"POOR CYNISCA."

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XV, Issue 4337, 6 February 1893, Page 3

"POOR CYNISCA."

The Ballanco correspondent of the Woodvillo Examiner forwards tho following touching experience :- J know nothing about racehorses, and St, Hippo might bo by Carbine —Maxim for all that I know. I don't know one bono from another unless one has a saddle on and the other hasn't. Thon I know, because I remember, when a boy, riding a very loan horse—oh, ho was so lean—bareback, and his backbone seemed to he a oross-cut saw sot teeth edge uppermost. I nover forgot how for days afterwards I had sbat my meals without sitting dowW My ignoranco of horses and their rmmes led to a strange case of mistaken identity quite recently. I called at the lioiiso of a friend, and during my stay one of my host's sons came in. He looked as solemn as a judqe, and addressing his father said " Cynisca's dead." The old man rose from his chair quicker than if ho had been raised by a tintack, and ejacula-ted"Jee-roo-salem," you don't say so'!" " It's a fact," quoth the son, " died from lockjaw," A spell deuso enough to gap an axo careo oyer the *f~~~ liousc<BßiMid tho whole family seemed to bebroken up with sorrow. I thought I would step in and aot tho part of consoler generally. Altering my features to the orthodox lorced cabbage expression required for the occasion I began in a mournful tono, "Ah poor Cjnisca" (1 didn't know who she was, but thought I was on tho | right track),'! Slib is gone, hor trials \ are all over." I was going on, but was interrupted by the younger son coming in with " Trials ? Why she could go through 'om liko ono o'clock I" " Ah," I replied, "That showed her great courage and spirit," " And she was full ol it," sobbed tho hired man. " Did you know Cynisca ?" enquired my friend. I confessed I did not. " She was an Apremont,"ho answered spasmodically, a regular littlo boauty, and as fast as they can grow them." I replied by hoping tho Apremonts would bear their loss with fortiutudo, but ielt a little shocked as to why concern so great should bo shown towards a departed fast beauty, " She doesn't owe us any thing, does Bho father ?" asked a son, "No she does not, and 1 wish I could say the flame of all the Apremonts, for I've lost by some of his hot-headed erratic sons and daughters." I began to wonder why my friend should talk so glibly of making money out of the family of another, but I didn't liko to • be inquisitive- " You knew Apremont of course?" asked my friend, addressing me, Again I had to show my ignorance, " Not know Apremont ? Why, I thought evoryone knew him, Mr Stead brought him out and he has been at Ricoarton ever since," said my host. "And poor Cynisca will never carry silk again," said the mistress with a sigh. I thought it waa about time I held up my «id of the log, so I put the romark that she would havo a largo funeral, " No," answered my friend, "they'd hardly go as fir as that. Just dig a hole and pop her. Perhaps skin her and cut off her feet," I looked at him blank surprise, and said that would never be donesurely ? " Yes it might," replied my friend," they did it with Musket," I hurriedly enquired " What is that to do with Miss Cynisca Apremont," " That's not her name—simply Cynisca l 6he was a mare." " And not a lady ?" I asked with a dreadful rising in the throat. "No I Who said she was ?" asked my friend. When I recovered they were bathing my feet in buttermilk and the hired man was ramming grass seed into my ears, They said I fainted, and were using the only remedies they knew of to restore me. I've since taken a pledge never to interfero with the sorrow of others until I know what it is all about.