PIBE HORSES. 251 



back in the old place, where he still remains in full 

 employment. He is reckoned to be seventeen years 

 old, and he has a contemporary, also a hose horse, 

 who entered the department in the same year. 



This is Grief, so named because of his melancholy 

 aspect. He has a way of standing with his fore legs 

 wide apart, his head hanging down between, and a 

 doleful expression of the face. A visitor, who saw 

 him once in this attitude, remarked that he would 

 make a good " image of Grief," and the name seemed 

 so appropriate that it was adopted by common consent. 

 " Grief " is duly inscribed in large letters over his 

 stall, and as Grief he is known through the depart- 

 ment and to all the neighbors. Grief is a remarkable 

 horse ; in color a rich mottled brown, and in shape 

 much resembling the other old horses already de- 

 scribed. He has a massive, well formed shoulder, 

 strong, straight fore legs, powerful hind quarters (too 

 long a cannon-bone, however), a good neck, slightly 

 arched, a rather intelligent, clean-cut head, but mulish 

 ears. His peculiarity is a philosophical, phlegmatic 

 disposition. He has a hearty appetite and a sound 

 digestion, but he never shows the least impatience for 

 his meals. Other horses paw and neigh when they 

 hear the premonitory rattle of the oat-box, but Grief 

 never betrays the least sign of curiosity or of interest. 

 The children of the vicinity often come to this house 

 to give the horses candy, and the span of bays who 

 draw the engine always recognize their benefactors, 

 and will follow them about the stable. But Grief, 

 though glad enough to be fed, never takes the slightest 

 notice of any visitor beyond swallowing what is of- 

 fered to him. He sleeps a great deal, ruminates still 



