ng mother and father; you see the colt had
become a very large part of my boyish life--followed me like a pet dog,
was lonesome when I was n't round, used to rub his nose against my arm
and look lovingly at me out of his big, dark, mournful eyes--yes, I
cried when I said good-by to him the morning I started for
Williamstown. I was ashamed of it then, but not now--no, not now.

But my fun was all the keener, I guess, when I came home at vacation
times. Then we had it, up hill and down dale--Royal and I did! In the
summer-time along the narrow roads we trailed, and through leafy lanes,
and in my exultation I would cut at the tall weeds at the roadside and
whisk at the boughs arching overhead, as if I were a warrior mounted
for battle and these other things were human victims to my valor. In
the winter we sped away over the snow and ice, careless to the howling
of the wind and the wrath of the storm. Royal knew the favorite road,
every inch of the way; he knew, too, when Susie held the reins--Susie
was Judge Phipps' niece, and I guess she 'd have mittened me if it had
n't been that I had the finest colt in the county!

The summer I left college there came to me an overwhelming sense of
patriotic duty. Mother was the first to notice my absent-mindedness,
and to her I first confided the great wish of my early manhood. It is
hard for parents to bid a son go forth to do service upon the
battlefield, but New England in those times responded cheerfully and
nobly to Mr. Lincoln's call. The Eighth Massachusetts cavalry was the
regiment I enlisted in; a baker's dozen of us boys went together from
the quiet little village nestling in the shadow of Mount Holyoke. From
Camp Andrew I wrote back a piteous letter, complaining of the horse
that had been assigned to me; I wanted Royal; we had been inseparable
in times of peace--why should we not share together the fortunes of
war? Within a fortnight along came Royal, conducted in all dignity
by--you would never guess--by Judge Phipps! Full of patriotism and of
cheer was the judge.

"Both of ye are thoroughbreds," said he. "Ye 'll come in under the
wire first every time, I know ye will."

The judge also brought me a saddle blanket which Susie had ornamented
with wondrous and tender art.

So Royal and I went into the war together. There were times of
privation and of danger; neither of us ever complained. I am proud to
bear witness that in every emergency my horse bore him