"KING OF THE GHOSTS." 87 



field, so lie was confined to a small paddock, and fed all the 

 grain and hay he would eat. When I came home, I led 

 him out with the long rein, and he would pick the clover 

 blades if you kept at a proper distance, but as yet would 

 not suffer the least approach to familiarity. Now he has 

 so far relaxed his vigilance that you can place your hand 

 on his neck, but any further advances are repelled with a 

 resentment that is determination itself. The long jour- 

 ney in the cars has proved beneficial in partially subduing 

 this refractory temper. The novelty of the situation has 

 given him some new ideas which I hope can be taken ad- 

 vantage of. While in the cars he would suffer a surcingle 

 to be laid 011 his back, a proceeding which would have 

 made him frantic at home. I am convinced that it is 

 neither timidity nor fear, as he never even started at the 

 approach of the locomotive, and preserved his equanimity 

 on the most trying occasions. I am well satisfied that, 

 when once broken, he will be reliable, and the very quali- 

 ties that have troubled me so much will prove of vast 

 benefit when placed under proper control. One great 

 argument advanced against the thoroughbred is their 

 irritability and high temper. That they possess the last 

 qualification, I am ready to admit, and without it, would 

 not be of the same value. Their vices and irrascibility 

 have, in ninety-nine cases in a hundred, resulted from im- 

 proper breaking. I have full faith we can teach this colt 

 what we want him to learn, and have brought him along, as 

 I would not trust him in other hands. My youngest little 

 girl dubbed him " King of the Ghosts," and when asked 

 the reasons for naming him, said he would not play with 

 the other colts, and looked just as the horse did that was 

 buried under the big cottonwood tree ; that the fairies 

 must certainly have brought him, as he neither looked or 

 acted like a human horse, being determined that mortal 

 straps or harness should never interfere with his free mo- 



