424 AGRICULTUKE AND THE HOESE. 



with undiminished lustre within. , He was accordingly- 

 more than satisfied as to the object of his coming down, 

 and, in a private interview with Mrs. Burke, told her 

 what he had come for, and received from her this pa- 

 thetic explanation : — 



" Mr. Burke's only child, a beloved son, had, not long 

 before, died, leaving behind him a favorite old horse, 

 the companion of his excursions of business and pleas- 

 ure when both were young and vigorous. This favor- 

 ite animal was turned out by Mr. Burke the father into 

 the park, with directions to all his servants that he 

 should in every respect be treated as a privileged favor- 

 ite. Mr. Burke himself, of course, in his morning walks, 

 would often stop to caress the favorite animal. On one 

 occasion, as he was taking his morning walk through the 

 park, he perceived the poor old animal at a distance, 

 and noticed, in turn, that he was recognized by him. 

 The horse drew nearer and nearer to Mr. Burke, stopped, 

 eyed him with a most pleading look of recognition, 

 which said, as plainly as words could have said, ' I have 

 lost him too ; ' and then the poor dumb beast deliberately 

 laid his head on Mr. Burke's bosom. Struck by the 

 singularity of the occurrence, moved by the recollec- 

 tions of his son, — whom he had never ceased to mourn 

 with a grief that would not be comforted, — overwhelmed 

 by the tenderness of the animal, expressed in the mute 

 eloquence of holy Nature's universal language, the illus- 

 trious statesman for a moment lost his self-possession, 

 and, clasping his arms around the neck of his son's 



