Show PONIES I 1 wish I 1 could write about ponies from experiences of my own far 1 have grant respect and admiration for those quaint latue horses but I 1 ani left to alic next best tiling is to avail myself of tho experiences of some friends of mino they were children alio children acro english wore five of them ami cich always had ono pony and sometimes mure the special pets were fly because lie went so fast kitty and jack tho ponies were indispensable because there could be no going in any other dav and begin to waste any wondering how that aoud be f may as well say eliat abo country was south wales and that it WAS a mining region tho place where alio family were living wib n level spot in the midst of hills full of copper and iron and limestone there was not a arco or a house in sight and tho nearest village was fifteen miles oil where tharo was a turnpike on which the mail conkli went 1 hero were no roads consequently there were no wheeled vehicles of any description tho only way of traveling was on the ponies and as soon as they acio broken children acro put on backs and presently learned to rido as it they grew there the welch ponica belong to the wild race peculiar to lie north of europe known as tho dun or tan stock ru u on gives an account of them that charming artist rosa who is so fond of animals has painted cx calicat oi some of they all arc celoso built leardy sure footed bright aud small buano othora among them so very diminutive as tho shetland wencl aro tiny arca luhcs aliat we can anhof us the story eliat a gentleman buco cabied ono juula aiu apron lie kept him quiet down ducor v those of wales are of fair size with elegantly shaped heads and beautiful eyes and minea sweep alio ground they aro not shaggy like the shetland hut they have rich colors all jet black or bay or baft or dappled with gray and alicy make beautiful pictured ican in droves on tho naked mountains whore they run wild tho year round A colt is never used until ho is two years old and eliat is why they have such perfect forms each ono has a mark burned into hh hair by the owner who pays the great land proprietor so much a year for tak they call it for tax and then all aro booso to nebout in company lint they arc so gentle that they can be caught and when 1 welch peasant woman wishes to go somewhere sho will run out and catch one spring upon his back by just touching her bands and ride oil willi only a to guide him her gliick petticoats making all alio saddle she needs and when she comes back sho tuini libin loosli again to take care of himself they arc wonderfully wise creatures und can nick up their living a bcd borso would it they cannot find what tacy like best flioy will make alio most of what there is snatch a mouthful of bitter harb and suck up a few drops of water left incho hollow of a rock and be satisfied their instincts aro sharpened by bics tics of their roving life they can always contrive to go where they want to band are keen at nil manner of trick possible for n pony to do some of those which I 1 was told about coon found out that tho steward tho childrens fallica falli cr always carried salt in liis pockets when lie want about over the country to look after the and they would gather around him thrust their noses in after it so that they wore his coata out with their rubbing and alicy would boino down to alic valley oliero the collate wa aud crawl un dor alio bars like a dog to get into alio yard adlor something good to oal olio piece of mischief they was 0 o help themselves to tho dinners of abo farm laborers these men camo ii tho morning to their anil each lidid liis dinner in an oval wooden box worn smooth by long use over the shoulders by a leathern barap the food waa always tho for like alic peasantry in all countries never in lives could all bety bicad band barley bread called indre cocuyo aal hard w lailo cheese as it was however it waa 1 lo the ponies alio made n practice of waiting in alic neighborhood until the men biad put alio llio ariy in alio llio sheds and pono 01 aloit choir work these crafty animals would 0 o to the spot cat the contents and ans tho cutest cut cst feat 0 nil flioy know how to do drop into place aa if nothing biad happened when tho hungry boilers toilers camo down for their and hard harocd noonday noon day meal not ft climb remained thoy soon found who had done alic mischief but it wa not so 0 wy 0 o land a leiding tha buur fiot cd de predators could not sincel or spy out it anson iho bicks of such bright ponies madu it possible anoro intelligent and faithful faith tul by that the party of lit tie folks used to be going on on own pleasure such v joyo usi li kind of life as a s it was too though jaunts on which they went to deliver mch sages for anth er often took them into dangerous places but abo were to bo ousted anil 90 were the children who mcw lo 10 bo courageous and self reliant ind no harm ever canu to them in ho summer alic only pallis over tho mountains were the beds of the brooks from which alio water bail dried away crooked channels gullied and boru by tho winter torrents and turning a sharp anglo a craggy ledge or a boulder almost eliut tho wat wa t 11 but tho small rider would leave thiap to tho faithful pony arop thor bradlo on his neck and stick that ho would pick his way and como out all right etwas as dangerous a kind of country as could well lo 10 imagined great pert ils lurked in alio llio old forsaken linio pus ya had been loft open when v was no further mo lor them were on alic edge of some precipice cemented pita into which i alic broken limo alono rocks bad ll irown than u tiro made would burn there with a solid white h for days together lighting up the whole countryside country side of alic many ponies who were their companions right cooil comrades in the best of fellowship over su many miles almost every day 0 V alic handsomest was jack puro black except a diamond shaped spot as as snow in tho middle 0 liis forehead in genuine pride and scalf which kept ahlm v always at lii best he was as near hu inna a i diony romild be ho carried his licad n agli eliat his tan tal was on his hack t 0 heads nearly on a level he was very fond of glicr and would follow glicr about like a dog ami so far as lie know how was 1 n lillic servant to her and when alio was riding ho seemed to feel it his duty to take charge of alio llio chip which lie licud between liis teeth as he galloped along in alic morning she always went oui to the stable to sen him and like the trim english maiden she was as quaintly I 1 imagine as kate little damsels she had on a whito apron tied with long strings these had nn irresistible fascination to jack alio immediately begun to untie them but if by any cliance lie took hold of anc of the bows instead of an end lio saw liis mistake and dropped it seeming to understand that otherwise he pull it into a knot after ho ind made alio apron fall on ho would try to twit alic buttons from glicr dress alio opened hilt lie dooryard door yard and aboon as lie was let out lie would start for tho glicr going up tho into the hall and past the kitchen bloor as if there was nothing there to attract binm it it happened to bo meal lime lio would stop rn tho dining room and walking up to tho table lay liis head on alic shoulder 0 omo ono ot alio llio anil til ink a r nn f of loa ills la torito place however hours little missy was sure to bif practicing on tho to get tharo ho was obliged to go up several anoro steps then lie would unlatch alio door and let himself in march straight up to where slie was perched at alio instrument ment and lay liis nose against alic keys ho would even go and sniff at coaxing her to play and many timo alio was to bo seen at tho puno with tho kitten lying on ono end and jacks head on alio other and until alio music ceased itam act to impossibly to get him out of tho room B harris in u abc |