The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1871-05-11
WORK AND PLAY.

s'Alas, my little one, it is too true
your turn must come some day. But
first, like your father and mother before you.
you will have to be lrohen IN: that is what
our masters call making US go the way they
ourselves. Of course Gid not like it, and
resisted as long as could, but found 1t
was nc use, so gave in, and the spirit has
been all gone out Of me ever since'
And the old gray mare, as she spoke, bent
her head and looked sorrowfully down into
the pond, thinking of the painful past, and
the same hard future in store for her hope
full offspring.
Now, the young horse had been frisking
about in the meadow, as all young creatures
delight in doing, and he had thought how
pleasant the world was, that is, the world in
which he found himself; and he was not far
wrong there, for it was the greenest of green
fields and the fairest Of summer weather.
When he was tired of playing, he had gone
and Put his nose over the gate to see what
was passing in the road.
Every few minutes there were horses go
ing by; first there was firsky pony in an
elegant little carriage; presently lean,
meek-looking horse, drawing a poor man S
Cart and then team Of fat, heavy cart
horses, straining hard under a load of timber.
But they were all doing something and 60
ing somewhere, and that evidently not to
please themselves but somebody else
This set him to thinking about horses
cares, and then he did the best thing he
could have done, he went to his mother to ask
about it all.
We have told you already what his mother
said, and the young horse sighed. That
"breaking-in' was terrible word He had
a strong will Of his own, and he did not like
the thought of giving it up The world did
not look so bright as it had done half an
hour ago. He looked down at the ducks
and then up at the swallows, as if he would
seek for comfort somewhere.
The ducks were too stupid and too busy
with their own affairs to take any notice be-
sides, they were SO slow, and he only felt re-
spect for creatures that could 60 fast But
the swallows they were swift enough, and
they knew a good deal of the world he
should like to talk to them.
20, you happy things!' he said, "well ftr
you, you have nothing else to do but play
Nobody will break you in and you will never
know what work isl
There was grand twittering and chatter
ing among the swallows, and they let off their
excitement by few extra turns and circles
round the young horses head.
"Well, I suppose it does look like play to
you" said one of them, "but we can tell you
we have very serious business on hand and
have not time to think of amusing ourselves
We have our own living to get by constant
effort, whereas your food lies just under your
nose and then we have our families to pro.
vide tor-frst to build house and make il
comfortable for them, and afterwards to real
the children, feed them, and place them ou
in the world And not one set only, bu
| two sets, one after the other, and very littl.
time to do it in. You are too young to un
derstand the cares Of housekeeping, but 20,
may take our word for it, it is real work ane
no play. We can't let the grass grow under
our feet as you may do; can't even stol
my wings to say any more And the swal
low was out Of sight in minute.
'Its all quite true, my friend said sec
ond swallow, sweeping by; "you see we hav
work as well as you and your betters hav'
it too, SO you need not be ashamed of it
Men have got TO work, and notice that thos
who are sensible rejoice in it and make i
their happiness; it is only the lazy and good
for nothing who grusble at it. 1 have tray
elled great deal, and have come to this
conclusion, that there's something for every
body to do, and if he wants to be happy, h
must not shun it, but do it. And sometimes
when | get into the track of the setting sun
[ catch tidings Of fair land before it, ant
hear that there something to be done evc1
there. So now, don't fret yourself abou
| breaking-in and such like, but just think o
the good that's 10 come out of it, and pu