The National tribune., 1889-10-10
KEEPING HIM on THE Rus.


which were all young men OF means and owned
their own horses.
During the West Virginia campaign under
Gen. Mcclellan, this troop Joined us. aud on
one occasion. when Mcclellan visited our camp
at Phillips, ava exhibition drill was given for
his benefit. The command was formed, dis
mounted. with the horses in line in the rear.
and the troop eyoiuiiOBs were gone through
with by vocal command and the bugie. cals.
the horses performing each movement in uni
EOn with and almost as perfectly as did their
dismounted riders
While j claim high degree Of intelligence
for the horse. ] must confess that many
things that would seem TO denote the possession
Of reasoning powers are merely performed
through forc@oi habit. In this connection,
instance the action Of horses belonging To
street-car lines.
Nearly 20 years ago the hin leading from
Pennsylvania avenue. ia this city. around aud
Bp Fifteenth street and past the Treasury. was
much sleeper in grade aud enough extra horses
were kept at hand 10 help haul each Car up the
hill.
One hot day group Of horses stood at the
accustomed place, and one had fallen fast
asleep. when he heard the bell Of an approaching
car. He walked suddenly. and apparently think
ing he had oversight himself, trotted briskIy
out on the track ahead of the team and started.
IL was not his turn IL happened, and another
horse was in place. but he didn't know that,
and dug his toe-calks into the cobbleslOnrs aud
braced himself as IL he WAS alone hauling =
| heayly-l0aded car. don't know where crowds
come from 50 suddenly ia a large city when
anything unusual happens, but In moment OF
/ two hundreds were gathered laughing and
cheering az the poor brute's sleepy mistake.
He didn't mind the noise and shouts at all
| but worked as hard as ever he did In his life
until he reached the top Of the hill al i street
| when he turned out Of the track and logged
| slowly back TO the Yaiting-stand AZ usual
Now. that was force Of habit. for be was eyi
IDENTIFY not more than haifawake, and ratified
at the idea that he was missing his turn at The
hill.
Everyone knows how quickly street-ca
horses will halt at the sound OF the sgnal-bell
| and start again as quickly when the signal i
given. Many Of the readers Of this paper Will
TecOlect the story ] told Of how bank presi
dent who owned a fast horse that had beer
employed On a street-car, was beaten in rae,
by a slow horse, by his waggish opponent ring
ing little callbeil every time his more rapi,
opponent was about 10 pass him. That wa
force Of habit, too; for the horse had been &C
custOmed 10 stop when the conductors bel
rung, and when be heard the bell during Tia
race, he halted at once, through force Of habit
began this sketch by saying the man VIII
pets and cares well for his horse has a faith
ful friend, aud believe that good treatment
| mixed with a degree Of hrmnegs will subdu
and make tractable even the woTst-tempere
and most vicious horse.
When the 9TH u. =. Cav. was organized a
| Fort Riley, Kan, in the Winter Of 1866, y,
was the custom, each troop was formed, 70
the commanding officer 10 go down 10 the grea
corrals aHd get his horses, each being Above
10 draw 20 per cent. more horses than hi
Tequisitl0n called for, 10 select the right nun
Der from.
When ! went TO draw my horses one of tn
; first animals TO dash through the halfOpene
) gate was decidedly rough looking beast, an
. then all Of the group of brother officers VIII
had ridden down with me laughed immodei
} ately at some good joke that didn't under
B stand. ] was told that FIVE times before he ha
, been the first horse out Of the corral, and b
3 bad been tried by each preceding commando
{ only 10 be condemned and turned In becaut
D no person could ride him.
The horse was clean .limbed, deep-che
? wide OF breast. taPeriBg ia the barrel and b
D nOstrils eyes ears aud neck showed him 10 /
I Of blooded stock; but lac WAS coat Of red -anG
i | yellow mud, aud he looked not at all attractiy
He was perfect soFrel in color, which was m
: favorite, aud. despite his bad reputation. tn
|. visible evidences Of good blood, the spirit i
u showed, resolved me TO keep him, for i ha
e found that several Of my men were old caValr
O volunteers, raised In horse sections Of I'll
: country, and thought some of them could han
, die him.
q In less than a week he had unseated ever
D man In the troop that tried TO ride him, la
a kicked one mans back so nearly double thu
the poor fellow was discharged for disability
D broke another mans leg, and hurt half-a doze
a more slightly as we'll as scared the W hoe trot
1 so that the First Sergeant couldn't get anyoi
J, l 10 try and groom him.