The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1897-08-08
CONTINUED from last Sunday1
CHAPTER X.


old apple tree where he had been rub
blng himself against the low branch.
"Who talks about blockheads? | be-
lieve that is bad word"
"Bad words were made for bad
things" said Ginger. and she told him
what Sir Oliver had said. cit is all
true" said Merrylegs, sadly, land I've
seen that about the dogs over and over
again where | lived first, hut we won't
talk about 1T here. You know that
Master and John and James are al
ways good to us, and talking against
the men in such place as this does
not seem fair or grateful, and you
know there are good masters and
good grooms besides ours, though OF
course ours are the best" This wise
speech of good little Merrylegs',
which we knew was quite true, cooled
us all down, especially Sir Oliver, who
was dearly fond of his master, and to
turn the subject said: "Can anyone
tell me the use of blinkers?"
NO." said Sir Oliver, shortly, "be-
cause they are no USE" "They are
supposed" said Justice, the roar cob,
in his calm way, "to prevent horses
from shyIng and starting and getting
50 frightened as to cause accidents"
"Then, what is the reason they do
not put them on riding horses, especi-
ally on ladies' horses?" said |. There
is no reason at ALL" said he quietly,
Except the fashion; they say that a
horse would be so frightened to see
the wheels of his own cart or carriage
coming after him that he would be
sure to run away, although when he
is ridden he sees them all about him
If the streets are crowded. | admit
they do sometimes come too close to
be pleasant, but we don't run away;
we are used to it and understand it.
and if we never had blinkers put on,
we sh ,uld never want them; we should
see what here was there, and know
what was what ard be much less
frightened han by seeing only bits of
things that we can't understand. Of
course there may be some nervous
horses who have been hurt or fright
ened Nh-n they were young, who may
be the better for them, but never
was nervous 20 can't Judge" 81
consider" said Sir Oliver, shat blink
ers are dangerous things at night; we
horses can see much better in the
dark than men can, and many an &C
cident would never have happened if
horses might have had the full use of
thar eyes. Some years ago | remem-
Der there was hearse with two horses
returning one dark night, and just by
Farmer Sparrow's house, where the
pond is near the road. the wheels went
too near the edge and the hearse was
overturned into the water and both
horses were drowned and the driver
barely escaped. Of course after this
accident stout white rail was put up
that might easily be seen; but if those
horses had been partly blinded, they
would of themselves have kept farther
from the edge and no accident would
have happened. When our Masters
carriage was overturned. just before
you came here, it was said that If the
lamp on the left side had not gone out =,
John would have seen the great hole
that the road makers had left. SO he
might, but if Old Colin had not had
blinkers on, he would have seen it,
lamp or no lamp, for he was far too
knowing an old horse TO run into
danger. Ae it was he was very much
hurt, the carriage was broken and
how John escaped nobody knows"
81 should say,' SAID Ginger, curling
her nostriI, "that these men who are
so wise, had better give orders that in
the future all foals shall be born with
their eyes set Just in the middle of
their foreheads, instead of on the side;
they always think they can improve
upon nature, and mend what God has
made" Things were getting rather
sore again, when Merrylegs held up
his knowing little face and said, an
fol