A Horse's Tale

AM onl y a bfokendowa night herdio horse; which Is as low down in the scalo of cquinity as one can get. My brethren of the day herdlcs are poor enough, but we of tho night are many times worse off. Ah I You have no idea of what I suffer I Truel I amwellfed; that is nocessary to kecpmealive;but O, tho weariness when I am sent ont with a big herdio attachcd to me, which I am obliged to drag, up-hiü and down, mileaiter mile ; till the gray dawn break ia the East and I am at last turnad towards my stable. My[drivers aro all in a hui ry; they never seem to think that I have any feoling; it is a continuous trot-trot-trot ; and if, irom shocr weakness, I drop into a walk, crack goes the cruel wUp, and Iiagain struggle on, though it seems as ii my heart would burst. I have iome little rest ■when we wait by the curb-stone íor a passenger, but it never is a long one. My lot seems harder when I remember that I was not born to such degrading toil; íor I camo 0Í good stock. How my mind reveis in delight when I think of my coltish days. ' I can not say how long ago they were; I have passed through somariy hands that measure oí time is blotted irom mv recollection; then, again, I have heard so many different versions of my ago that even a more able intellect than mine might be coniused. I have heard men say, in the morning, that I was fourteen- that was when they wcre fcuying me- and in the evening affirm with the strongest oaths, that I was rising six. My coltish days do not seem so far off. I f emember them well ; whenever I think of them I feel like kicking up my heels as I used to, in the oíd pasture at homo ; but I know that it would only bring me an extra cut of the whip, so I keep on thinking till I imagino mysclf in the old field, nibbling the soft, green grass or drinking f rom the clear brook that flowed through, the grove of trees intho corner. Ah I thosp were happy days 1 I was ths pet of the household ; how well I remember the childron who would pat mo on the nose or ride on my back, whon held there by my master. Every one said that I was a promising colt. I remember when I was only two years old oí hearing my master refuse fivo hundred dollars íor me. I camo of the best blue-grass stock, and muoh was expected of mo as a raeer. I don't look much like it now, but the though t that X havo como to my present state, through no fault of mine, allows me to take pleasure, in tho remembrarlo; of my former prowess. As a three-year-old I was champion oí Kentueky, and many a sharp tussle I had to uphold my honors. Onenight I was standing by the bars en joying the cool breezes víhicb. blew irom the t river. Suddenly I heard a rush and a clatter, 'and up tho road camo a norse on the gallop. He was covcred with foam and panting for breath. The rider drew up before the house and, without dismounting, shouted my master' s name. Lights fiashed in the window and my master camo to the door with a gun in his hand. After a careful scenting through tho half-opened shutter he came out on the porch. "What is tho matter, Jackt" he said. "No tune to waste, Ked," answered'th stranger. "Young Bowers and his gang have been at my house. Jones heard them laying a plot to kill your brother and his family. They started by the Foxboro road half anhour ago." "My God I what will 1 do? exclaimed my master, "that murderous gang won't leave one of them alive ; they have had it against Jbhn ever since he shot old Bowera ■ íor stcaling his "norse. "VVhat can I do? " Take the colt, he'll gt you thero beiore the gang." My master shook his head. " I am afrald it can't be done Jack ; it is twenty miles by Itawlsboro pike, the nearest way I can go, and only fifteen by the Foxboro; besidet they have had a half hour start." "Well, forGod's sake, man, try it any way ! Don't waste time talkin t; about it." "You are right, Jack, the colt must show his metüe to-night." Howmy heart beats with pride, as my master vaultcd on my buck, and we rushed off into tho darkness t My lúnbs üiigled with strength as I dashed ahead in a long, swinging galiop. I neighed with delight, as I iolt the oool air víbrate ngainst my skin. Twenty miles ! What was that lo me, the fastest colt in Kentucky. On and oa we wenk .! Tho moon had just risen over the trees, casting a faint light on the road ahcad. My master did not think of ambuscades ; his only thought was to pret over the ground as soou as possible. The first ten miles were Uke playing to me ; alter that my muscles iid not seem so pliable; tho cxhilirating strength I ielt at starting was gone; butl still kfpt on, for I know that life and death dependüd on me. Tho shadows shot by us rapidly. I began to pant a littlc; if I could rest a minute to draw one full Iree breath ! but no, each minute mcans distructior I sralloned on witli all the utroneth I could command; but not rast enougn ror my master. He struck me with his whip again andagain. O, how my hGart s wolled I What, whipped? I who had ne ver bef ore ielt the degrading lash; And whipped when I was training every energyi O, the shamo of itl BtiU on I rushed, though my breath was coming shorter and shorter and my limbs becoming stifferand stilter. Giveupnow! Neverl Therewas the house only half a müe away. One grand cffort anjl we ara Vhere! A bloody mist swam before my eyes, a rtnging was in my ears, butlkepton; ior there, coming down the Foxboro road, w could dimly sec a band of men. One mor cruel blow of the whip, one convulsiva bound and I was in the iuclosure before Uta house : thon all was a blaak. ' 15ut my iraliop had not been In valn. ' As"J tcarncd aitorward the Bower gang had been beaten badly. How long I lay there I do not know, but when I became consciou I found mytcll unable oven to raiso my head f rom the ground. Soon my master, his brothtr and a stranger carne to my tide. "A noble animal," said the stranger. " He has saved your lives by the acriflce oí his own." 11 Tes," responded my matter' s brother, " there lies as pood a colt as evtr stepped in Kentuclry. Ned, yon shall have By twoyear-old in his place; he is no such colt as this, but ho may turn out well." " AU rient. John. I am natUfled." Not on e ■vford f rom my master or hls brother of what l had suffered ior their sakes. I could not rcsist a íaint groan oí protest. "Ahí he U i'sot dead, after all," exclsimed the stranger, kneeling down at my head. " Pour some brandy down his throat ; he ivill como round all right aíter a ! while." " Here you are," sald my master, fcandinR tho stranger a fiask; " butwhat's the use! He may come round, but he will never be able to race again. íí he lires I will be glad to get fiity dollars for him, tboujjh ycstcrday I would have reíused a thousand." How I suffered at these words I The ngratitude pierced my heart; and the suggestion that I would never agaia be able to run ohilled my very soul. Wht, nerer i again to feel the wild exhilaration of a mad gallopt . Kever ftgsin to he&r the valnly-faUmg hooi-boats of my deioatod competitoral , I groaned in anguijh. "Thefeherse i not mine," satd th ; stranger;." but if any animal bad made uoh ando íor me I would as loon teil him, when to was taken do Vu , ai part wit h one of my children I ■ No', ho hould have, ever aiter, the largeit tall and the finest lood my stablei eooUUfBord. " I licked hU -hand m a token of my eratitude. i 1 wai taken home, bnt my maiter' s word wera provad true; and he lold me fer a paltry mm. I thall never forget that partin g; the bildren cried bitUrly, and the mother horielt wiped away a fevr teari, when my matter was not looking. I passed throngh many hands, and have ! had many itrange ezperiences. Borne of theie I may teil you at ánother time, but not now. Here (omes a passenger ; I knew him well; oftft nare I carried him home to hU ! unhappy wife when his own unsteady limbr 1 wcre unable U bear bim.