FIRE HORSES. 251 
back in the old place, where he still remains in full 
employment. He is reckoned to be seventeen years 
old, and he has a contemporary, also a hose horse, 
who entered the department in the same year. 
This is Grief, so named because of his melancholy 
aspect. He has a way of standing with his fore legs 
wide apart, his head hanging down between, and a 
doleful expression of the face. A visitor, who saw 
him once in this attitude, remarked that he would 
make a good “image of Grief,” and the name seemed 
so appropriate that it was adopted by common consent. 
“Grief” is duly inscribed in large letters over his 
stall, and as Grief he is known through the depart- 
ment and to all the neighbors. Grief is a remarkable 
horse; in color a rich mottled brown, and in shape 
much resembling the other old horses already de- 
scribed. He has a massive, well formed shoulder, 
strong, straight fore legs, powerful hind quarters (too 
long a cannon-bone, however), a good neck, slightly 
arched, a rather intelligent, clean-cut head, but mulish 
ears. His peculiarity is a philosophical, phlegmatic 
disposition. He has a hearty appetite and a sound 
digestion, but he never shows the least impatience for 
his meals. Other horses paw and neigh when they 
hear the premonitory rattle of the oat-box, but Grief 
never betrays the least sign of curiosity or of interest. 
The children of the vicinity often come to this house 
to give the horses candy, and the span of bays who 
draw the engine always recognize their benefactors, 
and will follow them about the stable. But Grief, 
though glad enough to be fed, never takes the slightest 
notice of any visitor beyond swallowing what is of- 
fered to him. He sleeps a great deal, ruminates still 
