SADDLING THE RIGHT HORSE.
While the hunting Season lasts sub-editors of Country newspapers lay their scissors on anecdotes of horseflesh, and snip out for their readers as many equine tales as they have vacant corners for. Here is one, for instance, which was copied lately in the Herefordshire Times, and which doubtless interested readers in that district much more than the questions, Will there be a Congress? and if so, Who will go to it?
“Eccentricity of the Horse.- In 1806, during the campaign of Austerlitz, a Piedmontese officer possessed a beautiful and in other respects a most serviceable mare, but which one peculiarity rendered at times exceedingly dangerous for the saddle; she had a decided aversion to paper. which she immediately recognised the moment she saw it; and even in the dark, of one or who leaves were rubbed together, the effect produced by the sight or sound of it was so prompt and so violent, that in many cases she unhorsed her rider; and in one case, his foot being entangled in the stirrup, she dragged him a considerable way over a stony road. In other respects this mare had not the slightest fear of objects that would terrify most horses. She regarded not the music of the band, the whistling of the balls, the roaring of the cannon, the fire of the bivouacs, or the glittering of arms. The confusion and noise of an engagement made no impression upon her: the light of no other white object affected her; no other sound was regarded; the view or the rustling of paper alone roused her to madness. All possible means were employed to cure her of this extraordinary aberration, but without success; and her master was as length compelled to sell her, as his life was continual danger.”
Of course we no more doubt the truth of this narrative than we do that of the tale about the horse of Baron Munchausen, which we are told was cut in two by the fall of a portcullis, and was sewed up with some laurel twigs, which grew into an arbour, under shade of which the Baron could sit in pleasant coolness in the hottest of his fights. To us the only doubt that hangs upon this horse-tale is whether or no the story is not meant to be an allegory. From the statement that the animal showed so “decided an aversion to paper” we can’t help fancying that the creature which is said to have been a horse must in true reality, have been a printer’s hack.
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