Year: 1861

of ones own. So frequent had
been the discussions of the subject,
that ordering out the family hack
had become the Ell Dorado of our
childish dreams. How to possess
ourselves of the animal was q prob
|1emof difficult solution. Hitherto
there had been no appointed con-
sultation, though we generally fell
to talking of the matter when to-
gether, but in an abstract manner,
as one talks of the prospects of ae-
rial navigation; at length father
brought the crisis one dull, drizzly
evening, by crying out to mother,
as he threw off his overcoat, after
a long walk, to attend a vexatious
patient-Mother, let's decide about
the horse tonight With the
word decide, the horse seemed lost
to us; the possibility of buying him,
always so small, shrank to nothing;
speculation had kept him in pros
pect, but decision-our little hearts
went down with a pang, and Tom,
who had many times clambered
upon his back in fancy, felt doom
ed to everlasting pedestrianism.


Now that the subject was fairly
in hand, dear mother brought forth
the usual remonstrances in her
usual meek voice, to which father
opposed the ever-ready and inais-
putable plea, that rising profes'
sional man ought to risk as much
as a business man.


Well, the horse was to be had,
but how, was still unanswered, and
with renewed energies we consult
ed how we might curtail necessa-
ries for this one luxury, how we
might be uncomfortable and eco
nomical indoors, that we might
be comfortable and extravagant
out of doors. First, it was pro-
posed to dispense with the little
maid of all work, general overseer
of pots and kettles, and scrubbing-
brushes, she, to whom soap-suds
seemed an essential; she, who was
always ready to take up the baby
when he was put down, always in
trim for the front door; the very
enumeration of her capabilities dis
mayed us. So the little maid could
not be spared, but we comforted
ourselves with the thought that
the little she cost us wouldn't have
kept the horse in oats; to be sure,
as mother says, 1T was shameful to
have a young thing working so for
a pittance;' but then, everybody
did it, and we were no worse than
our neighbors. Father declared
for an indefinite course of self
denial and economy, to be prac-
tised on every possible occasion,
without any fixed, premeditated
plan, to which we all pledged our
selves, and in accordance with
which Tom and l, in hasty zeal,
deposited a dollar the fruit Of three
months boarding for a magic Ian
tern,) for the future victualling of
the horse, that was to be. and turn
ed our faces bedward, our little
breasts swelling with the spirit of
self-sacrifce.


Despite a little hoard of worldly
maxims with which father usually
prefaced his transactions, he was
one of the most unworldly of men,
and his intended purchase was no
sooner rumored than every unser-
viceable nag in town was fitted out
for his inspection.


1t was less than week after the
consultation, that father went out
with an important business look in
his face, after impressing upon
US the truth that appearances
are not sure guides to worth, and
that, especially in the matter OF
horses, a sorry-looking beast might
be capable Of great speed, great
endurance, and Of being made quite
attractive enough to the eye, for
such a sober family as ourselves.
That the horse was coming home
there was no doubt, and in accord
ance with fathers remarks, we
moderated our anticipations till we
believed ourselves ready for any
thing that went on four legs, and
was larger than q dog.


But our most vivid imagination
fell short of the dilapidated animal
that made his appearance with
father. Tom named him Barebones
at once, and Margaret, who was a
triAe literary, declared he had as
many "points" as Rozinate. Ever
since the horse had been mention
ed I had been secretly planning for
a side-saddle and riding habit,
wherewith 1 was to ride through
town in queenly style, to the exces-
sive envy of my most dangerous
rival for the attentions of a certain
oont;vatinp youth, who made much