That Mrs. Fred was a lovely woman, more fit for Dr. Dick than his brother.
The Wallaces lived in the small country village of K—— and controlled a large practice. The brothers were ambitious, but had started poor, and not until the year before had they felt that either could spend a few months abroad. Fred was the elder, and there were other reasons why Dick preferred to go later, so it happened that the former was the last of the family for me to know.
The Wallace barn was a large frame building, warm in winter, cool, from having perfect ventilation, in summer, and well lighted.
Dr. Dick would have no hay mowed to be dropped into the mangers, nor would he have it stored directly above us all. He insisted that the dust would inevitably sift down and be the cause of various diseases of the eye, ear, throat and lungs.
He was particular about the stalls and feed boxes, too. He said it was a shame for an animal with a low body and short neck to be expected to take any comfort eating from a box put up for a high horse with a long neck. He had each stall fitted up with reference to its occupant, nor would he allow us to be put where we did not belong.
Queen and Julie were regular long, clean-limbed roadsters and their feed boxes were much higher than mine. I am of heavy build, with short legs and neck. The first time Dr. Fred looked me over—when Dr. Dick was absent—he remarked: "A pretty horse for a doctor! Slow and clumsy! No endurance!"
[CHAPTER II.]
Besides the bays, the Wallaces owned one other horse, old Ross, a somewhat worn and battered veteran, who entertained me for hours at a time, when we were standing alone in the shady pasture or in the barn, with tales of what he had seen, known and experienced.
"You look like a nice young fellow," he said on the second day of my arrival; "but I'd rather be myself, all battered up as I am, than you, for I have the satisfaction of knowing that I can't live many years longer and you may happen to suffer through a long lifetime yet."