EVILS OF MODERN STABLES. 229 



quick to detect the approach of an enemy, being as restless by night as 

 the beasts which esteem the horse's carcass a favorite repast. 



The steed, therefore, does not require a chandelier to be fully illumined 

 and to be suspended in the middle of the gangway. An ordinary night 

 light would enable the animal to see perfectly over a large building; 

 and the expense, when divided among numerous individuals, would for 

 each be too small for any English coin to represent. No light, however, 

 could prevent some quadruped occasionally waking up, and in the fright 

 of imperfect consciousness flinging out both its heels. Such accidents 

 no forethought could anticipate. But a slight flame, only sufficient to 

 dispel absolute darkness, would mitigate if not quite abolish those panics 

 during which every foot in the stable is employed to create the greatest 

 attainable noise. 



There is another so-called "vice," which is more directly brought 

 home to the groom than any of the previous mishaps. Probably the 

 statement may, to the reader, appear impossible, which asserts that the 

 servant can impose upon the master so many of his own faults as proofs 

 of "mischief" on the part of an innocent quadruped which it is the 

 menial's duty to look after. This cheat the fellow is enabled to prac- 

 tice chiefly because he is supposed to be incapable of explaining or of 

 distorting those circumstances which he reports. Thus mishaps are 

 called according to their final effects ; and no notice is ever given to the 

 causes which led to such results. A horse is said to have "leapt into 

 the manger;" "to have broken loose;" "to have gnawed the collar- 

 rope;" "to have got one leg over the collar-rope;" "to have cast itself 

 in the collar-rope," etc. 



Were inquiries instituted, the truth, no doubt, would be speedily dis- 

 covered, and long ago a remedy would have been apportioned. No 

 domestic, however, enjoys so much of the master's implicit confidence 

 as he who governs the stable. Persons, moreover, of the class re- 

 spectable are far more swayed by their servants than might be pleasant 

 for the gentlemen to acknowledge. Under this feeling, a vast amount 

 of abuse lies concealed, for the weakness is by no means responded to 

 by respect from the inferior. The " respectable " is always asserting his 

 dignity, and afterward compounding for hastily-spoken words. The 

 groom neither forgets nor forgives these verbal injuries, although his 

 mind is amply stored with maxims against upstarts, to protect his vanity 

 from any wholesome teaching which the admonitions might convey. 



Gentlemen, when detained late abroad, generally ride home fast; 

 partly, from a consciousness that it is long past their usual hour of 

 "retiring for the night," and partly, because they know the groom is 

 "waiting up" for their return. When the stable is reached, the coat 



