98 Talk to your Horse. 



your arms to pull her down to a walk, whereas a 

 simple turn of the wrist, or a low-spoken word, 

 should suffice. 



By the way, always indulge in the habit of 

 talking to your horse. You have no idea of how 

 much he will understand. And if he is in the 

 habit of listening for your words, and of paying 

 heed to what you say, he will be vastly more obe- 

 dient as well as companionable. Patroclus and I 

 often settle very knotty questions on the road. 

 We think we helped elect Cleveland. And I 

 must confess that occasionally a passer-by fancies 

 that I am talking to myself, whereas, if he but 

 knew the meaning of Patroclus' lively ears, he 

 would see what a capital comrade I have, and 

 one, moreover, who, like one's favorite book, is 

 never impertinent enough to answer back, or flout 

 you with excessive wisdom. It is certainly a very 

 pleasant study to see how many words or phrases 

 a horse can learn the meaning of, and act intelli- 

 gently when he hears them. 



XXXII. 



What, then, shall you do first in the way of 

 education ? Well, let us see. As Nelly has been 

 broken to harness, she can probably only walk 

 and trot. You, yourself, seem to stick fairly well 

 to the saddle. But how about your own position? 

 Your leathers are a trifle long. They should be 



