EQUINE SAGACITY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIV, Issue 85, 9 April 1879, Page 4

EQUINE SAGACITY.

[From Nature'] A pleasant story hai just coma to us from the Cape of GooJ Hope In Graaf-R-inetf, as in all the old Dutch towna in the colony, there is in the centre of the place a large nmk'st square, where the farmers, -traders, an.l others arriving with thuir produce at any hour of Ihe day or night, may «• out-span " the oxen or horses from their waggonp, eend tbe entile out to ihe "commonage" lo feed, while they bivouac at their waggone, as is the wont of African traveller* to do, until the eight o'clock morning market auction. An old horse belonging lo one of these parlies hai wandered about in search of grass aud water — vainly, no doubt, for it was during the severe drought from which the country is but now recoveriug. Coming to tbe great bare market-place, and finding a knot of men taikiag then , he singled out 006 of them, and" pulled him by tbe sleeve with his hen. T»g man thiukiug the horse might possibly bile, repulssd him, but as it wa9 net very roughly don?, he returned to tho charge with the sama reception ; but he was a very persevering animal, an I practically demonalratod the axiom thai " perßevaranco gains tbe day," for upou his taking the sleeve for the third timo bttwt-eo bis tseth, the owner awoke to the idea that a deed of kindness miuli 1 , be required of him ; co putting 1,i 3 hand to the horsed neck, he said,"" All right old fellow ; onreh on ! " The horse at once led the way to a pump at the further en lof tho square. Somo colored servants were lounging about the spot, and oneof them, at the bidding of the white oho, fiileJ a bucket with water ; tbreo times was tho bucket replenished au J emptied before the " great thirst was assuaged, and then ihe grateful brute almost spoke bis tbacks lo his white friend by rubbing bis nosi gently against his arm, after which he walked off with a great eigh of relief. A aiory somewhat analagoua to the foregoing, was told roe by a friend, whose uncle, en oil country equire in one of our western counties, bad a favorite hunter in a loosa bos in the stable. One warm summer day he was " athirtt," and could get no water. He tried to draw the groom's attention to the fact, but without success. Tha horse was not to bo discouraged ; he evidenflylgave the matter consideration. The thirst wes pressing. All at once he remembered that be always had n certain halter put upon his head when led to the water. He knew where it hung. He manage 1 to unhook it f:om its peg and carry it to the groom, who at once, in great admirafion of tha knowledgable brute, rewarded him in tbe manner he deaired.