126 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



whose father always kept a family steed — the same 

 one for over twenty years — and behind which 

 Brown was usually allowed to take the air solus (or 

 with his " best girl "), during the infrequent periods 

 when that patient steed was not needed for other 

 domestic uses, like bringing home the laundry, 

 or hauling the cultivator. Nothing ever happened 

 to these two adventurers — at least, nothing that 

 they ever confessed — and what is there about other 

 equines that they should fear or hesitate to essay 

 their handling? Perish the thought, and bring on 

 your horses — Smith, Brown, and their ilk will gaily 

 tackle them all ; nor do the difficulties attending the 

 driving of a pair present to them more obstacles than 

 the handling of a single horse, for are they not 

 securely fastened together? And if one of the pair 

 is foolish enough to do all the work, why, what more 

 could one expect from an unreasoning brute? 



The humourous Irishman, who possessed but a 

 single eye. claimed that of course he could sit up 

 all night " with the boys," because they, poor fel- 

 lows, had two eyes to rest, and therefore got twice 



