CHAPTER III.
STAR DANCING TO MUSIC.
"O, mamma," cried Minnie, "I have had a beautiful time. Uncle Harry issuch a good teacher! And then he tells me such nice stories!"
Her cheeks rivalled the rose, and her eyes were sparkling withanimation, as she said this, while her uncle, who, unobserved by her,had followed into the parlor, said, laughingly, "I have seldom found sogood a listener. I have enjoyed the ride myself exceedingly. Come here,Minnie, and I will relate to you an amusing anecdote which I read ashort time ago.
"In Persia, where they have splendid horses, all persons of the leastdistinction ride on horseback, and scarcely any one will deign to go theshortest distance on foot. The anecdote is related by a celebratedpomologist, concerning a horse employed in his nurseries for overfifteen years. His name was Old Charley. I was so much interested in theaccount of his sagacity, that I went to see him. The good animal wasused for ploughing between lines of trees from three feet and a half tofour feet apart, and moved with such precision and care as to run theplough and cultivator as near as possible to the trees, without everhitting or injuring one of them. His owner told me Old Charley would gostraight between the lines, turning at the end without any motion orword from the driver, with as much accuracy and skill as any human beingcould display, and without stepping over, or entangling his feet in, thetraces in any manner whatever."
STAR DANCING TO MUSIC. Page 53.]
After dinner, Minnie, in company with her mother and their visitors,went to the stable to try the effect of music on her favorite. She hadscarcely struck a note, when he stopped eating, and began to move hisfeet rapidly, as if he were trying to dance.
Even the gentleman was surprised at this display, and declared that thepony must have been trained to do this by his former owner, while Minniebecame so much excited that she could scarcely control herself.
Mr. Henry Lee took the instrument himself, and found that the horsereally had an idea of time, as the faster he played, the quicker werethe pony's movements. As soon as he stopped, the animal quietly went onmunching his oats.
When her father returned from the city, Minnie ran to meet him, andrelate the wonderful feats of her pet. To gratify her, he walked to thestable to see the operation repeated.
"Music has a wonderful influence on horses," he remarked, as they werereturning to the house, "especially martial music."
"Do you remember the case of the old war-horse, Solus?" inquired hisbrother.
"Yes; and Minnie would like to hear it."
The gentleman playfully patted her head, as he related the followinganecdote:--
"Many years ago, an assistant of the contractors on a new turnpike usedto ride to the field of labor a horse which had long carried a fieldofficer, and who, though aged, still possessed a good deal of spirit.One day he was passing a large town where volunteers were at drill, onthe Common. The moment Solus heard the drum, he leaped the fence, andwas speedily at his old post, heading the drill, occupied by thecommanding officer on parade.
"The young rider, dreadfully mortified, could not induce the horse toleave his honorable position till the volunteers left for the town; but,to the great amusement of the bystanders, headed all their manoeuvres,prancing in true military style, as well as his stiffened limbs wouldallow him, much to the annoyance of the assistant, who did not feel veryhighly honored by Solus making a colonel of him against his will."
The company all laughed at this story, which Mrs. Lee said reminded herof the effects of a trumpet on some captured horses, of which she hadread.
"It seems," she went on, "that in the early part of this century, theTyrolese captured fifteen horses belonging to the Bavarian troops sentagainst them, and mounted them with fifteen of their own men, in orderto go out again against the same troops. But no sooner did these horseshear the sound of their own trumpet, and recognize the uniform of theirold friends, than they dashed forward at full speed, and, in spite ofall the efforts of their riders, bore them into the ranks, anddelivered them up as prisoners to the Bavarians."
"That was rather a mortifying defeat," suggested uncle Harry, "and onlyproves my theory correct, that horses are very susceptible to kindtreatment, and have a wonderful memory, often recognizing their oldmasters after a separation of years."
"Harry, do you remember father's old black horse?" asked his brother.
"Of course I do; and the mile I ran for the doctor, when she snuffedthat long brier up into her nose. I never saw father more alarmed. Afterhe pulled the brier out, there was a whole pailful of blood, whichfrightened old Blackey so much that they were obliged to blindfold her.
"Poor creature! her afflictions followed thick and fast, for she hadscarcely recovered from this, when the plank floor gave way in thestable, and she broke her leg.
"Father hated to part with her, but at last gave her to a man to use onhis farm, who he knew would treat her kindly. He did not see her againfor three years; but as soon as she heard his voice, when he was walkingtoward her in the pasture, she came quickly toward him, neighing withpleasure, and put her head lovingly on his shoulder. Then she turnedround and looked at her colt, as if she wanted to introduce them."
"She was a splendid animal in her prime," rejoined Mr. Lee. "I haveheard father say that she would travel off hour after hour, ten miles tothe hour, without the spur or the whip; indeed, I never knew him to usethe whip but once. Somehow, she got a habit of not standing quietlywhile he was getting into the chaise and preparing to start. One day shewas unusually restive, when he told the man to go to the barn and bringa whip.
"Blackey knew what it meant, and, before a blow was struck, trembledfrom head to foot. Father cut across the back two smart blows, whichproved so effectual a cure that she never troubled him afterward."
"There is no animal more susceptible to kind treatment," remarked uncleHarry. "I imagine half the obstinacy and unruly conduct of some horsesis the result of cruelty and mismanagement. I can recall to mind at thismoment a sad illustration of the latter course.
"A man near Boston used to catch his horse by taking to the field aquantity of corn in a measure. On calling to him, the horse would comeup and eat the corn, while the bridle was put over his head. But theowner having deceived the animal several times by holding out themeasure when it had no corn in it, the animal at length began to suspectthe design. Coming up one day as usual, he looked into the measure, andfinding it empty, turned round, reared on his hind legs, and, strikingwith his fore feet, killed his master."
"That was indeed a fearful punishment for his deception," returned Mrs.Lee. "It reminds me of an anecdote I read lately, of a horse belongingto an Irish nobleman, who became restive and furious whenever a certainindividual came into its presence.
"One day, when this poor fellow happened to pass within its reach, theanimal seized him with its teeth, and broke his arm. It then threw himdown, and lay on him, when, every effort to get it off provingineffectual, they were compelled to shoot it. Afterward the fact wasdiscovered that the man had performed a cruel operation on the horsesome time before, which it had never forgiven."
"I know," responded her husband, "that such cases have occurred, showinga spirit of revenge on the part of the animal; but I believe them to berare, compared to the instances of gratitude for kindness.
"Professor Kruger, of Halle, relates a pleasing incident of thischaracter. 'A friend of mine,' he says, 'was one dark night riding homethrough a wood, and had the misfortune to strike his head against thebranch of a tree, and fell from his horse, stunned by the blow. Theanimal, who was greatly attached to his master, immediately returned tothe house which they had left, about a mile distant. He found the doorclosed, and the family gone to bed. He pawed at the door, till one ofthem, hearing the noise, arose and opened it, and, to his surprise, sawthe horse of his friend.
"'No sooner was the door opened, than the horse turned round, and ledthe man directly to the spot where his master lay in a fainting fit.'"
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