A Horse's Memory.

Otago Witness, Issue 1994, 12 May 1892, Page 44

A Horse's Memory.

If the owner applies to his horse the rule of kindness, and not of fear, it is astonishing how intelligent, sympathetic, and obedient the horse becomes. It also very frequently will retain the most clear and distinct recollection of its old master, and its previous training and habits, although a long interval of time may have elapsed since the master and it last met.

This is amusingly illustrated in the wellauthenticated instance of a horse called " Punch," owned and trained by the late Mr Astley, the proprietor for many years of the establishment called by his name (now Sanger's Theatre) on the Surrey side of the Thames.

Astley was on the best of terms with Punch, and had taught it no end of clever tricks. After a variety of gambols with the clown it would thrust its head and neck through a napkin made for the purpose, then sit down to a well-spread table, knock its hoof on the table as a hint to the clown, its attendant, to hurry up and be sharp. It would furiously seize with its mouth the bell-pull. It would then eat whatever was brought, mock turtle — i.e., bran mash, a bread fowl, turnips, carrots, oats, beans, &c., called in the play bill by French culinary terms in fashion. Taking a kettle in its mouth by the handle it would pour some water in a punch bowl, seize a bottle made for the purpose and labelled " brandy," pour it into the punch bowl, and deliberately nodding, would drink the clown's health. Then it would gaily waltz, and finally fall down as a drunken man would. This scene would bring down a hurricane of applause. Punch, was voted unanimously a "star" performer. After some time Mr Astley made up a company with Punch amongst the number, and sent them on a tour into the provinces. They exhibited with various success until they reached Galway, where, from bad management or bad luck, they collapsed. Owing to difficulty in communicating with Mr Ascley —or something worse — the creditors seized the effects and stud, and poor Punch was hauled off and sold at a horse fair. All traces of the horse were lost, although Mr Astley did all he could to discover and regain his favourite. Four years afterwards Astley, chancing to be in a rough quarter of the town, espied in a costermonger's cart a wretched-looking downcast creature with bones almost protruding through its skin, and a miserable likeness to the lost favourite.

Astley in doubt stood still, and tremulously said: "Punch," whereupon the coster's animal pricked up its ears, stood up on its hind legs, upset the costermonger and the cart's contents, and breaking loose waltzed up to its old master. Astley's "Down, sir," was instantly obeyed, and there was perfect and touching recognition between the two. ' " Will you part with the animal ? " inquired Astley of the costermonger.

11 Yes, and glad to be rid of it for a fivepound note." After having paid the money, the costermonger told him what he had heard and himself knew about the horse, It was able enough "to take yer 'air out by the roots " ; if it ever saw a kettle on the fire it would rußh in, seize it, and commence all sorts of games ; that it would tug at bell-pulls, put its hoofs on the table, till table or bell came ;o grief; and if the band played in the street, it would waltz like a real Christian, and then pretend to " fall dead like a herring."

In less than a month, after having been well fed and tended, Punch was back at its

old post, looking as fat as brawn, and ringing bell 3 and drinking brandy and water, recollecting all its old, clever, comical tricks — as great and general a favourite as ever.