AGRICULTURE AND THE HORSE. 359 



as enduring as he was fleet, as useful as he was orna- 

 mental, strong at the plough and untiring on the road, 

 vigorous, hardy, and cheerful, an honor to his race, and 

 a credit to his owner. Mr. Osgood's acres and his 

 household increased together. His family smiled all 

 around him within doors, and his farm smiled all around 

 him without. His wife — a comely, industrious, intelli- 

 gent, sweet-voiced woman ; such a wife as can only be 

 developed under the sunlight of a manly and kind and 

 considerate and generous husband ; such a wife as 

 only such a husband can have in all her attributes, the 

 mother of many sons and daughters — kept his house- 

 hold in neatness and good order, and cherished within 

 that home all the virtues and economies which make 

 home sweet and dignified. He had no political am- 

 bition, had never been engaged in "public service," 

 had no "honorable " prefixed to his name ; but he went 

 to church, sent his children to the best schools, paid 

 his taxes without complaining, and had offered up one 

 of the best and bravest of his boys on the altar of his 

 country, — a far-off, unknown grave holding the sacred 

 ashes, while the father and mother carried calmly and 

 patiently the great sorrow in their hearts. 



When Mr. Jones had seated himself, after his star- 

 tling address, Mr. Osgood, who, having been prosperous 

 himself, felt moved to tell others how it was done, and 

 had, for this reason, joined the society, looked about 

 upon the little assembly, hoping that some one else 

 might say what he himself felt constrained to utter upon 



