Your grateful class, at this date numbering two thousand five hundred and twenty-three, are of my sentiments, and now delegate me to tender this beautiful present—not as a quid pro quo, but merely as a memento. My dear sir, I trust it will be very long ere you require this as a physical staff, but when that period does come, may it equally subserve the mental and heart-man and aid in happy retrospect of Philadelphia, Philadelphians, and your admiring class, a class that mainly hails you as both a high-toned, social gentleman and the horse educator of the age.
As Mr. Coates closed his address the great tent resounded with applause. It was an hour and a scene never to be forgotten by me. But as the applause subsided every eye turned to me for the expected response. I had received the cane from the hands of the gentleman who had so fittingly and eloquently presented it, but, as I bowed in acknowledgement, my heart was too full for many words. The papers of the following day, in describing the event, spoke of my voice as having been “somewhat tremulous with emotion,” and it may well have been so, all I could say was to express the surprise and gratitude I felt as follows: “What! gentleman, can it be that, after your many kind attentions, I am to receive a further testimonial of your regard, and another reminder of pleasant times passed with you—times that certainly I never can forget. Words cannot express my feelings on this occasion, therefore I sincerely return you thanks.”
Again the great tent rang with thunders of demonstration, and the affair, so gratifying to all, terminated amidst feelings so warm and kind that in one heart, at least, they were almost overpowering. The cane bears the following inscription: “A tribute to merit. To Professor O. S. Pratt, from his Philadelphia class, numbering 2,523.”
The cut, which follows, will give but a partial idea of the beauty of this testimonial, which I prize as much as being expressive of the friendship I was so happy as to secure, as I value it as a testimony to the superiority of my system. It will be seen that it is accompanied by a card, signed by leading members of my class, urging me to revisit Philadelphia and pledging their aid and influence in making such a visit successful.
A TRIBUTE OF MERIT TO O.S. PRATT FROM HIS PHILADELPHIA CLASS 4886
MAYOR FOX, J.W. DREXELL, GEO. W. SIMMONDS, GEN. CADWALLADER.
Prof. O. S. Pratt, the Horse Educator:
Dear Sir: The undersigned, members of your horse educating school, have learned with deep regret that you are forced, by various engagements, to leave Philadelphia in a few days. The knowledge we have received by your lucid and simple system of educating the horse is invaluable to us and all who have been pupils in your class. We think that your system of educating the horse is far superior to any known before. It prevents cruelty to animals, and is effective in all cases if rightly applied and persisted in. Your system is as yet far too little known in Philadelphia. We, therefore, request you to open your school in Philadelphia again during the fall and winter months, and we do assure you that we will do our utmost to make your school a successful one.
By urging you to revisit Philadelphia, we express the wishes of a great number of our fellow-citizens who are anxious to become members of your class.