Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-01-08
Prince, The Old Pet

prime of their life to own a faithful
horse named Prince. He was one in
thousands, though there were many
good horses in New England in those
days.
Mrs. Heminway had always been
looked upon as sane by her friends
and neighbors and relatives, but one
day in the fall of the year she. was
seized by this new discovery OF DIR.
Charles L. Dana, called zoophill-psy-
Ghosts, and the purpose of this article
is simply to show how quickly this
dread disease can seize you.
Venture to say. however, that few
people after they have read the arti-
Gle will be anything but thankful that
Mrs. Heninway did turn insane. / re.
print the following from an old mum
Der of the Youths Compartments ii
apply illustrates the SYMPTOMS and
the disease of zoophilpsychosis in its
fullest sense:
ut was mournful little procession
which filed out of the barn and took
its way along the lane towards the
pasture. First came Azariah, with
the old -nusket. Then followed Thad.
leading horse, tall, gaunt and aged;
and in the rear, with Il shovel over his
shoulder, plodded old Benjamin Hem
inway, the owner of the farm.
mo one said anything, but all three
of the men glanced furtively at the
house, and Thad carefully steered old
Prince around some outcroppine
Lodges where his shoes would have
been likely to make noise. When
they reached the pasture they halted.
I s'pose we nights well pull his
shoes off, suggested Azariah.
Yes said Thad Three of 'ews
nearly new and the other amt much
worn. | brought the hammer along
He handed it to his brother, who
took it and began to pry off tie old
horses shoes.
While the group was occupied with
this task voice broke in upon them.
A little old woman had come quietly
up the lane. and now stood nervously
twisting her apron and regarding them
with reproaching eyes The men
dropped the hammer and the two
shoes they had removed and stood ST.
lent and shamefaced.
Farther said the old lady, laying
her hand on her husbands arm, you
know how I've felt about this all
along. The more | think of it the
wickeder 1t seems. just can't stand
it,
There, now, moeaer, don't take
it so hard. 1t amt pleasant. I know,
but what's body goin' to do? He's
past any kind of work, an it costs
something to keep him. Besides, the
boys are all the time complaining
Well broke in Thad, we have to
cut up all of the fodder and take milk
TO him every day. an he's forever
gettin' into the cornfield
"Thaddy it amt what he is now,
but what he's been that I'm thinking
about, said the boys mother. You
don't remember as do how he worked
on the farm year after year and how
willing and gentle he always was.
You don't think of the time when your
father had the mail contract, and old
Prince travelled his 40 miles a day,
week in and week out, summer and
winter; or the day when the limb fell
from the tree on the mountain roaa
and knocked your father senseless in
the bottom of the sleigh. How long
would he have lived in that cold, or
where would you or any one of us be
if Prince hadn't brought him homer
"Thad was idly kicking a hole in
the sod with the toe of his heavy boot,
and Axriah shifted the musket I'M
easily from his shoulder to the ground.
The old lady went on:
" Father, old Prince has done his
share to help us pay for the farm.
He wouldn't owe us anything for
board if he lived so years longer; but
if he's got to be killed because you
think we can't afford to keep him, I've
got something to say. Here's SIS. It's
my butter money, an I've been saving
ii to carpet the parlor with, but never
mind. It'll pay for Primes keep while
il. lasts, and therell be more when
that's gone
"A crimson flush creph into the
old mans .sunburned face. Stop,
mother, stop! he said. I'm selfish
brute. and I'm ashamed of myself, but
amt so mean as that. Old Prince
has earned the right to fodder and
good care for the rest of his life, as
you say. and he shall have it if he
lives to be 100 Azariah, you go put
him into the fouracre clover lot; an
if either of you ever poster me again
bout KILN him I'll take one O them