Four of these horses are still doing service on the farm, after more than seven years.  One of the bays died in the summer of ’98, and one of the roans broke his stifle during the following winter and had to be shot.  The bereaved relicts of these two pairs have taken kindly to each other, and now walk soberly side by side in double harness.  I sometimes think, however, that I see a difference.  The personal relation is not just as it was in the old union,—­no bickerings or disagreements, but also no jokes and no caresses.  The soft nose doesn’t seek its neighbor’s neck, there is no resting of chin on friendly withers while half-closed eyes see visions of cool shades, running brooks, and knee-deep clover; and the urgent whinney which called one to the other and told of loneliness when separated is no longer heard.  It is pathetic to think that these good creatures have been robbed of the one thing which gave color to their lives and lifted them above the dreary treadmill of duty for duty’s sake.  The kindly friendship of each for his yoke-fellow is not the old sympathetic companionship, which will come again only when the cooling breezes, running brooks, and knee-deep pastures of the good horse’s heaven are reached.

A horse is wonderfully sensitive for an animal of his size and strength.  He is timid by nature and his courage comes only from his confidence in man.  His speed, strength, and endurance he will willingly give, and give it to the utmost, if the hand that guides is strong and gentle, and the voice that controls is firm, confident, and friendly.  Lack of courage in the master takes from the horse his only chance of being brave; lack of steadiness makes him indirect and futile; lack of kindness frightens him into actions which are the result of terror at first, and which become vices only by mismanagement.  By nature the horse is good.  If he learns bad manners by associating with bad men, we ought to lay the blame where it belongs.  A kind master will make a kind horse; and I have no respect for a man who has had the privilege of training a horse from colt-hood and has failed to turn out a good one.  Lack of good sense, or cruelty, is at the root of these failures.  One can forgive lack of sense, for men are as God made them; but there is no forgiveness for the cruel:  cooling shades and running brooks will not be prominent features in their ultimate landscapes.

For harness and farm equipments, tools and machinery, I went to a reliable firm which made most and handled the rest of the things that make a well-equipped farm.  It is best to do much of one’s business through one house, provided, of course, that the house is dependable.  You become a valued customer whom it is important to please, you receive discounts, rebates, and concessions that are worth something, and a community of interest grows up that is worth much.