The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1906-07-14
THE HORSE
From The "Recreaffons Of A Coun-
frV Parson"

1t is highly improbable that any
reader of ordinary power OF magma
ton would guess the particular sur-
lace on which the paper is spread
whereon | am at the present moment
writing. Such is the reflection which
flows naturally from my pencils point
as it begins to darken this page am
seated on manger i'll very light and
snug stable, and my paper is spread
upon horses face, occupying the fiat
part between the eyes. You would not
think, unless you tried, what an extern
Sive surface there may be found. Ii you
put a thin book next the horses skin
YOU will write with the greater facility;
and you will find, as you sit upon the
edge OF the manager, that the animals
head occupies a position which, as re-
CARDS height and shape, is sufficiently
convenient. His mouth, it may be re-
marked, is not far from your knees, SO
that it would be highly inexpedient to
attempt the operation with any horse
OF whose temper YOU are not assured
But you, my good Old Boy (for such is
the quadruped's nance, you would not
bite your master. Too many carrots
have you received from his hand; too
many pieces OF bread have you licked
up from his extended palm. A thought
has struck me which wish to preserve
in writing, though indeed at this rate
it will be a long time before | work
my way to it. | am waiting here for
five minutes till my man-servant shall
return with something for which he
has been sent, and wherefore should
even five minutes be wasted? Life is
not very long. and the minutes in which
one can write with ease are not very
many. And perhaps the newness of
such place OF writing may communi
cate something OF freshness to what is
traced by a somewhat faded hand. You
WINGED little. Old Bay, as | disposed
my book and this scrap OF an old letter
on your face. but now YOU stand per-
icctly still. On either side OF this page
| see large eye looking down visit
fully; above the page, pair OF ears
are cooked in quiet curiosity, but with
no indication OF fear. Not that YOU
are deficient i'll spirit, my dumb friend;
YOU will do your twelve miles an hour
with any Stccd within some miles of
YOU; but a long course OF kindness has
gentled YOU as we'll as Mr.. Rarcy could
have done. though no more than seven
summers have passed over your head.
Let us ever. kindly reader, look with
especial sympathy and regard at any
inferior animal on which the doom OF
man has fallen. and which must eat its
food. ii not in the sweat OF its brow,
then in that OF its sides. Curious that
creature should be called all through
lie to labor. for which yet there re-
mains no rest. As for us human beings
we can understand and we can bear
with much evil and many trials and
SORROWS here, because we are taught
that all these form the discipline which
shall prepare us for another world that
shall set this right. But for you. my
poor icllow-crcature, | think with sOr-
row as | write here upon your head,
there remains no such immortality as
remains for me. What difference be
tween lis. You to your sixteen or
eighteen years here, and then to OBJ
livion | to my threeScore and ten,
and then eternity Yes, the difference
is immense: and it touches me to think
oi your lie and mine, OF your doom and
mine. know a house where, at
morning and evening prayer when the
household assemblies, among the ser
wants there always walks Ill certain
shaggy little dog. who listens with the
deepest attention and the most solemn
gravity to all that is said, and then,
when PRAYERS are over, goes out again
with his friends ! cannot witness that
silent procedure without being much
moved by the sight. Nh, my fellow
creature. this is something in which you
have no part. Made bv the same hand
breathing the same air, sustained like
us by food and drink. on are witness
ing an act OF ours which relates to in
tcrestS that do not concern you, and OF
which YOU have no idea. And SO, here
we are, YOU standing at the mangcr,
Old Boy, and | sitting upon it; the
mortal and the immortal, close togc-
Their your nose on my knee. my paper
on your head; vet with something be-
tween lis broader than the broad At
lantic. AS for YOU, il you suffer here,
there is no other lie to make up for it..
Vet it would be well il many OF those
who are your bcttcrs in the scale OF
creation fulfilled their Creators pur-
poses as we'll as YOU. lie have you
strength and swiitness, and YOU use
these to many a valuable end; not many
OF the superior race will venture to
say that they turn the powers God gave