AGRICULTURE AND THE HORSE. 427 



and then a somewhat uneasy eye to his horses, who 

 had, until this hour, been a source of unalloyed peace 

 and joy to him. In every limb of theirs he saw that 

 speech, a copy of which he was "to furnish for publi- 

 cation." 



The occasion was. too much for him. He could get 

 no peace, until, as he sat musing before the fire on that 

 long winter evening, Hstening to his own thoughts and 

 to the busy clicking of Mrs. Osgood's knitting-needles, 

 he said, — 



" Jerusha, I have made a speech." 

 "Made a what? " said Jerusha. 



"Made a speech, my dear," said he, — "all about 

 horses ; and I have agreed to furnish a copy of it to 

 the New-England Agricultural Society for publication." 

 "Are you a-going to write it out, John?" said Je- 

 rusha. 



"No," said he: "I can't do that. The chairman is 

 going to write it out for me. He is a great writer, 

 they say." 



"Now, John," said Jerusha, looking a great honest 

 look at him over her spectacles, "that will never do. 

 If the chairman writes out that speech in his own lan- 

 guage, say so like a man, either at the beginning, or 

 middle, or end of the book." 



John's countenance fell. But there it was recorded, 

 and there it may be found, — " Revised and written out 

 by the Chairman; " and Jerusha is content. 



