nd crowds up to him, determined that no
other shall have precedence.

[Illustration: A PRETTY TABLEAU.]

They are not "thorough-breds." Those, he said, were for racers or
travellers; yet of fine breeds, some choice blood horses, some mixed,
one a mustang, who at first did not know anything that was wanted of
him.

"Why," said he, "at first some of them would go up like pop corn,
higher than my head. But I never once have been injured by one of them
except perhaps an accidental stepping on my foot. They never kick;
they don't know how to kick. You can go behind them as well as before,
and anywhere."

In buying he chose only those whose looks showed that they were
intelligent. "But how did he know, by what signs?" queried an
all-absorbed "Dumb Animals" woman.

"Oh, dear," he said, "why, every way; the eyes, the ears, the whole
face, the expression, everything. No two horses' faces look alike.
Just as it is with a flock of sheep. A stranger would say, 'Why, they
are all sheep, and all alike, and that is all there is to it;' but the
owner knows better; he knows every face in the flock. He says, 'this
is Jenny, and that is Dolly, there is Jim, and here's Nancy.' Oh,
land, yes! they are no more alike than human beings are, disposition
or anything. Some have to be ordered, and some coaxed and flattered.
Yes, flattered. Now if two men come and want to work for me, I can
tell as soon as I cast my eyes on them. I say to one, 'Go and do such
a thing;' but if I said it to the other, he'd answer 'I won't; I'm not
going to be ordered about by any man.' Horses are just like that. A
horse can read you. If you get mad, he will. If you abuse him, he will
do the same by you, or try to. You must control yourself, if you would
control a horse."

They must be of superior grade, "for it's of no use to spend one's
time on a dull one. It does not pay to teach idiots where you want
brilliant results, though all well enough for a certain purpose."

Some of these he had been five years in educating to do what we saw.
Some he had taught to do their special part in one year, some in two.
The first thing he did was to give the horse opportunity and time to
get well acquainted with him; in his words, "to become friends. Let
him see that you are his friend, that you are not going to whip him.
You meet him cordially. You are glad to see him and be with him, and
pretty soon he knows it and likes to be with you. And so you establish
comradeship,