Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-08-22
HIS COLT ROYAL.

father said to me: "Sanucl, walk down
tho lane with mo To tho pasture lot.
want to show you something" Never
suspicioning anything, / trudged along
with father, and what should find In tho
pasture lot but the cunningest, prctticst
liveliest colt boy ever olappod eyes OH.
"Thnt is my birthday present to YOU"
said father "Yos, Sam uol, give tho colt
to you to do with as you like, for you've
been good boy and hayo done well at
school"
You can easily understand that my boy
ish heart oyerilowcd with pride and joy
and gratitude. A great many years have
elapsed since that time, but haven't for
gotten and never shall forget the delight
of that moment, when realized that had
IA colt Of my own-a real. live colt, and "a
Morgan colt at that.
"How old Is no, father" asked.
"a week old, come tomorrow" said
father.
"Has Judge Phipps seen him YETI" I
asked.
"No; nobody has seen him but you and
me and the hired man"
Judge Phipps was the Justice OF the
peace. had "a profound respect for him,
wasn't worth knowing. was sure of this,
because the Judge himself told me SO.
One OF the first duties to which applied
myself was to go and get the judge and
show him the colt The judge praised tho
pretty creature inordnately, enumeratipg
all his admirable points and predicting a
famous career for him. The Judge even
went SO Nhr as to express the conviction
In 1ppn " nn1 xytn 9 Inn
perishable renown and Immortal iaurels
as competitor at tho meetings OF the
Hampshire County Trotting association"
of which association the judge was the
president, much to the scandal of his esti-
mable wife, who viewed with pious horror
her husbands connection with the raco
track.
"What do you think I ought to name
my coltp' / asked the judge
"When / was about your age" the
Judge answered, II had u colt, and l
named him Royal. He won all tho
premiums at the county fair before nc was
years old"
That was quite enough for me. To my
thinking, every utterance of the judge
was ex cathedra; moreover, in my boyish
exuberance / fancied that this namo
would start my colt auspiciously upon a
famous career. j began at once to think
and to speak of him as the prospective
winner Of countless honors.
From the moment when first set eyes
on Royal was his stanch friend. Even
now after the lapse of years, cannot think
Of my old companion without feeling here
in my breast q sense of gratitude that that
honest, patient, loyal friend entered SO
largely into my earlier life.
Twice day used to trudge down tho
lane to the pasture lot to look at the colt,
and Invariably was accompanied by %
troop of boy acquaintance who heartily
envied mo my good luck and who regaled
me constantly with suggestions Of what
they would do IL Royal were their colt
Royal soon became friendly with us ALL
and no would respond to my call, whinny-
ing to me as / came down the lane, as
much as to say: "Good morning to you
litlte master. hope you are coming to
have romp with me-" And, gracious,
how he would curve his tail and throw up
his head and gather his short body to-
gether and trot around tho pasture lot on
those long legs of hisl He enjoyed life,
Royal did, as much as we boys enjoyed it.
Naturally enough, made all sorts Of
plans for Royal. recall that, after had
been on visit to Springfield and had be-
held for the first time the marvels Of
Barnum's show, made up my mind that
when Royal and were old enough we
would unite our fortunes with those Of a
circus, and In my imagination l already
pictured huge and gaudy posters announc-
ing the blood curdling performances of
the dashing bareback equestrian Samuel
Cowles, upon his fiery Morgan steed,
Royal. This plan was not at all approved
Of by Judge Phipps, who continued to in
sist that 1t was on the turf and not in the
sawdust circle that Royals genius, lay and
to this way of thinking / was finally con-
verted, but not until the Judge had prom
ised to give me sulky as soon as Royal
demonstrated his ability to make mile
in 2:4O.
1t Is not without sigh of regret that In
my present narrative I pass over tho five
years next succeeding the date of Royal 8
arrival, for they were very happy years
indeed mt this distant period am able
to recall only that my boyhood was full.
brimful of happiness. broke Royal my
self. Father and tho hired man stood
around and made suggestions, and at
times they presumed to take hand In the
proceedings. Virtually, however, broke
Royal to the harness and to the saddle, and
after that was even more attached TO him
than ever beforo-you know how 1t is II
ever you've broke colt yourself.
When went away to college, II seemed
to me that leaving Royal was almost as
hard rs leaving mother and father. You
sec the colt had become very largo part
Of my boyish life--followed mo like n pet
dog, was lonesome when i wasn't round,
used to rub his nose against my arm and
look lovingly at mo out of his big, dark,
mournful eyes-yes, cried when said
goodby to him the morning started for
Williamstown. I was ashamed of 10 then,
but not now-no, not now.
But my fun was all tho keener, guess,
when / came homo Mt vacation times.
Then we had IL, up hill and down dale
Royal and I did. In tho summer time
along the narrow roads we trailed and
through leafy lanes, and In my cxultation
would cut at the tall weeds at the road
side and whisk at the boughs arching over
head, as II I wero n warrior mounted for