Year: 1876



 The Story that MT. Lowell Narrates

 About a Horse.

 MT. Lowell, says the Philadelphia Bulletin, sends the following narrative to us for publication. We do not vouch for it's truth, but MT. Lovells address will be furnished to any reader who wishes to put him under oath:

 Last summer bought a horse. He was warranted sound and kind in har- ness, but discovered that it was very poor kind. He had an irresistible pro- pensity to blck.' He seemed to be i'm pressed with conviction that nature had put his hind legs in front and that he could see with his tail, and whenever I attempted to start him he always pro- ceeded stern foremost, until whipped him savagely, and then he would go in 8 proper manner, but suddenly, and with the air of horse who had con- viction that there was lunatic in the carriage who didn't know what he was about. One day, while we were coming down the street, the theory became 50 strong that he suddenly stopped and backed the carriage through the plate glass window of drug store. After that always hitched him up with his head toward the carriage, and then he seemed to feel better contented, only sometimes he became too sociRble, and used to put his head over the dasher and try to chew my legs or eat up the lap cover.

 Besides, the peculiar arrangement of the animal excited unpleasant remarks when I drove out, and when wanted to stop and would hitch him by the tail to 8 post, he had very disagreeable way of reaching out with his hind legs and sweeping the sidewalk whenever he saw anybody that he felt as if he would like to kick.

 He was not much of 8 saddle horse; not that he would attempt to throw his rider, but whenever a saddle was put on him it made his back itch, and he would always insist upon rubbing it against the first tree or fence or corner of house that he came to, and if he could bark the riders leg he seemed to be better contented. The last time I rode him was upon the day of Aleck Burgers wedding. I had on my best suit, and on the way to the festival there was creek to be forded. When the horse got into the middle of it he took drink, and then looked around at the scenery. Then he took another drink, and gazed again at the prospect. Then he suddenly felt tired, and lay down in the water. By the time he was sufficiently rested I was ready to go home.

 The next day he was taken sick. My hired man said it was the epizooty, and he mixed him up some turpentine in a bucket of warm feed. That night the horse had spasms, and kicked four of the best boards out of the side of the stable. Jones said that the horse hadn t the epizooty, but the botts, and that the turpentine ought to have been rubbed on the outside of him instead of going into his stomach. So we rubbed him with turpentine, and the next morning he hadn't hair on his body.

 Colonel Smith told me that if want ed to know what really ailed the horse he would tell me. It was glanders, and if he wasn't bled he would die. So the colonel bled him forme. We took away tubful, and the horse thinned down so that his ribs looked as if he had swal- lowed hoop skirt. It made him hun gry; too, for that night he ate the feed box, breeching strap and two trace chains.

 Then I sent for the horse doctor, and he said there was nothing the matter with the horse but heaves, and he left some medicine "to patch up his wind." The result was the horse coughed for two days as if he had gone into galloping consumption, and be- tween two of the coughs he kicked the hired mau through the partition and bit our black-and- tan terrier ia half.

 I thought perhaps a little exercise might improve his health, and drove him out one day, and he proceeded in such peculiar manner that was afraid he might suddenly come apart and fall to pieces. When he reached the top of White House hill, which is very steep by the side of the road, he stopped, gave sort of shudder, 'coughed cou- pie of times, kicked a fly off his near shoulder with his hind leg, and then lay down and calmly rolled over the bank. got out of the carriage before he fell and I watched him pitch clear down to the valley beneath, with the vehicled ragging after him. When wegot to him he was dead, and the man at the farmhouse close by said he had the blind staggers.

 I sold him for $8 to man who want ed to make him up into knife handles, suspender buttons and glue; and, since ride we have walked. The next time attempt to buy a horse I will get a mule.