last forever. There came a time when the good steed of our friend, while it retained all its wonted fineness of mould and form, gave signs of age. While suitable for short excursions, and as useful as ever for occasional drives, it could no longer withstand the long, and rapid, and repeated journeys to which for years it had been subjected. The owner, touched by the discovery of the fact, with a spirit that did him honor, decided to withdraw the animal from such active service. He took it to Philadelphia, and presented it to a professional acquaintance, then residing there, with the mutual understanding that the faithful creature should be employed only in light and easy duties—such as would especially benefit the recipient of the horse- until its death.

Time passed on. One day, when the lawyer was on a visit to Philadelphia, he discovered, as he stood near the Montgomery Hotel, a handsome horse, harnessed to a heavily loaded dray, quivering with excitement under his load, covered with foam, and a driver lashing him furiously with a large whip. Looking a moment at the suffering animal-panting there in the dry, dusty streets, in the middle of the month of July-he perceived it was his own former favorite! Rushing to the driver, and seizing his

lifted whip, just about to descend on the lacerated back of the poor creature, he exclaimed:

"Hold! What are you about, flogging that horse in that brutal manner?"

The driver began to reply, when he again cried out:

"Where did you buy the animal ?"

"Of

(naming the party to whom

the lawyer had presented it.)

"What did you pay?"

"Seventy-five dollars."

"And he took that money, for this horse!" "Yes, sir; I paid him cash down."

"You did? Well; you may come down yourself, now."

The driver descended from his dray, and stood, looking with wonder at his questioner, while he, in turn, looked, with something rather different, at him.

"Now, tell me," he resumed, as calmly as possible, "why did you strike such a handsome horse in that way?"

"I know it's handsome, sir; quick yet, in a light buggy; but, then, the critter ain't strong; its too old, 'squire."

"So, then; you cut and lash a noble horse because he's old, do you?"

"I've been cheated, 'squire, by the man I bought on."

"Been cheated, eh? I think you have!

“And you are not the only one who has been cheated about that horse.

"What will you take for the animal ?"

"I'll take a hundred dollars; for it'll be some trouble for me to get another who'll sell as well."

"My friend! here are your hundred dollars. The horse is mine-again! I have always held that beautiful creature to be worth more than twice as much. I would not take five hundred, now!"

"Then you've made a good bargain, 'squire." "Yes; a very good bargain; tho' I have been sold, myself; but this is the last time this horse will ever be.

"Take it out of that dray, as quick as your hands will let you! Go! get a dray horse, that will bear loading and thrashing better than this one!"

The still wondering drayman instinctively obeyed, and the horse, yet trembling and wet with fatigue and blows, was led to the stables of the Montgomery Hotel, where several days and nights of rest and care were required to restore the usual appearance and qualities. At the end of that time the revived pet was again in its old home, suitably enlarged for

the purpose, and receiving its full share of wonted kindness.

Now it happened that at the time this occurrence was taking place, the party who had thus summarily disposed of the present of our legal friend, removed a portion of his family into Montgomery county. His reason for doing so was that he heard a cadet was about being selected there for West Point, and he thought by that device to secure the appointment for his son. He had no right to solicit the favor. He was not a resident of the district, never had been, and never expected to be. His temporary location there was a subterfuge, a ruse; as mean an act as his selling the present of his friend, to be treated brutally in its old age.

The lawyer discovered the base trick, as he had discovered that practiced on him in the matter of his equine favorite; and, with his usual promptitude, determination and sagacity, he proceeded at once to thwart the trickster. We shall see how handsomely he did it. With the eccentricity and shrewdness peculiar to him, he determined that his horse, who had shared with him in suffering, should participate with him in his punishment of the wrong-doer. He at once mounted the animal, and proceeded to the