Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 June 1895 — An Affectionate Family Horse. [ARTICLE]

An Affectionate Family Horse.

Perhaps a good deal of the Listener's personal love for horses is traceable back to a single incident of his early childhood. At the age of six he once mounted Old Rosy (the term “old” at that time was merely one of endearment, for the mare was not us old as the boy) to ride to a neighbor's. The mare was fat and sleek, and so was the boy; her back was so round that her spine was a little hollow Instead of a projection. On this glossy round back was no saddle, not even a blanket; the fat little boy’s short legs simply stuck out into the air on either side. The greuter part of the journey had been achieved, and the boy and mare were returning homeward, when, In going down a slope, Rosy Inadvertently began to trot; and the boy, having no king of anchorage, begaq to slide forward upon tfie mare’s neck. Upon that he lgt go the bjjdly, hugged tha heck and Screamed. Not kn'owirfg quite what this performance meant, Rosy continued to trot placidly down the hill, and the boy continued to slide. Doubtless she thought it was somo new kind of boy's play. At last ho slid clear over her jjead, and rolled upon the ground. The mare must have eased the fall for him by ducking her neck slowly, and she certainly kept her feet entirely clear of him. He simply rolled into the ditch by the side of the road, quite unhurt but boo-hoolng lustily. And then comes the pretty port of the story. The young mare did not go on ten steps after tho small boy rolled off her neck, but stoppod turned back, came down to the screaming child nosed him affectionately, and, as he will swear to his dying day, comforted him as best she could. She showed him that the bridle reins were hanging down within his reach. Under such an influence the boy of six—which is an age, It is scarcely needful to say, when few Boston boys are intrusted with tho management of a horse—stopped weoplng, got up, took hold of the bridle, and refioctlngly led the mare homo.