The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-07-03

the carrier, driving on.
Without Offering any further infor-
nation the officer of Government de-
parted, and left the ladies and Pepper
to their reflection. Corona said she
should drive straight to the omnibus
man and ask what was the matter with
the horse. She did so, as quickly as
possible, Pepper meanwhile striking
out obliquely and transversely at the
sweet summer air in very unpleasant
and irregular manner.
"He? Oh! He's got the spring halt"
said the omnibus man. Il know him.
He's had it for years"
1.-The string-halt?" said Corona to
Mary as they walked home. Il don't
seem to remember the string-Galt. l
don't believe it is in my book"
You'll remember it now," said
Mary.
As Corona did not purchase that
handsome horse, she was fain to look
about a little more. She received
letter that interested her from a person
in neighboring village, who said he
would please her. 1t was just the
horse for a lady to drive. He would be
honest with her, he always meant to
be honest with lady, and tell her that
there was one objection to the horse;
he wasn't exactly handsome; but he had
points enough to make up for that,
especially as lady's horse. In par
ticular, he was very kind. Corona's'
faith in the commercial value of beauty
having received shock, she was in
clined to look up the horse who owned
to being not exactly handsome; so she
and Mary drove to the neighboring
village, known by the beautiful In
dian name of Carriesquall, to see the
homely horse.
He proved to be, indeed, no Adonis;
but he looked, as his owner ave'red,
kind. In fact, he did not look much
but kind, if one told the truth. He
was big, burly, gray and serious. He
had philosophical air, and regarded
Corona with the manner of onewho
could teach her few abstract truths,
if he thought it worth his while.
"Well, SIR" said Corona, "wehave
travelled fourteen miles to see your
horse. Is this hep"
This is he," was the proud nply.
There isn't n better horse in allCar-
riesquall for a lady's horse than that
there horse. He's just as kind"
"What's his name?" asked CoDna.
well. we call him the Old Amy.
But you ken call him most any hing
you choose-after you've bought HIM. "
Was he in the army?" cried Nary.
"How interesting! Was he woundd?"
"He was left for dead" said Old
Armv's MASTER solemnly. His mater,
which was a Maior-General, never ex-
pccted to get him home alive"
But he dido" asked Mary, breath
lesslv, quite forgetting herself.
YES, marin. He did. That tlere
is the very horse. And he's as kind -"
HE looks kind" observed Corma,
tenderly.
"How old is hep"
Truth compels me to state tina it
had not, up to this moment, occurred
to her that the military career of Old
! Army in the Civil War could have any
Instantaneous connection with lis
ace. To put it delicately, was it not
not she, too, lived out the WARP Az,
did it seem other than year before last
since she bade Tom goodbye in the
dark, on the piazza at their father S
house? Handsome boy! How brave
he looked, with that CULVER in the lin
that kissed her! And was it more than
last year that she caught him to her
heart again? Safe, safe. safe, thank
God-and fought it through! No. She,
too, had 'been through the war;" and
to her, too, as to all others like her, it
was living, palpitating present, on
which age could lay no band. A
quarter of a century since Toms regi-
ment had marched away? A quarter
OF century since she snatched the list
of "killed, Wounded, Missing" in the
blurring, shaking paper every day.
A quarter OF a century since"
He's just as kind the master of
Old Army was saying very distinctly.
Corona started and begged his pardon.
'And Mary, did you speak? What is
the price, sir, OF this kind and patriotic
horse? A price was named, but Cor
ona did not listen, did not hear.
She and Old Army regarded each other
closely. She looked into the eyes of
the ancient warrior. She stroked his
check tenderly. She wanted him. But
the veteran responded to her gaze with
a deep and intelligent look. He knew
better than that. If ever horse tried
to say to purchaser: Don't do it!
You re very complimentary. and | APP
preciate it, but don't you do it!' that
horse then and there essayed to do
that thing.
Chow much did you say?" asked
Corona, coming slowly to herself, and
trying to look like THE Horse and
his Habits bound in two volumes. at
OLD Army 5 master, who replied that
he had said $3.50.
That seems a large Price for so old
Il horse"
"Oh he was only ten come last
March" said Old Army's. master, con-
fidently: HE amt what you'd call
old yet"
"He isn't exactly young, you know"
demurred Corona. politely"
"Wall, l didn't suppose you was
after colt, for Il lady's horse. There's
this about a good, mature horse. YOU
know. He's had the measles and all
those juvenile diseases. You're sure
he hasn't got 'em to go through
again"
Mary hastily said that she thought