Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1901-08-09
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FROM CONTEMPORARY
THE HORSES HAT,

THE HORSES HAT.
1t is an odd picture to see horse amb-
bling along with apparent content, his
head surmounted with straw hat some
thing the same in shape as those worn by
farmers, his ears sticking up through
two holes and "a string tied under his
neck to keep the headgear in place. Time
was when such a sight would have
caused laugh to follow the animal, but
custom makes all things familiar, and the
recent warm weather has accustomed
people to seeing the straw protectors
bobbing up and down on the heads of
the tired animals.
There are other coverings than these
straw hats, but most of them are too ex-
pensive to interest the truckmen. The
only other style of equine headgear that
can be considered as rival to the straw
bonnet is the ''pagoda," a double rooted
affair, between the canvas lifts of which
the air may circulate. This, however,
does not afford so much protection as the
straw, since it covers little more than
that space of the horses head which lies
between the ears. The straw hat Is more
uStlul, Uul IL lS IL SOllt VI thC
drivers do not use them rather because
they see Others putting them on their
horses than because they help the ami
mails to withstand the heat of the sun.
An officer of the Society for the Proven
ton of Cruelty to Animals stood In Park
Row yesterday, and, speaking of the
sun-bonnets, said:
TOO many of the drivers stick the hats
on any old way. They are frequently
tipped so far forward that they suggest
the idea that the drivers wish to protect
the animals eyes. 1t is mistake to put
the hats on this way The skull is thick
est at the forehead and needs no protec.
ton. Where he really does need protec.
ton is Immediately behind the ears. The
spinal cord meets the brain at this point
and is very sensitive. Then, too. some
tie the bonnet down too hard, it should
be raised enough to allow a current of
ar to circulate between it and the head.
Otherwise it is burden, since it does
not allow the body heat to pass away.
ave are all pleased to see the general
adoption of these cooling affairs. They
help the horse a great deal. | do not
suppose that this style of headgear will
ever become popular with the drivers of
carriage horses. Indeed, these animals
do not need it as much as the truck
horses. They are usually driven just
enough to give them the proper
amount of exercise and keep them in
condition. Seldom are they overtaxed as
the truck horses are almost every hot
day. But am told that the straw hat Is
becoming so popular that manufacturers
are looking up something that will make
a more stylish appearance. Next year,
believe, we will find some novelties in
horses head dresses" New York Trib-
une.
ENGLAND's HOUR OF PERIL.
The Boer war has reached desperate
stage. We are informed that the
strength of the Dutch in Cape Colony is
between 1000 and 5000 men. This is a
formidable demonstration after nearly
two years of fighting. Even with 200,.
900 men in the field England has not
been able to beat the Beers into sub.
mission. Joseph Chamberlain clearly
admitted the desperate situation OF the
government during Friday nights de-
bate in the commons when he said:
''There seems to be an impression that
we have come to some sort of an agree
ment with the Beers that natives are
not to be employed in this war; but
there is no such agreement. Incursions
into protected districts must be more
severely dealt with, if there is to be
sniping of soldiers from behind hedges,
and even of women. If things have
changed from bad to worse in Cape
Colony it is because the Cape rebels
have found rebellion a cheap, interesting
and even amusing performance. Then
there has been mistaken leniency; and
this was the policy in the past. Botha,
DeWet and Schalkburger do not say
that the war was caused by the raid.
They say they are fighting for their
independence. 1t is nonsense to speak
of Offering terms to men who say it must
be a fight to the finish. This Is now
the policy of the government"
1t thus appears that the British have
appealed to the Kaffirs to help them out
of their South African complications.
In the early stages of this remarkable
conflict the British spurned the sug-
gestion that natives be armed to put
down the Beers. Chamberlain now
welcomes these same natives as legi-
innate weapon against the Dutch re-
publics. A correspondent of the Lon
don Daily News states 1--WE have de-
liberately armed the natives. have seen
scores of them with rifles and bando-