The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-06
THE PEDDLER.s HORSE.

!
riously taken care of in Mr.. Wander
bits stables ever since. was overheard
in the following soliloQuy. It was
toward evening, and the horse. that mad
had a good dinner and had been
groomed into a reflective mood. fell into
a contemplative vein as the shadows
of night came on. He is a philosophio
beast. and likes to compare the varying
experiences OF life in order TO determins
their relative value. In spite Of the good
dinner it seemed TO the reporter that a
thread OF melancholy ran through what
the old horse was saying. Anyway. this
is what he said 70 himself.
Il again feel that strange sinking q
the soul that so often follows thrilling
and unusual experience fancy that
when Christopher Sly. the drunken tap
ster OF Shalespeare's play, was taken up
intoxicated by the noble lords and de-
ceived into thinking himself a grand
person, with rich raiment numerous
servants. rich wines luscious viands ana
a beautiful and aristocratic wife he
must have felt when he came TO think
il over in sober mood. something OF the
same sensations that are running
through my nerves at the present mo-
ment.
How many years have I worked.
starved and enjoyed with my dear old
master the peddleri I shared his pow
erty and his simple. occasional and tran
STORY wealth. When he couldn't give
me pay, he gave me pat on the neck,
and the blow which IN his simple anger
with joy, as Sapho took the blow from
Jean, knowing fan well that only he who
loveth well can smite hard. There were
indeed times when L rebellCd at the lot
of being a poor peddier's horse. When
saw well Erooined nags trotting hand
somely down Fifth avenue / felt like a
socialist or an anarchist jew. felt my
essential soul 10 be as good az any
horses. and the vile inequalities OF for
tune tOrmented my intelligence as much
as they did my stomach.
''Often my poor master and I have
peddled YEARLY about the old town all
day from the street to the lane from
the lane to the avenue, without selling
enough to buy a Wisp Of hay. j have
walked and stumbled along until my
head grew dizzy and the blood spots
appeared before my eyes. one day, j
remember well. I was faint from lack OF
food, and my master, too, was hungry
and surly, and occasionally, poor man.
relieved himself by giving me a sharp
swipe about the shanks. But he was
always very kind afterward- Well. on
this day, as ] was saying, we were go
ing along late one afternoon on Twenty
first street near Third avenue. when "a
horse OF my acquaintance came trotting
along in the opposite direction. He was
a cheerful soul, a butchers horse, but
now he was evidently in trouble.
s'Wel do I remember how the old
horse limped along And when he got
opposite me he stumbled and fell. After
an energetic blow or two his master
descended, dissolved in sudden tender
ness. and tried to revive him. But the
good steed, his labors DER, stretched his
stiff limbs to rise no more, and his mas
ter touched with pity and remorse. sor-
rowed Ger the expiring horse. All how
well ! remember my Scott
But I thought he would surely re-
vive and went on with my own troubles
eating at my stomach and playing about
the muscles OF my knees. Late that
night we passed again along Twenty
first street. and there, In the full moon
light. 1 saw the old horses etin form
lying in the middle Of the street. sight
for gods and men, The wagon was gone,
the harness was gone, and nothing but
the deserted body remained. ] was weak
from travel and hunger, and this sight
overcame me quite. 7 wopt bitter tears.
and for the first time in my life longed
to be in the dead animals piacel
such moods have grown frequent
with me of late, and the other day. when
Mr.. Vanderbilts automobile ran into
me. I was in a particularly despondent
condition. / remember how cold the
world seemed to me how forbiddlng and
severe the limitless stretches OF the
streets. And when the machine struck
me I resigned myself TO oblivion with
impulsive thanlfulness. My poor mas
ter ] thought TO myself-'What VIII ne
do?' He must absent himself from tellc-
ity awhile, that IS all. Ali how well
remember my Shakespeare
when I recovered consciousness IL
was with a feeling of the keenest dis
Pains were shooting
through me: but more than physical tor
ment was the moral agony I felt at be
ing alive. But they nursed me back
20 life. The iuxuriOusness OF which /
had dreamed was mine in fun measure.
There were sleek groOms to walt on me
and doctors to care for me; a swell
stable to live in. the richest OF hay and
oats in plenty. My starved senses ub-
sorbed the plenteous nourishment, and I
am fast recovering my strength.
For awhile I certainly enjoyed the
clover I am in. My suicidal thoughts
vanished. Crammed and pampered as
was. slept most OF the day, and when
I was awake was too stupid and com
Portable to do much thinking. have
been convalescent, my soul has been
asleep, and I have been strangely con-
put tonight feel stirring in me.
alasi a new disquiet. With returning
strength my love Of romance, Of adven-
ture, of strange vicissitudes OF fortune,
is returning. ] really begin to long for
the devious wanderings In the various
corners of the city, with my good old
master, the peddler. That was Work,
anyway, and led me into the haunts Or
real people There We're no tat ana
-boughtIess rroons about me no aristo-
Gratis used to think that aristocrata
were interesting, but find they conceal
their real natures TO a lamentable de-
gree. / like the BOWery, Spring street.
the simple people who lay themselves
bare to YOU the common horses who tell
YOU all their troubles The aristocratic
nags about me are so reserved thal an
/ really know about them is that they
are well groomed and handsome. and
stare whenever ] get OF an idea or
quotation from Shakespeare. Ali When
shall be trudging UP ano down the
zane aRafn2 I was working there. az
least and was near things. Now I
feel so trivial. so superficial. doing no
one any good. and not even amusing
myself Good gracious. 1 don't want
always TO be sitting down to dinei
have had a good meal. but. lands saltes,
cts be doing somethinRi Something ~
see by Bacchus. something to hear. az
eastr'
When the stomach Is tired out It must
~ hut If.am stTfI