The Mena weekly star., 1913-12-04
MISPLACED CONFIDENCE. TURNS LOVE TO SCORN
Enthusiastic Lover of Mans Faith ful Friend. the Horse, Tells How a Life's Faith Was Shattered.
To the Editor of The Star:


 To the Editor of The Star:
 We read recently a tribute 10 the horse which was very beautiful that is, the words were beautiful. But for the life of us we couldn't become enthusiastic over the sub- ject.
 Twas not ever thus. Time was when wf loved horses. We con- sidered them mans best friend, and could talk half day about the noble beasts.
 One Sunday. at the height of our love for horses, we strolled out in the country, hoping to get an oppor- tunity to study the horse in his native lair Approaching a farm house, we observed what appeared to be an ancient specimen hitched to the fence. On it's back was a more ancient saddle. Our heart went out to that horse. Here was one of the noble animals grown old in the service of man. Too old to blow. it was now used to bear ifs master on his Sunday visits. Senator Vest could have made a speech on that.
 While We were thus musing, an old man came out of the house.
 Want to buy her?" he asked
 This made our blood boil Want ing to sell the animal after it had grown old in his service. Heartless wretch
 "Mebbe ye'd like t ride her." he said.
 We replied that We had never rid den on a horse. but if he didn't Ob- ject we'd ride a little way up the road and back. We had often seen people ride horseback, and being of an observant nature. were satisfied we knew how it was done. All one had to do was to sit upright and hold the reins.
 "Eustice is gittin' sorter old, so be gentle with her" the owner eau toned
 That was useless talk. as we hat too much respect for horses, anC especially one of Eustice's age. tC harm a hair of their he-of them.
 So we mounted by means of the handle hanging to Eustice's saddle
 As remarked before. the saddle or Eustice was an ancient affair The leather was worn off the horn and left nothing but a piece of steel
 Get up. Eustice," We remarked gently. once we were aboard. Eustice hesitated a fraction of a moment. and then did gel up straight up We got up as quick as Eustice did, and considerably high CT. Then began the descent. We were just ready to land back in the saddle when Eustice began another ascent. She shifted slightly South however and we landed amidships on what should have been the sad dle horn. Up we went-Eustice anC I-again. She beat Us down again This time Eustice shifted to the North before beginning another as- cent, and when she and I met next I hit the back of the saddle. Thi: became quite regular, with n; showing no partiality between tho front and back of the saddle. There were about four hundred ascen- sions. each followed quickly by g descent. This was due 10 gravity
 All things must end. however, anC after a while we heard a dull thud and looking about found ourselve: in a briar patch some distance from where Eustice stood.
 Our faith in horsekind was Shak- en. Also we were shaken. We los all respect for Eustice. She hat plebian blood in her. No perfecI lady-horse would act that way 1T the presence of total stranger. w. had never seen her before-n0l since. Should We meet EuStice 1T public today We would coldly pass her by. There are some things onC cant forget.
 As we were sadly making our way to town. an acquaintance came hN and offered us a seat in his wagon We accepted the ride, but told oul friend we were studying Nature anC preferred to stand in the rear ot the wagon. When we returned tC our work the next day we got the foreman to give us something to dC that required standing. We have several excellent essays tributes and poems on the horse which will be sold at bargain.