Coming from the Fair. 



Pen drawing by E. H. Saunders, after the painting by Rosa Bonheur. 



V. HORSES. 



It happened to me one night during the Franco-Prussian 

 war to ride into the court-yard of an inn which was full of 

 French artillerymen. In the bustle and hurry of the time 

 it was useless to call for the services of an ostler, so I set 

 about seeking for stable-room myself. In the French 

 country inns there are no stalls, and the only division 

 between the horses, when there is any separation at all, is 

 a board suspended at one end by an iron hook to the 

 manger, and at the other hanging from the roof by a 

 knotted cord. In this inn, however, even the hanging- 

 board was wanting, and about fifty artillery horses were 

 huddled together so closely as almost to touch each other, 

 so that it was difficult to find an open space for my mare. 

 At last I found an opening near a magnificent black ani- 

 mal, which I supposed to be an officer's saddle-horse. 



A fine horse is always an attraction for me, so as soon 

 as I had finished such arrangements as were possible for 

 the comfort of my own beast, I began to examine her 

 neighbour rather minutely. He seemed in perfect health, 



S7 



