Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-09-09
A MOURNER's HORSE.


cussing free education and what would
come of it.. The schoolmaster is town bred
la thin. clean shaver man, whose black
habit and tall hat, though considerably
bronzed, refused to harmonic with the
scenery amid which they move. His speech
is formal and slightly dogmatic. On the
subject of free education he talked with
angry positiveness, as one acquainted with
the facts. His cold eyes sparkled behind
his spectacles, and, tucking his umbrella
tightly under his armpit, ne licked off his
arguments tapping his right forefnger on
the palm of his left hand.
Thus occupied, we were passing the wall
of farmhouse on the edge of the downs
when an ugly sheepdog, a grizzled, tail
less brute, came leaping over it and few at
our legs.
l had wheeled around and my ash sap
ling was lifted for blow when the school
master arrested me with peal of horrible,
discordant laughter. He was crouching,
with a hand on either thigh and his spec
tacles almost on a level with the dogs
jaws. His hat had shifted to the back of
his head, and the look of derision on his
face was something devilish. At intervals
Of about three seconds he flung yell of
unnatural mirth straight in the dogs face.
Down went the brute's tail, and he skunk
around and back over the wall, rubbing
his belly on the coping in his abject dis
comfiture.
The schoolmaster Strengthened himself
and resumed his somber responsibility at
once. 1 stared back on the empty road
without speaking. The mans impish out
burst, to tell the truth, had startled me
not little. l saw it's success, of course,
but somehow it had been too well done,
and l wondered if he would take up his
argument again.
Instead he chuckled dryly after mo-
ment and began:
''That's better weapon than gun"
"Ridicule?"
He nodded.
sYou used it uncommon]y well" said I.
'"Oh, it's easy. The test of any creature
man or dog-is, Can he parry it? never
met one that could. You see, every living
being has some secret shame; man or dog,
we all pretend to be what we are not 1t
is all very well to say like to the crack
ling of thorns under a pot but the point
is that we're all in the pot and liable to be
cooked"
He walked on dozen steps and resumed
in tone altogether lighter:
''I'll tell you tale on this point that
may amuse you at my expense. lam Lon
don bred, as you know-a cockney in the
grain to this day, though when I came
down here to teach school l was barely
twenty and now Pm ffty-six. Twas dur
ing the summer holidays that l first set
foot in the neighborhood, a week before
school opened again. came early to look
for lodgings and find out a little about the
people and settle down bit before be-
ginning work.
"The vicar-the late vicar-commended
me to the farmhouse we had just passed.
1t was occupied in those days by an old
farmer called Retallack, widower and
childless. His sister, Miss Jane Ann, kept
house for him, and these were the only
1.-TWO souls on the premises till I came and
was boarded by them for thirteen shillings
a week. For that price they let me have
a bedroom, fair sized sitting room and as
much as 1 could eat.
"a mouth after 1 arrived Farmer Retail
lack was put to bed with bad attack of
collie. This was on a Wednesday, and on
saturday morning Miss Jane Ann came to
Imy door with message that the old man
would like to see me. So went to his
room and found him propped up in the bed
with pillows and looking very yellow in
the gills, though clearly convalescent.
'Schoolmaster,' said he, I've summat
of favor to beg O. We. You give the chill
ldren a half holiday, Saturdays-hey?
Well, dye think ye could drive the brown
jhoss into Tergarrick this afternoon? Fact
lis, my old friend, Abe Walters, that kept
The Packhorse, is lyin dead, an they bury
en- at half after today. I'd be main glad
to attend the feast an tell Missus Walters
how much deceased II be missed, but l
might so well try to fly. Now if you could
attend an just pass the word that Pm laid
ION my back with collie, but that you've
come to show respect i my place-there'll
be lashins O. vittles an drink; no Wal
tiers was ever inferred under a kilderkin.
lexceptin their second child that died in
}teethin-an he took nine gallon cask, be-
sides port an sherry wine to an uncertain
amount. I had that from the mother
"Now the fact was, / had never driven
horse in my life and hardly knew, as they
say, horses head from his tail till he be-
gan to move. But this is just the sort of
ignorance no young man will confess to.
SO 1 answered THAI I was engaged that
evening. We were just organizing night
classes for the young men of the parish
and the vicar was to open the first, with a
short address, at half past 6.
"'You'll be back in loads o. time,' the
farmer assured me.
"sTo tell you the truth, said I, Pm not
accustomed to drive much
'He declared that it was impossible to
come TO grief on the way, the brown horse
being quiet IS 2 lamb and knowing every
stone of the road by heart. And the end
was that / consented. The brown horse
was harnessed by the farm boy and LED
around with the gig while Miss Jane Ann
md l were finishing our midday meal.
land l drove off alone in a black suit and
with nay heart in my mouth.
1.-THE brown horse, as the farmer had
! promised, was quiet as lamb. He went
forward at steady jog, and even had the
good sense to quarter Oh his own account
er the one or two vehicles we met On the
broad road. Pretty soon began to e4per-
llnent gingerly with the reins, and by the
! time we reach Tergarrick streets was hand
} ling them with quite an air, while observ-
: Ing the face of every one I met to make
J sure | was n9t being laughed at The
prospect of Tergarrick Fore steeeI fpight-
!, .ned me good deal, and there was sharp
t sopaep to turn at the entrance Of the inn
} yard. But the old horse knew his bust
ness so well that had pulled on one rein
with all my strength believe it would
have merely annoyed without affecting
him. He took me into the yard without
mistake, and l gave up the reins to the
ostler, thanking heaven and looking care
| less.
"The inn was crowded with mourners,
) eating and drinking and discussing the