CHAPTER II.
HORSE GOING TO CHURCH.
When Minnie was in her ninth year, her father's brother and wife madethem a visit. This gentleman was exceedingly fond of horses, and a goodjudge of their excellences.
Minnie was eager to exhibit her pony, and invited her uncle to thestable for that purpose.
When they went to that part of the building where his stall was, thelamb was quietly feeding by the side of her friend; but as soon as sheheard a strange voice, she ran under the pony for protection, and poppedher head out between his hind feet.
The gentleman laughed heartily at their strange appearance, but after acareful examination of her pet, told her she might well be proud of him,as he had very good points, and was in every way a capital littlefellow.
"You must make the most of your uncle Harry," exclaimed her fathermerrily. "He is an inveterate story-teller, and can give you any amountof information about horses, ponies, &c."
"O, I'm so glad!" cried Minnie, laughing and clapping her hands. "I loveto hear stories so dearly!"
"I'm going to try the black mare," said the gentleman. "What do you sayto riding with me on the pony?"
"May I, mamma? Please let me," urged the child.
"I have not the slightest objection; my dear."
"Come, then, and I will tell you stories to your heart's content."
They were soon on their way, when, after giving her a few hints aboutholding her reins, he began:--
"There was once a pony mare which had a young colt. They were put tograze in a field adjoining the River Severn, where there was richpasturage. One day the pony made its appearance before the gentleman'shouse to whom she belonged, and, by clattering with her feet and othergestures, drew his attention. A person being sent out, she immediatelygalloped off through various gates all broken down, occasionallyglancing back to be sure she was followed.
"They soon came to a field, through which she passed directly for a spotin the river, over which she hung with a mournful look, and there thecolt was found drowned."
"O, how sorry she must have been!" exclaimed Minnie. "I suppose shethought her master could bring the colt to life again."
"I'll tell you another, and a more lively story," said uncle Harry,smiling.
"A noble gentleman in France, called Monsieur de Boussanelle, captain ofcavalry in the royal regiment, tells about a horse belonging to hiscompany, which was disabled by age from eating his hay or oats. Thishorse was fed for two months by a couple of his companions on his rightand left, who ate with him. Perceiving his infirmity, they drew the hayout of his rack, chewed it, and then put it before their aged comrade.They prepared his oats for him in the same way."
"I like those horses, they were so kind," urged Minnie. "I hope, uncle,you have a great many stories as good as that."
The gentleman smiled archly, and then proceeded.
"The island of Krutsand, which is formed by two branches of the Elbe,is frequently laid under water, during the time of the spring tides. Inthe early part of the year 1794, the water one day rose so rapidly thatthe horses, which were grazing in the plain with their colts, suddenlyfound themselves standing in deep water; upon which they all set up aloud neighing, and collected themselves as closely together aspossible.
"They now seemed to consult together what measures to take to save thecolts, that were standing up to the belly in the flood, and soondetermined upon a singular course, when some old mares, which had nocolts, assisted them in carrying it out.
"The method they adopted was this: Every two horses took a colt betweenthem, and pressing their sides together, kept it wedged in and liftedquite above the surface of the water.
"All the horned cattle in the vicinity had already set themselvesafloat, and were swimming in regular columns toward their homes. Butthese noble mares, with wonderful perseverance, remained immovable undertheir cherished burden for the space of six hours, till, the tideebbing, the water subsided, and the colts were out of danger."
"The inhabitants, who had rowed to the place in boats, viewed withdelight this singular manoeuvre, whereby their valuable colts were savedfrom destruction."
"How very curious!" exclaimed Minnie, gravely; "but I don't see how theycould get the colts up in their places without some one to lift them."
The gentleman laughed as he assured her that mares who were intelligentenough to make such a plan could easily manage that part. "Do yousuppose," he asked, "that your pony understands any thing you say to himmore than the tones of your voice?"
"O, no, uncle!"
"And yet," he said, "a true blood horse, when at liberty, when two ormore persons are conversing, will approach and seem to listen to theconversation. Even the common farm horse is quite obedient to the callof his own name, and will not stir, when desired to stand, until his ownname is pronounced.
"They have a kind of reason, too. I have seen a horse who, in ploughing,would walk very steadily toward the directing pole, and halt when hishead had reached it. I knew of another horse who seemed to have a justidea of time, and calculated it so correctly, that he always neighedabout ten minutes before the time of ceasing work, whether in summer orwinter."
"I don't see how he could do that, uncle Harry."
"Horses are very susceptible to music," he went on. "I owned a horseonce who would stop eating, and listen attentively with pricked, movingears, and steady eyes, the instant he heard the note low G; and I knewof another that was similarly affected by a high note."
Minnie laughed, as she said, "I mean to try my pony just as soon as Iget home."
"I dare say, if you were to take your accordeon to the stable, he wouldbe delighted. I have watched many of these noble animals on the militaryfield, and there is no doubt they are pleased with martial music.
"I remember hearing of an experiment made in the year 1829, on some ofthe Duke of Buckleuch's hunters. A gentleman went toward them in thefield, but they were shy of his approach, as he was a stranger, andslowly retreated, till he sounded a small musical instrument, called amouth AEolian harp. On hearing this, they immediately erected their headsand turned round. On his sounding it again, they approached nearer,when he began to retreat, and they to advance. Having gone over apaling, one of the horses came up to him, putting its mouth close to hisbreast, seeming delighted with the music which he continued to produce.As the other horses were coming up, apparently to follow the example oftheir more confident comrade, the gentleman retired.
"As you like stories so well," he added, archly, "I must tell you aboutthe first horse I ever owned. My brother Frank gave him to me before hewent to sea; and a splendid fellow he was, too. He was a perfect mousecolor, with an arching neck, and a handsome, black, flowing mane. I wasliving at home then, and we always used him to carry us to church.
"I believe Duke knew as well as I did when Sunday came, for heregularly walked up from the pasture where he was grazing, in time to beharnessed, though he never did this any other day. Once it happened thatfather and mother were both ill, so that none of us went to church; butat the usual time Duke came trotting to the door, where he stood for afew minutes neighing frequently and looking anxiously toward the house,and then trotted off a mile and a half to church by himself. Severalpersons saw him going up into the yard, and walking demurely into theshed while the bell was ringing, and there he stood quietly until theservice was through, when he came home again, just as I was going out tofind him."