256 HORSE AND MAN. 



went over a large portion of the premises, finishing 

 with the stables. 



In one of them a horse was tied up. Waterton 

 cut the halter into little bits, laid them on the floor, 

 and said nothing. About five next morning the 

 bailiff passed a very unpleasant quarter of an 

 hour. ' Please zur, I thowt,' began the bailiff. ' You 

 thowtl You thowt! Nobody thinks here but me,' 

 returned Waterton, and with a stern warning sent 

 him out of the room, not letting him say another 

 word. 



The following letter, addressed to the ' Field ' 

 newspaper of June 20, 1877, put the bearing-rein 

 and blinker question in a very amusing but forcible 

 summary. 



' Sir, — I think there is a great deal of nonsense 

 written about this bearing-rein business. 



' The facts of the case seem to be as follows : 



' Horses are naturally very stupid animals ; they 

 can neither carry their heads nor their tails in a 

 proper manner, neither can they make a proper use 

 of their eyes, therefore it is necessary that they should 

 be taught the proper use of them. 



' Now a horse naturally wishes to see the ground 

 in order that he may not tread on anything likely to 

 make him tumble down. But we make our roads so 

 smooth that there is no necessity for his seeing them, 



