A Horse's Tale is a novel by Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), written partially in the voice of Soldier Boy, who is Buffalo Bill's favorite horse, at a fictional frontier outpost with the U.S. 7th Cavalry Harper's Magazine originally published the story in two installments in August and September 1906. 2] Clemens wrote the story after receiving a request from actress Minnie Maddern Fiske to assist in her drive against bullfighting. 2] Harper's published the story as a 153-page book in October 1907. 2] Clemen's daughter Susy Clemens, who died in 1896 at age 24 of spinal meningitis, is understood to be inspiration for lead character Cathy Alison. 2] 3] When Clemens provided the story to Harper's, he included a photograph of Susy for the illustrator to use for Cathy