Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-02-27
CHAPTER IL.

The first thing to be done was Obvl-
Ously to 80 and look at them. Now, l
am no great judge of horsefesh, though,
like most other men, | fancy | know Il
good nag when | see one, than which
there is no commOner delusion among
mankind. 1t was therefore necessary
to take some one with me who knew
more than myself. | don't suppose
there was u youngster i'll the regiment
who would have heSitatcd to accom-
pany mo Oh that same understanding,
for all our fellows seem to think that
the mere fact of being in cavalry reg
iment confers upon them an absolute in
fallibility in such matters, but at least |
knew enough not to trust in them.
There was not Il man of them who
would not have voted for having "A shy
with the crooks. or would not cheer
fully back them through esprit de corps,
or with equal cheerfulncss borrow mon
cy of me to pay up with after the shy.
However, by Il lucky chance, the very
man l wanted was within reach. This
was Natty Forwood, as knowing Il lit
tie chap as you d find in a days ride.
He d been our coXswain at Oxford what
time l rowed in the college boat, and
clever he was with the lines Us Il water
man S boy. Many bump had he saved
US from when. as would sometimes
happen, we fell to pieces bit. Mats
father had kept hounds somewhere, and
he knew a lot about horses and could
steer one as we'll as Il hoat-had. in
fact, Won hurdle races ut SanGoWn ard
kemptOn Park as we'll as several stee-
plcchases. He was quite IL little man,
not more than 3 fe s. I i'll his socks, and
could ride nine stone or but Il few
pounds over, but he was strong limbcd
and clear headed, as many Il bigger man
is not. Since leaving college. which,
like myself. Natty did without 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 ut Downton Agricultural college,
learning farming and payiAg particu-
lar attention to the veterinary school,
with some thought of going up for the
A. V. D. I wired to Natty to meet me
at Templeton Junction, whence on a
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, Purkiss,
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 sulnise. There We're but
six animals in all, two brood mares
with their foals at 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 l 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 a big 3-year old chestnut colt
and plain looking bay mare of jady
and tucked up appearance, year old
er, concerning which l remarked with
some bitterness that l dared say some
cab owner might give els for her to
run IN n 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 l felt for the first
time glow of pride in my ownership,
for a handsomer animal l had seldom
! seen. Fully IS hands, of bright chest
nut color and in splendid coat, he shone.
as Natty remarked, like copper kettle.
This was all Eatty did say of him, to
the evident disappointment of Purkiss.
who seemed very proud Of his charge.