Year: 1869

al was well versed In the anatomy of
the horne. Loving horses from my very
childhood, there was little in veterinary
practice with which l was not familiar.
lnstinctively, as soon as the symptoms
had developed themselves and saw uL-
der what frightful disorder Guluare W as
laboriug, put my hand into my pocket
for my knife, in order to open a vein.
There UdS no knife there. Friends, have
met with many surprises More than
once in battle and scout have | beeu nigh
death; but never did my blood desert my
veins and settle so around the heart, ne ger
did such sickening sensation possess me,
as when, standing In that car with my
beautiful mare before me marked with
those horrible symptoms, l made that
discovery. My knife, my sword, my pis
tolls even, were with my suit in the care
of my friend two hundred miles away.
Hastily, and with trembling fingers,
| searched my clothes, the
lunch basket, my linen; not even a pin
could find. showed open the sliding
door, and swung my hat and shouted,
hoping tc attract some brakeman's atten.
ton. The train was laundering along at
full speed, and none saw or heard me. l
knew her stupor would not last long. A
slight quivering of the lip, an occasional
spasm running through the frame, tod me
too plainly that the stage of frenzy would
soon begin. My God exclaimed in de-
spair, as l shut the door and turned toward
her, must see you die, Gulnare, when
the opening of q vein would save youH
Have you borne me, my pet, through all
these years of peril, the icy chill of winter,
the heat and torment of summer and all
the thronging dangers of a hundred bloody
battles, only to die torn by fierce agonies,
when so near a peaceful homeP


=" But little time was given me t9mourn.
My lie was soon to be in peril, and |
must summon up the utmost power of eye
and limb to escape the violence of my
frenzied mare. Did you ever see mad
horse when his madness is on him. Take
your stand with me in that car, and you
shall see what suffering dumb creature
can endure before it dies In no malady
does horse suffer more than in phrenitis,
or Inflammation of the brain. Posi-
bly, in severe cases of collie, probably
in rabies in its tiercest form, the
pain is equally intense. These three
are the most agonizing of all the diseases
to which the noblest of animals is eX-
posed. Had my pistols been with me,
should then and there, with whatever
strength Heaven granted, taken my COM
panion's life, that she might be spared the
suffering which was soon to rack and
wiring her sensitive frame. A horse labor
ing under an attack of Phrcn- lis is as vio-
lent as a horse can be. He Is not (erocious
as is one in a fit of rabies. He may kill
his master, but he docs it without design.
There is in him no desire of mischief for
its own sake, or cruel cunning, no strata.
gem and malice. A rabid horse is conscious
in every act and motion He recognizes
the man he destroys. There is in him an
insane desire to Kill. Not so with the
phrenetic horse. He is unconscious in
his violence. He sees and recognizes no
one. There is no method or purpose in
his madness. He kills without knowing
it.


"I knew what was coming. could not
jump out, that would be certain death. l
must abide in the car, and take my chance
of life. The car was fortunately high,
long and roopy. took my position in
front of my horse, Watching, and ready to
spring. Suddenly her lids, which were
closed, came open with a snap, as if an
electric shock had passed through her, and
the eyes, wild In their brightness, stared
directly at me. And what eyes they were |
The membrane grew red and redder until
it was of the color of blood, standing out
in frightful contrast with the transparency
of the cornea. The pupil gradually di-
lated until it seemed about to burst out of
the socket The nostrils, which had been
sudden and motionless, quivered, swelled,
and glowed. The respiration became
short, quick and gasping. The limp and
dropping ears stitfened and stood erect,
pricked sharply forward, as if to catch the
slightest sound. Spasms, as the car
swerved and vibrated, ran along her frame.
More horrid than all, the lips slowly con-
tracted, and the white, shsrp-edged teeth
stood uncovered, giving an indescribable
look of ferocity to the partially opened
mouth. The car suddenly reeled as it
dashed around a curve, swaying her almost
off her feet, and, as a contortion shook her,
she recovered herself and, rearing upward
as high as the car permitted, plunged di
directly at me. was expecting the move
ment, and lodged. Then followed exhi-
bitions of pain which pray God / may
never see again, Time and again did she
dash herself upon the floor, and roll over
and over, lashing cut with her feet in all
directions. Pausing q moment, she
would stretch her body to its extreme
length, and, lying upon her side, pound
the floor with her head as if it were
maui. Then like flash she
would leap to her feet, and whirl
round and round untSl from very giddi


ness she would stagger and fall She
would lay hold of the straw with her
teeth, and shake it as dog shakes strug-
Cling woodchuck; then dashing it from
her mouth, she would seize hold of her
own sides, and rend herself Springing
up, she would rush against the end of the
car, falling all in heap from the vio-
lence of the conclusion. For some fif
teen minutes without intermission the
| frenzy lasted. / was nearly exhausted.
| My efforts to avoid her mad rushes, the
| terrible tension of my nervous system pro.
| duced by the spectacle of such exquisite
aud prolonged suffering were weakening
me beyond what should have thought it
possible an hour before for anything to
weaken me- In fact, / felt my strength
leaving me. A terror such as | never yet
felt was taking possession of my mind. |
| sickened at the sight before me, and at
the thought of agonies yet TO come. My
Cod ! exclaimed, must be killed by my
own horse in this miserable carr Even
as spoke the end came. The mare raised
herself until her shoulders touched the
roof, then dashed her body upon the
| floor with & violence which threatened
the stout frame beneath her. l leaned,
painting and exhausted against the side ol
the car. Gulnare cid not stir. She lay
motionless her breath coming and going
in lessened respirations. | tottered to


ward her, and, as stood before her, my
ear detected low gurgling sound. can


not describe the feeling that followed.


Joy and grief contended within me. ]
knew the meaning of that sound. Gal


mare. in her frenzied violence, had broken
a blood-vessel, and was bleeding internal


ly Pain and life were passing away to,
gether. knelt down by her side. laid
my head upon her shoulders, and sobbed
aloud Her body moved little beneath


me. crawled forward and lifted her


beautiful head into my lap. o, for one


more sign of recognition before she died


l smoothed the tangled masses of her


name. wiped, with fragment of my


coat, torn in the struggle, the blood


which oozed from her nOstrils. / called