The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-09-26
BY Marx Field.

To many people 1t seems a wonder
that against the bicycle, the motor
cycle. and the automobile, the horse
has not only held his ground. but has
now for third Of century steadily
increased in numbers and in value
throughout the civilized world, as sta
tistics will amply show. Still greater
is the popular wonder that, notwith-
standing the Overwhelming spread Of
the auto-contagion among the rural
folk. the farmer finds it hard to keep
up with the continually growing de-
mand for good horses of every breed
and class.
Now to US there is nothing wonder
ful here. The study of the relations
between man and horse in the light OF
history clears the way to an easy So
luton of the apparent mystery.
Out of the darkness of the pre-his-
toric ages horse and man came togeth-
er. and from then till now they have
ever been together Through all the
migrations, conquests. movements OF
commerce and achievements of pro-
gressive industry by which the two
hemispheres have finally been dashed
side by side, and through which the
oceanic cable proclaims the near ap-
proach of the unification of all the ma
lions of the globe, the horse has been
the never failing friend and helper Of
man. The consequent affection-yes
the affection-between the two Is an
Inheritance that traces back through
countless generations to period that
ante-dates the faintest dawn of human
civilization.
Herein lies the secret of the fact
that no mechanical invention-no
heartless, lifeless, brainless machine,
incapable of understanding human
speech, or of approaching human
kindness-can now, or ever hereafter,
take the place Of that noble friend,
the very first sight Of which gladdens
the eye OF every babe that catches a
glimpse OF him.
History is crowded with examples
which go to show that while man has
achieved an ameliorating mastery
over the horse, the horse has exerted
refining influence over man. When
the splendid piebald Bucephlus died
in India from a wound received in
battle, his owner, Alexander the Great,
whom the horse had so often carried
to victory, buried him with military
honors on the banks of the Hydaspes,
and over and around the chargers
grave built city which he named
Bucephala. The semi barbarous con-
aueror, Attila, was never known to be
pleased but once, and that was when,
after being persuaded by Pope Leo I.
to let Rome alone, he mounted his
horse to permit Raphael to sketch
from life the drawing from which
that classic artist frescoed on the
walls of the vatican, an equestrian pic
tire no equal to which has ever been
produced.
4 AS to the tender feeling that rivets
/ the bonds which hold master and
irerse together Burns is an inspired
witness:
lea guild New Year / wish thee, Mag
gle.
Haze, there's ripp to thy auld baggie;
Tho thou's home-backit, now, an
maggie,
I've seen the day,
Thou could haze game like any staggie
Out-owre the lay.
4 q
Monte a sair daurk we twa hae
wrought,
An VII the weary warl' fought!
An monte an anxious day. thought
We would be beat!
i Yet here to crazy age we're brought
WI something yet.
And think ma. my auld trusty servan
That now perhaps thou's less deservin
And thy auld days may end in starvin
For my last fou" (busheD,