News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-08-23

happen, we fen 10 pieces bit. Mats
father had kept hounds somewhere, and
he knew lot about horses and could
steer one as well as boat-had, in
fact, won hurdle races at Sandown and
KemptOn Park as well as several stee-
plechases. He was quite a little man,
not more than feet in his socks, and
could ride nine stone or but a few
pounds over, but no was strong limbed
and clear headed, as many bigger man
is not. Since leaving college, which,
like myself. Natty did without a de-
gree, he had tried the law, but liking,
as he said, "a fair course with a straight
run in, he had paid forfeit and was
now at Downton Agricultural college,
learning farming and paying particu-
lar attention to the veterinary school,
with some thought of going up for the
A. V. ID. | wired to Natty to meet me
at Templeton Junction, whence on Il
bright spring morning we ran down
to Sherburton. A hired dogcart took us
quickly out to Stockwood, and finding
my late uncle's stud groom, Purliss,
ON the premises, we at once set to work
to inspect my legacy. | perceived i'm
mediately that the lawyer had been cor
rect in his surmise. There were but
six animals in all, two brood mares
with their foals ut foot and two horses
in training. There had been an old
stallion, Koh-i-noor, at the beginning of
the year, but he had succumbed to old
age in the preceding month. On be-
holding the stud | turned away to hide
my disappointment, being fully resolved
to sell the remaining animals for what
they would fetch.
Natty, however, after looking at the
brood mares and hearing their pedigrees,
went into the boxes and commenced a
careful examination of their occupants.
These were big 3-year-old chestnut colt
and plain looking bay mare of a jady
and tucked up appearance, a year old.
er, concerning which | remarked with
some bitterness that | dared say some
cab owner might give e15 for her to
run IN hanson.
Natty paid no attention to this re-
mark, but having felt the mares legs,
cleverly evading the vicious kick with
which she resented this liberty, he pro-
ceeded to examine carefully her eyes
and listened for some seconds to the
beating of her heart, supposed to show
off his veterinary knowledge. Then
we turned to the next box, and when
saw the colt stripped felt for the first
time glow of pride in my ownership,
for handsomer animal | had seldom
seen. Fully 16 hands, of a bright chest
nut color and in splendid coat, he shone,
as Natty remarked, like copper kettle.
This was all Natty did say of him, to
the evident disappointment of Purkiss,
who seemed very proud Of his charge.
The colts name, no told us, was Bril-
liant, by the aforesaid koh-i-noor, whose
dam was the famous mare GOlCOnda,
winner of the Oaks and One Thousand
Guineas, etc. AS yet he had nayer run,
but great things were expected of him
when he should do SO, my late uncle
having esteemed him the finest colt he
had ever bred Natty, however, ex-
pressed no opinion as to his merits, but
having completed his examination or
dered the horses out. In a few minutes
they were saddled and paraded before
us, Purkiss himself being on the colt
and stable lad ON tho mare. Being
ordered to gallop, the colt went away
pleasantly enough, while the mare fol-
lowed reluctantly, laying back her ears
and showing the white of her eyes as
she passed us.
''What do you think of him?'' | ask
ed of my friend as we watched Brilliant
romping along the upper stretch of the
gallop. The colt was fresh and inclined
to play, yet did not appear to pull over
hard and seemed easy to ride. Thought
him q splendid goer, and visions of AS
cot and Goodwood foated before my
eyes, with Ella arrayed in dark blue
and gold-my uncle's colors-watching
me as l led in the winner of the cup
amid the cheers of the applauding null
titude. But Natty cruelty dampened
my ardor with the disparaging COM
ment: