The morning call., 1892-06-05

California are those unfortunate brGteS
whose labor life is cast in livery-stables.
From tie dainty lady who hires gentle
nag and phaeiOn to go calling on summer
afternoon to the city clerk. who engages
rig on Sunday TO drive with his best girl
into the country, the general public unite in
taking 1t OUT of this class of steeds. The
former is apt TO drive too fast, the latter is
usually mentally preOceupied. l raised
such an outfit on country road a Sunday
or two ago, the horse standing with his
fore feet in a wayside ditch his hind feet
and the buggy up on the highway The
animal was tied to the projecting limb of
tree and the gallant driver was busiy en-
gagged in gathering something (pOison oak. in
all probability for his lady love.
What the hiring public does not do for
the livery horse the Stabekeeper himself is
not apt to leave und0ne. So long as the
animal has three legs to travel upon and a
fourth that he can utilize to steer with he
generally has TO go when there is call for
him. l have seen a saddle-horSe sent out
for use with freshly opened quarter crack
in one fore foot / have so often been given
TO ride horse with sore back that ] now
never take saddle-hOrse from stable
without first examining its back. "This
horse seems very tired, " | said
TO a stable man one morning, as,
after driving block or two with a
horse | had just hired, l found him APP
go ahead. ooh. no, was the reply, that's
only his way; he will freshen Zip after he's
gone a little way" After some argument
] finally refused to drive the horse, where
upon the Stableman admitted that the poor
beast had been out the whole Of the pre-
vious day. and ND to o'clock the morning
of the day hired him. so that he had only
had in that time about six hours in which
to rest and eat. Yet with fresh horses in
the stable, desiring to keep these for an
emergency, he turned this tired fellow out
for another days work.
On another occasion engaged team TO
go with party OF friends on mountain
journey. | explained to the stabeman that
the trip was hard one, and spoke for
strong team and light carriage. | was
given hands0me-l0Okiug pair, VINO stepped
along in lively fashion for an hour or so,
but after a short experience of the stiff
climbing one of them began To show signs of
giving out. That chestnut doesn't seem to
be doing her work" | SAID to the gentleman
who was driving. No" was his reply,
she's scarcely pulling at all. Nothing but
a WORKOUT plug. / guess: no good at all. r"
/ was pretty badly Disguised. as | foreSaw
that our trip was to be spoiled. Presently,
however. as the ''worn0ut old plug" hap
pened TO turn her head sidewlse, aud open
her mouth with gasp Of distress, | caught
a glimpse of her teeth, and saw enough TO
convince me that she was very young AMI
NAL L asked one or the gentlemen, whom
knew to be good judge, to examine more
closely, and after he had done so he pro-
nounced the creature to be about three
years old.
Such a baby had we been given to go trip
that would have taxed tie energies of a
stout, aged horse Well, we climbed that
hill afooi leading the team and shortening
our trip, returned home, my Eastern friends
with uuutteTable views on the subject Of the
way horses are treated in California. At
the stable l spoke my opinion pretty freely
and was by no means Modified when the
stablemaR. expressing his regret at our
spoiled trip, offered TO make 4 liberal reduc-
ton in his charge for the team. An emplOye
of the stable afterward told me, too, that
that there FLY had been ID harness all the
morning besides"
Still it was partly our own fault. We
should have observed the team more closely
on starting. II people who hire horses were
a little better Informed regarding them
both they and the animals would be less
frequently imposed upon. We have no
right TO assume even temporary control of a
creature capable of suffering unless we our
selves are capable of recognizing their needs
anu weaknesses and of alternating their dis
comfort when necessary. Miss RUSSELL.