d, England, and
regularly attended the markets there, was returning home one evening,
and being somewhat tipsy, rolled off his saddle into the middle of the
road. His horse stood still; but after remaining patiently for some
time, and not observing any disposition in the rider to get up and
proceed further, he took him by the collar and shook him. This had
little or no effect, for the farmer only gave a grumble of
dissatisfaction at having his repose disturbed. The animal was not to be
put off with any such evasion, and so applied his mouth to one of his
master's coat laps, and after several attempts, by dragging at it, to
raise him upon his feet, the coat lap gave way.

"Three persons, who witnessed this extraordinary proceeding, then went
up and assisted him in mounting his horse, putting the one coat lap into
the pocket of the other, when he trotted off, and safely reached home.
This horse is deservedly a favorite with his master, and engages in
gambols with him like a dog."

"How old is your new horse, Frank?" inquired his brother George.

"Nine years. Just in his prime; and, with good care, will last for
twenty years to come."

Mr. Gordon laughed. "Twenty years!" he repeated, incredulously.

"I think," answered the captain, "it a mistake to suppose a horse is not
fit for service much after he is twelve or fourteen years old. If he is
used as he ought to be, and has good care, he will last well twenty, or
even thirty years. The charger of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, which was
wounded in the battle of Alexandria, afterwards died at Malta. On the
stone erected there in commemoration of its services, the age of
thirty-six is inscribed.

"And in 1790, there was alive near Haddington, in England, a Shetland
pony which had been in battle in 1745, whose age was forty-seven years."

"No doubt there are such cases," answered the gentleman, "but they are
rare in this country. I suppose we give our horses too much to do."

"Yes, that is it; and too little care. No animal so richly repays the
attention bestowed upon him as the horse."

CHAPTER VI.

THE BLIND HORSE.

The next day, Minnie was walking through the grounds with her uncle,
while Tiney and Fidelle were following at her heels, when the
express-man drove into the yard. He had a cage, as Minnie called it, in
his wagon, and she ran eagerly to see what it contained. How great was
her delight to see a goat, and two cunning little kids, cuddling down
on the