsy
came along, riding the grandest looking
and best gated jet black horse that man
ever saw. My friend stopped him and
| asked him if he would not part with the
animal. The Gypsy, at first, said the ami
NAL was not for sale, but finally admitted
| that he could be bought, but at such high
| figure that few would care to buy him. At
| my friends request he named the price, and
this was said to be satisfactory if the horse
| proved first-class in every particular. An
arrangement was soon entered into by
| which the horse was to be left at my
friends stables for week and at the end
of that time the Gypsy was to return an
get either the horse or the money.
''There is only one thing 1 want to ask
of you," said the Gypsy, as he dismounted
| and stood. reins in hand, waiting for my
friend to mount land that is that during
the week you will not permit anybody to
ride Rocco at night"
The request was granted, Ny friend
fha Gyu,cu Cox ta1 hi
and rode in the direction of the stables.
There he changed the saddle and bride and
started out for a ride. The horse proved
satisfactory in every respect. full
of spirit, yet kind, fast traveller;
in fact everything that good
judge of horses could ask for. AS
i my friend rode along he thought of the
gypsy and the strange request, and Won
! dered why it was that the owner did not
| want Rocco taken out at night. The more
he thought of it the more peculiar it
| seemed. He returned to the stable. The
animal was duly admired by all the stable
boys. Before leaving he informed the boys
| that under no circumstances should they
| permit the new horse to leave the stable at
| night. He directed them where to place
| the animal and went up to the house. The
next morning he was up bright and early
| and went straight to the stable to get Rocco
and take little turn before breakfast.
What was his surprise on going into
Rocco's stall to find him covered with foam
and dried up perSpiratiOn. The stable
boys were on their way to feed the new
horse and were equally dumbfounded when
they discovered that he had been out the
night before, and, judging from his appear
anceS. had been sent over a good deal of
country at pretty lively gait No one
knew anything about it and no one had
heard the horse go out during the night.
My friend then told the the stable bows
of the Gypsy of whom he had got the horse
and of the Gipsy's most remarkable request.
Negro like, they began to be alarmed. and
| thought that the horse was bewitched.
Horseshoes were hung UP all over the
stall and other precautions taken to
keep the evil spirit away from the new pur-
chase. My friend made up his mind that
some Of the colored riders had taken the
horse out, being unable to overcome their
desire to try the beauty, and so ordered the
carpenter to put strong lock and key on
the stall and turn over the key to him. His
order was obeyed. That night, before re-
firing, my friend went down to look at
Rocco, and found everything all right,
locked the stall door and carried the KEY
with him to his bedroom. The next
morning Rocco presented the same jaded
and tired appearance, his black coat was
covered with foam and sweat. No
one knew anything about it and my
friend was more mystihed then ever.
The next night he determined to keep
watch Oil the stall himself. He did so and
the horse was not disturbed during the
night and bore no evidence of having bean
out. The fourth night he put one of the
negroes to watch the horse and the next
Ill