The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-02-02

happen, we fell to pieces q bit. Mats
father had kept hounds sc lnewhere, and
ne knew a lot about horses and could
steer one as we'll rs a boat-had, in
fact, won hurdle races at Slndown and
Kempton Park as well as several stee-
plechases. He was quite a little man,
not more than 5 feet A i'll his socks, and
could ride nine stone or but a few
pounds over, but he was strong limbed
and clear headed, as many a 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 astraish
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. 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. l 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 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 | 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 a plain looking bay mare of a jady
and tucked up appearance, a year old
er, concerning which l remarked with
some bitterness that l dared say some
cab owner might give e15 for her to
run IN a 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, l supposed to show
off his veterinary knowledge. Then
we turned to the next box, and when l
saw the colt stripped I felt for the first
time a glow of pride in my ownership,
for a handsomer animal | had seldom
seen. Fully 16 hands, of a bright chest
nut color and in splendid coat, he shone,
as Natty remarked, like a 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, he 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 never run,
but great things were expected of him
when he should do so, my late uncle
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 a stable lad on the 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?" I 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 a 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 I 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:
Seems to have a good mouth, and l
should think a pleasant horse to ride
ought to make a good looking second
charger for you some day, with a chance
of winning a military steeplechase. if
you can teach him to jump"
So much for Ascot! At that moment
I wished l had brought n of my
brother officers in place of Nat. Be-
fore, however, I had time to contro-
NIX MI|NAk Nj.
| MMTNEFE