Drum-Horse

The Drum-Horse of the White Hussars was only eighteen years old, and perfectly equal to his duties.

Plain Tales from the Hills Rudyard Kipling 1900

Thus was the Drum-Horse of the White Hussars buried; the

Plain Tales from the Hills Rudyard Kipling 1900

When the corpse was dumped into the grave and the men began throwing down armfuls of roses to cover it, the Farrier-Sergeant ripped out an oath and said aloud: -- "Why, it ain't the Drum-Horse any more than it's me!"

Plain Tales from the Hills Rudyard Kipling 1900

The pith of his speech was that, since the Drum-Horse in his old age had proved himself capable of cutting up the Whole Regiment, he should return to his post of pride at the head of the band, BUT the Regiment were a set of ruffians with bad consciences.

Plain Tales from the Hills Rudyard Kipling 1900

The Band, a disorganized mob, tore past, and at it's heels labored the Drum-Horse -- the dead and buried Drum-Horse -- with the jolting, clattering skeleton.

Plain Tales from the Hills Rudyard Kipling 1900

The next day was a Thursday, and the men, hearing that Yale was going to shoot the Drum-Horse in the evening, determined to give the beast a regular regimental funeral -- a finer one than they would have given the

Plain Tales from the Hills Rudyard Kipling 1900

Drum-Horse, he said that their offer was mutinous and forbidden by the

Plain Tales from the Hills Rudyard Kipling 1900

I happen to know something about it, because I prepared the Drum-Horse for his resurrection.

Plain Tales from the Hills Rudyard Kipling 1900

The horses that had barely put their muzzles into the trough's reared and capered; but, as soon as the Band broke, which it did when the ghost of the Drum-Horse was about a furlong distant, all hooves followed suit, and the clatter of the stampede -- quite different from the orderly throb and roar of a movement on parade, or the rough horse-play of watering in camp -- made them only more terrified.

Plain Tales from the Hills Rudyard Kipling 1900

Drum-Horse for Rs. 160 at the sale; and the Colonel was wroth.

Plain Tales from the Hills Rudyard Kipling 1900