The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-01-25
BURDETTE'S PHILOSOPHY.
A Few entirely Original Stories About
Favorite Horne.

Fsvorite Horne.
| A writer In Harper's Magazine says that q
horse when tied in the stable should always
be kept with his head 80 that he may see the
DaSsers by and the other horses, and thus
amuse and occupy himself" That Is good
plan but think mine Is still better. own
one OF these intelligent horses myself. have
never noticed him politely passing hay" to
the other horses in the stable, but possibly
that is because there are no other horses.
have frequently observed him dividing his
oats with the hens, which is much the same
thing. And he has the hay fever, just like
folks" Yes, indeed. But was going to
speak about making provision for his hours
in the stable When he is to be left alone
any length of time, we always place the
morning paper, IA copy OF The Nation and .
late magazine or two in his feed box, and he
looks over them with great interest.
On one occasion he so plainly resented my
taking away late magazine, number con-
tanning some wonderful stories about real
dogs which | wished to show to the terra
Gotta pug, that looked to see what article 10
deeply interested the noble animal. | found
he was in the midst of bright sketch OF
travel in the "Feed-ye Islands," Don't tell
me a horse hasn't human intelligence. The
fact is, the people who sheer at these stories
of the remarkable intelligence Of animals are
coarse and unntelligent people, who know
nothing about animals. The more people
study their brute companions, the more
clearly and correctly do they understand,
neigh, comprehend them. Look at the wild
Indian, what he doesn't know about horses
isn't worth knowing. And he believes his
horse will go to heaven with him. Whether
the horse believes that the Indian will go to
heaven or not, we have no means as yet OF
ascertalning.
This horse of mine, am confident has
opinions on the subject, because one of his
favorite books is Barns m Oats on Tim
othy" He is, however, l grieve to say, q
heartless sort of brute; the sound of whoa
never moves him. Like all well bred horses,
he has certain sense of humor, and one day,
when my little boy quoted, in his presence,
the line, "How tall was Alexander, par the
intelligent animal Immediately replied, BOX
stall, :" and burst into horse laugh.
Upon one occasion, when every thing on the
road had passed us, | overheard him saying
to himself, softly, at pace to go slow" He
is horse of contented disposition, although
sorrow has left her traces along his ribs. l
had to get the rest OF the harness myself.
Like all intelligent horses, ne likes to DO
amused and played with. l used to play with
my horses a great deal, to keep them from
becoming low spirited and homesick. But l
haven't, for a long while, now. Last time
had any fun with horse he was new one
noticed that he seemed out of tune with his
environment. He wore his ears fat back on
his neck and had his eyes rolled back and held
in place with white folds of the same He
looked about as companionable and pleasant
as Umatilla cayuse. So thought would
go in and brisk him up with little game.
He didn't seem to understand Halma or
Parchesi, nor Fox and Geese, as the story
book horses do, so | proposed game OF
romps as something more suited to his I'M
cultured mind. | smote him resounding
thwack under the bosom, after the manner
Of horsemen, and cried gaily: Come up and
come over!
He did both at once got down and went
under My man, who was bedding strawber-
ries on the sunny side of the barn, said If
bad told him was going to come out OF that
window he would have left it open. Still it
made no great difference 1t was cheap
window, anyhow; don't suppose the whole
thing cost more than eighty -seven cents,
glass and all.
Ehl You say ''some Of these wonderful
stories about horses are hard to believe"
Nonsense; you get horse or a dog OF your
own. In six weeks you'll believe anything
you tell about either of them. But will other
peoplel Well, yes; that is, they will believe
as much of your story as you believe of
theirs; what more do you wants-Burdette
In Brooklyn Eagle.