The Portland daily press., 1890-04-26
THE STORY OF A HORSE.
Black Beauty, His crooms and Com
panionS.

Since the earliest ages of civilization,
the horse has been the ally of man. Myth,
legend and history attest the splendid union
In courageous deeds of heroes and their
horses; while the friendship between a good
man and good horse is an unalloyed salts
faction to both. A horse has heart,Iwill and
soul of his Own-so we may believe with
Agassiz and many other scientists-and
these gifts await human sympathy and help
In order to gain their full development. Ii
is, then, well worth while to try to under
stand him, to meet his thought halfway, to
prove ones self his constant friend, to drive
him by the Golden Rule in stead of the check
rein and the whip, and thus secure him as an
Intelligent aid instead of holding him as
slave. More than twenty years ago, Mr..
George T. Angel, President of the American
Humane Education Society, began to urge
that book be written (which should have
SO widespread and powerful influence in
abolishing cruelty to horses as Uncle Toms
N vsrH had upon the abolition Of human sa-
very. FINALLY, he was satisfied by the ap-
pearance Of Black Beauty, story written by
an Engllshwoman, Anna Sewell, which is
nov reprinted In America, by his care.
60 MIS-. oeWell has shown much tact as well
SS WYE yigor IN the presentation of her theme. 1t
t woulo nave been only too easy to collect
iacts which would distress and shock tender
noaI'eu readers, and, perhaps, serve to sug-
seSC iresn atrocities to the cruel-but. in
o.Gaiu, sne mas told the story of Black Beauty
WIN excellent moderation and taste. show
nv tne average fortune that might naturally
9eIaii morse, only incidentally painting the
darker SHADES without which. alas. the nic
ture would be incomplete. 'No p'0-
BLACK Beauty is allowed to relate his own
story, which he does with liyeliness and Sood
sense, speaking for his equine brethren az
well. And readers will be glad to know he.
forehand that the book has happy ending.
From the meadow with its shady pond dotted
by water-lilies, the colt was taken to be bri.
died and trained and placed in the stable
where his black coat was brushed "till ii
shone like rocks wing" He learned
something of the world from the talk of the
older horses; and later, from experience of
the ways Of masters, cruel or kind, just or
thoughtless, and finally he ends his memories
In pleasant home with some old gentle
women who promise him easy work and
sunny field to his latest day.
Mrs. Sewell has contrived to include IN
this brief story almost every point which
needs to be brought to the notice OF owners
and drivers of horses. 1t is book to bene-
fit as we'll as please its readers, More than
half the cruelty practised toward animals is
merely thoughtless, from lack of intelligent
sympathy, and the hints contained in Black
Beauty may very we'll serve to transform
bad driver to good one and make an I'M
ruly horse tractable and valuable.
piack Beauty, then, is book which man
or boy who has anything to do with horses
cannot cam afford to leave unread. More than
iO0,0OO copies have already been sold in Eng
landi a wealthy Boston woman has pro-
Vided for the gift of 1000 copies to as many