THE OLD SOLDIEE. 323 



She was seated in the chaise, looking at the 

 manoeuvres, when her horse suddenly bolted, and 

 to her great terror made straight for a cavalry regi- 

 ment which was on the ground. The horse had 

 heard a sound which he knew, and which she, owing 

 to her deafness, did not hear, and would not have 

 understood if she had heard it. 



It was a call from the cavalry bugle, one of the 

 preparatory orders before a charge. The command- 

 ing officer saw the state of things, opened out his 

 men right and left, and in dashed the horse to his 

 right place. He took the correct alignment, and 

 stood ready for the next order, which followed 

 immediately. 



The cavalry charged, and so did the old lady, the 

 horse being in the proper place, she and the chaise 

 being in the rear. The horse would not leave the 

 regiment, and his mistress would not leave the chaise, 

 and throughout the manoeuvres, horse, old lady, and 

 chaise did their part, the horse knowing the bugle 

 calls as well as any of the men, though so many 

 years had elapsed since he had heard them. 



When the review was over, the delighted officers 

 thronged round the old horse, and begged to be 

 allowed to buy him and keep him as a regimental 

 pet for the rest of his days. His mistress, however, 

 refused to part with him, and so she kept the old 



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