The Portland daily press., 1895-10-30
HIS COLT ROYAL.

the lane with me to the pasture lot. 1
want to show you something" Never
suspicioning anything, I trudged along
with father, and what should find in the
pasture lot but the cunningest, prettiest,
liveliest colt boy ever clapped eyes on.
"That is my birthday present to you, -
said father. Eyes, Samuel, I give the colt
to you to do with as you like, for you've
been good boy and have done we'll at
school"
You can easily understand that my boy
ish heart overfowed with pride and joy
and gratitude. A great many years have
elapsed since that time, but 1 haven't for
gotten and I never shall forget the delight
of that moment when realized that had
a colt of my own-a real. live colt, and a
Morgan colt at that
Chow old is he, father?' I asked.
GA week old, come tomorrow" said
father
elias Judge Phipps seen hin YETI"
asked
"No; nobody has seen him but you and
me and the hired man."
Judge Phipps was the justice of the
peace. I had profound respect for him,
for what he didn't know about horses
WASH IT worth knowing. was sure of this,
because the judge himself told me SO.
One of the first duties to which I applied
myself was to go and get the judge and
show him the colt. The judge praised ths
pretty creature Unfortunately, enumerating
all his admirable points and predicting a
famous career for him. The judge even
went so far as to express the conviction
that in due time my colt would win FIN
perishable renown and immortal laurels
as a competitor at the 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 race
track.
"What do you think I ought to name
my colts" asked the judge.
"When I was about your age,'' the
Judge answered, ST had colt, and 1
named him Royal. He won all the
premiums at the county fair before he was
years DID,
That was quits enough for me. Tony
thinking, every utterance of the judge
was ex cathedra; moreover, in my boyish
exuberance I fancied that this name
would start my colt auspiciously upon a
famous career began at once to think
and to speak of him as the prospective
winner of countless honors.
From the moment when I 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 a sense of gratitude that that
honest, patient, loyal friend entered SO
larralv into NV aarliar life
Twice a day used to trudge down the
lane to the pasture lot to look at the colt,
and invariably L was accompanied by a
troop of boy acquaintance who heartily
envied me my good luck and who RECALLED
me constantly with suggestions of what
they would do if Royal were their colt
Royal soon became friendly with us all,
and he would respond to my call, whinny-
ing to me as I came down the lane, as
much as to say GOOD morning to you,
little 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 the pasture lot on
| those long legs of his! He enjoyed life,
Royal did, as much as we boys enjoyed it.
Naturally enough, l made all sorts OF
plans for Royal. 1 recall that, after l had
| been on visit to Springfield aud had be-
| held for the first time the Inarvels 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 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 it was ON the turf and not in the
sawdust circle that Royals genius, lay and
| to this way of thinking was finally con
| verified, but not until the Judge had prom
ised to give me sulky as soon as Royal
demonstrated his ability to make mile
in a:4o
| 1t is not without sigh of regret that il
my present narrative l pass over the five
years next succeeding the date of Royal s
arrival for they were very happy years
indeed at this distant period I am able
to recall only that nv boyhood was full
brimful of happiness. I broke Royal my
self Father and the hired man stood
around and made suggestions, and at