194 HORSE PORTRAITURE. 



of a myth than your Iowa farm. We will have no more 

 talk on the subject, however, till the time appointed. How 

 gently Falcon consents to be harnessed and hitched to 

 the wagon ! From his extreme nervousness I supposed 

 he would not be so docile at first. 



PUPIL. Six months have elapsed since the harness was 

 on him ; and to give you further proof of his natural do- 

 cility, I will be much gratified if you will get into the 

 wagon and give him his first drive. 



PRECEPTOR. To that I have no objections, though I 

 shall insist on your being the reinsman in future, unless 

 I want to know from actual trial how a horse handles. 

 "Whoa ! my boy, a little more to the right. These skeletons 

 are not the handiest things in the world to get in. Now, 

 sir, you can go along at your leisure. 



PUPIL. I need not ask how you like him, as I see satis- 

 faction in every line of your countenance, though that 

 may be attributed to the recollections of your late visit. 



PRECEPTOR. Like is hardly a strong enough expression 

 to convey an idea of the pleasure there is in driving such 

 a horse as this. He has the form of my model roadster, 

 as well as every other quality that could be shown in so 

 short a drive, though I have done one thing I should have 

 scolded you for doing. Jogging down the road for a few 

 miles about a six-minute gait, from which he never varied, 

 going along as true as a first-class piece of machinery, I 

 came to a place that was as smooth as a well-kept track. 

 I could not resist the temptation to see if his motion was 

 equally precise when going faster. I never saw so true 

 a mover ; he appeared only to be gliding along ; and had 

 it not been for the buzz of the wheels through the air, I 

 should have greatly underrated the speed we were going. 

 He missed not a step, and was as obedient to the slightest 

 touch of the reins as the best family horse that could be 

 found. I will venture what little reputation I have, on 



