New-York tribune., 1905-04-16
CURED OF BUrTING IN.
Moral Tale of the White House
CaDricOrnUS.
LrnoM &c rRIBuNE BUREAu.l


Washington. April 15.-Billy, the unconquered
butter. the pride of the White House stables
and the joy OF the Presidents boys, Is laid up
with a broken leg In a stall at the other end
Of the building, down by the COrcOran Art Gal
lery is General, the old carriage horse, placidly
munching his oats. There is not a hint OF
triumph in the old bays demeanor. yet from all
accounts his good right hind hOOf laid Billy low
with a single ''swatting' stroke and thereby
put the bully of the neighbOrhOOd out OF Dusl-
ness. Friends of Billy who still have faith in
his prOwess are confident that as soon as his
hurts are healed he will proceed to take ter
rlble revenge out of Generals tough hide, but
the old horse and his hackers are not at all
concerned over the prospect
Billy's rapid rise from the Obscurity OF KID
ship on a Pennsylvania farm to the exalted
post OF butter in general at the White House is
a matter Of history well known to all the friends
OF the Roosevelt boys. TO the ushers at the man
sion and to the blue coated guardians of the
peace who patrol the grounds looking Tor
cranks They all believe that Billy is prodigy.
No goat that ever ate a newspaper or drew
boys wagon about the White House ever dis
played half the headwork that Billy has shown.
When he was first introduced to Archie and
Quentin, five or six months ago. he already gave
evidence OF genius. Before he was hitched to
cart he scored his first knOckdOwn by approach
ing one OF the colOred Iaundresses from the rear
and upsetting her into basket Of wet clothes
BY the time his horns had grown to be as large
as butternuts he had added two hostlers, three
visitors and a Secret Service detective to the
list of his knockouts. At the stable where he
was cared for with the rest OF the White House
stock the hostlers spent much time and pains
in training Billy in his chosen profession. They
soon discovered that he butted most furiOusly
at a feather duster. The sight of the fuzzy i'm
plement was to the goat what a red rag is to a
bull or a turkey gobbler. 1t great sport to
set a duster up against tin ash can or q
barrel and watch the result when the goat was
brought within range. In less time than 1T
takes to tell It, duster and can or barrel would
be spinning thirty feet in the air, and the In
furiated little fighter would be gnashing his
small teeth and dancing war jig, just spelling
for another round. When Archie and Quentin
had Billy out in their wagon he would often
start after some inoffensive person whose ap-
pearance hc did not like. and it would be only
with the greatest difficulty that he was re-
strained from butting the stranger into the next
block. AS Billys strength increased so did his
arrogant spirit. From a mildly ObstreperOus
young thing he grew to be a veritable
terror, and It was not very long before most of
the wise ones about the stable lodged or fed to
the loft when Billy lowered his horns and aimed
But one day early last week Billy met his
match. Like Sullivan. like Corbett like Fitz-
simmons and like many other gladators who
went into the ring once too often. Billy decided
that ne would take on General: Now, Cen
eral is ordinarily most mild hammered old
horse. and has never been known to resent the
stroke of a whip the insult of harsh word.
He has drawn the Presidents carriage with his
mate, Judge, for many years They constitute
the government team" that falls as a heritage
20 President after President regardless Of party.
But It is said that General on this occasion sud
denly became another kind Of horse. Perhaps
the fire of his present master filled his soul with
the thirst for battle when he heard Bily's chal-
longing snort At any rate the mill lasted only
round. Billy rushed, led a two-horned
swing Generals side and-mssed. AS his
gray body shot wide of the mark General exc
cuted deft side step and planted his right
hind hoof Bill"'s left hind quarter. 1t was
all over. Billy landed all doubled up in heap
at the further end Of the stable and did not
rise again The stablemen rushed TO his
sistance, but the fallen hero indicated by his
groans and detected appearance that he did not
care 20 go with the battle Since that day
he has remained in his little stall, and even the
fuzGiest Of feather busters fails to tempt him
out.