THE HORSE THAT SWAM THE RIVER

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1727, 5 April 1905, Page 15

THE HORSE THAT SWAM THE RIVER

The doctor’s horse had grown old. and the doctor sent him to a farm across the river to pass liis last day® in ease and plenty. His wide pasture, sloping gently to the river, contained everything to please a horse—a never-failing spring where outbound vessels tilled their water casks, at which be might drink if lie chose, instead of from the river, shady willows in the hollows, and on the knolls apple trees where he might help himself to the apples that fell. But, in spite of all, he must have grown homesick; for one morning that old horse appeared at the doctor’s stable door. His wet coat told the storj-; lie had swum the river.

At his pasture the river is 700 feet wide, very deep, and the tide and currents are strong. No animal had ever crossed it there before, except a band oi circus elephants, too heavy to venture on the toll bridge, and even these had swum across some distance above.

After reaching the opposite bank the horse had to locate the town, and when he got to it, made his way the whole length of a city of 20,000 -inhabitants to his home.

Probably the old horse had never swum a stroke before in his life. How did lie know he could get home by water when lie had always before crossed the river by bridge ?