Birmingham state herald., 1896-07-19
CHlLDREN'S FRIENDS.
Br. Louise D. Morgan.

f1OIStS HdNc DSGH lHS lTlSIlu Ol lietu from time immemorial. The Arab loves his horse next to his God. He comes be- fore wife or child. This, all Americans know, goes beyond the civilized limit. But we all have in our mind some noble steed of which we are always glad to say many praiseworthy things. The pages of history are copiouSly dotted with historical horses-which have car ried their riders to victory have stood the fire and awful confusion of battle, seemingly as greatly enthused over the disputed cause as his master. But this is not the individual horse we know or have known, and yet cherish sweet memory of him. The first horse friend I remember to have met was a large black horse, whose name was Ben. He was gentle, faithful and kind. He would stand perfectly still and let my little brother put the bridle on his head and then allow all the children who could climb from fence or stump mount him. Then he would walk with measured step, being so careful not to jolt us the least bit. He always appeared glad to see us. When the hands would come in from thd fields we would often meet them at the watering place, then ride bareback to the stable door. Ben was put on a mail route one spring. He was not well treat ed. He soon began to show several bad symptoms He was then taken off and turned into a rich, shady pasture. Ben
 
 and new spring suit altered him so much that we children hardly knew him when he was brought home several weeks afterward. This memory of Ben is all that 1 possess of him. Not even a shoe has been retained and Ben has done his work well and gone to his reward.
 The country boy will go on for some time at least loving and betting the horses on the farm with more generous allowance for the family horse that car rip0 him steadily when he first O1Onnt- ed him and was told to hold to the mane and not fall. This horse will have the most comfortable stall and the best corn and incest oats. Will the city boys lose sight of these wholesome pleasures? I am very much afraid that they may, as wheels are the tendency of the age, and we have magazine and newspaper ar ticles devoted to "Horseless Age" All healthy boys and girls have their wheel and the real joy derived from a spin on them, but I think there is more real joy, because 1t reaches out in so many chan nelS in the possession of a good horse than any wheel can give. We are not commanded yet. We are expected to join the throng, but give us the horse for a while longer. Every boy who owns horse should read Black Ben"
 True We can't all boast of having pos sessed Snider, which has lain by us for twenty years and denied himself the companionship of dog life and even food and water, for the simple duty, Casabi- ana like, of standing at his post. But We can boast of the noble traits of good Tray, or a Carlo Rex, Fido or Frolic. We remember just how they would fol- low us to play, standing watch over us, never allowing the little boys to wrestle, or stranger to approach us. And 1t was this same friend of our childhood that always got a good portion of our lunch and always looked thanks in re- turn.
 Fish stories have taken the lead for ages; then the snakes came next, but have heard some very wonderful dog stories One dog I knew belonged to widow lady, who was possessed of a large family of boys. and sometimes these boys were rude and frolicsome, but their kind and expectant mother could never whip one of them when the dog was near. He would have torn any one to pieces who dared to strike one of the boys. He roamed with them in the field, and when work was over and the boys were put in school he would take his place in the back door and guard his mistress carefully until the boys came home.
 I admire a good dog. I mean an old fashioned dog. One that knows his place. will run the pigs out of the gar den, will catch chicken when you want him to, and will bark when a stranger comes, but will not dare to go any further unless he Is told to. I can't bear d sit beside his master or mistress and beg for morsel while they are eating.
 If ever possessed any particular dog ardor 1t was dampened when I was a child. My brother was great lover of dogs, and seemed to want to raise pair each year for fox hunting My earliest and most impressive memory of dogs was little basket setting in the corner by the fire, in which were some old blankets and one or two little pups, just as my brothers fancy dictated, and the pathetic little whines that arose from that basket suggested the immediate production of a saucer of milk, notwith- standing the time would be midnight and the thermometer ranging in the vicinity of zero. was generally near and easily awakened, so feeding the dogs came to my lot.
 My little boys now have young dog, but he is passed the infantile state, and was when their elder brother brought him home from Atlanta. He is Shep- herd, and comes from the city, yet he clings to the instinct of the old-fashion- ed country puppy. He carries out the | boys shoes and hats, and occasionally aspires to a book or brush. They are 1 teaching him to bring the cows home. | They carry him to the creek and he | takes his weekly bath, and 1t affords many debates just why Jack, who is | months old, can swim and the little l brothers, 6 and 4, can't swim at all.