Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-12-20
A MODERN FABLE.
The Horse, the Bike and the Trolley and
What Happened.

What Happened.
A horse, one day, while serenely nipping
the tender blades in his fence environed
field was suddenly startled by the whir
and swish of swiftly darting objects which
passed and Iepassed along the country road
ears he ceased INDUCING in his sucoulent
meal and with great curiosity loped over
to the worm eaten fence and rested his
jawbones on the top rail. With distended
eyeballs he gazed at the curious sight be-
fore him.
"And SO this little affair is the new
horse " he meditated. Certainly 1t has
my best wishes, for has it not given me q
well earned rest and allowed me to enjoy
unalloyed by work my glorious life In this
sweet scented clover feldp No more need
I fear the cruel spur or the cutting lash of
hotheaded master"
With which wise and highly satisfactory
conclusion the horse kicked up his heels in
great glee and trotted back to his menu OF
young grass and juicy clover blossoms.
II.
Toward dusk, just as the horse had fin
ished his luncheon and was preparing to
go to the farm pond for his last drink of
II am tired" His great equine heart
swelled with pity and he hastily galloped
to the spot whence the sound came. There
he saw the little affair leaning its head
against the lower rails Of the old fence
while its body rested in q bed of mullen
leaves.
With much solicitude the horse asked,
"What might your name bep''
Bike, ourtly answered the little af-
fair as it deigned to cast a naughty look
upon the gentle eyed, big hearted horse
''If am not mistaken, heard you say
moment ago that you were tired. If you
will come with me to the pond will re-
fresh you and give you my bed of new,
clean straw in the barn yonder that you
may rest.
Whereupon the little affair gave his we'll
meaning sympathizer the horse laugh
"Oh, my, my, but this is good-a regular
soorcher" And the little affair broke out
in uncomfortable mirth.
II see no cause for such levity," indig-
nantly interrupted the horse, at last
aroused to sense Of the ridiculous posi-
ton in which he was placed "You said
you were tired, wearied, and"-
COW, wow!" howled the little affair as
he kicked his sides with his pedals in his
great glee "By my century mark, but
you are good-ah, even unto being bird
with four wings Yes, am tired, pneu-
matte tired, but not wearied" And again
the little affair laughed 80 heartily that
it slipped cog and fell rolling in ecstasy
in its bed Of mullen leaves.
III.
Where once had been love and sympathy
there now dwelt deep and undying hatred,
and as the horse trudged toward the barn
his heart fairly aohed for an opportunity
to return the indignity which had been
heaped upon his honest ignorance.
II will do it," he said, with sudden
ness and determination which fairly star
tied himself. "This very night will leap
over the meadow gate and prance my
proudest into the big city where the little
affair makes his home. I am now strong,
fat and sleek and have every reason to be
proud Of my healthful appearance. My
master has no further use for me since the
advent Of the little affair, and thus will
not be missed or censured for Fly absence. -
Thus suiting the action to the word the
horse leaped nimbly over the meadow gate
aud with graceful strides, arched neck and
proudly curved tail he clattered along the
country road and into the city of myriad
lights, the home Of the little affair Up
the grand boulevards he pranoed. soon to
be surrounded by countless numbers Of
his swift speeding little rivals. His appear
anoe among them was apparently unno-
ticed save by such remarks as "Poor old
fellow, how useless, - Given the race
tracks have turned him down." "How
slow he moves" The horse grew enraged.
Surely this army Of little affairs should
be ohastised and with my strong, iron COW
cred heels will teach them a lesson. "
Whcreupon he backed up to group of his
tormentors and scattered them like chat
before mighty storm. Fired with the
complete victory he had achieved he glared
about him with a bursting desire to fur
Their show his prowess. Catching sight OF
a monster little affair moving through
space toward him much faster than he had
ever dreamed of, he ran with eager haste
to meet and annihilate 1t.
"This no doubt Is the head of the house
Of little affairs-the daddy of the whole
push, so to speak, " he Kissed rs he sprang
directly in front Of the keen singing, sput-
tering, swift moving object.
Whir-zip-bing-b iff-kerplunk,. and
the jealous, crazed horse with groan was
thrown high in the air. alighting in the
street gutter MORALLY wounded, while
trolley, the supposed daddy Of bike or the
little affair, speeded merrily on his way
without giving the occurrence the slight
est thought, simply cutting another notch
in his big stick.
They gathered about the horse, who was
in articulo nortis, and listened to his
words. In CASE
Inoased, you mean" unfeelingly ut
tered the little affair, for soon you will
be put to the only known use which you
can be on this earth. You will be packed
In a box labeled sausage, and on It's cover
will be stamped in large black letters the
word Belgium.
Moral. Man, know thyself, and keep
out Of the band wagon II you can't play a
horn. Chicago Tribune.
Encouraging American Literature.
The manager Of The Fin de Steele Mag.
axine held the latest Issue Of his publica.
ton In his hands and gaxed upon 1t admir-.