The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-08-26
THE COLTS STORY.

AuOWs AIuy EAOy NSsAO AAV htGAO
horse" and l think l like this rather
better than Bessie. l should like it
much better if she would only leave off
the "l.ttle."
But never mind. I shall be year
old in about eight months, and then,
perhaps, shall be treated with more
consideration. am sure hope so.
don't think 1 am very we'll used at
present. Not that l complain of my
mother. Oh, no! She is always good
to meas good as she can be. But it
is very plain that she is not allowed to
have her own way in regard to my
bringing up.
Why! sometimes 1 am shut away
from her for hours at stretch. hear
her calling me. and l try to 60 to her.
but it is of no use, can't do it. And
sometimes am left at home while she
is driven away ever so far, and don't
know whether l shall ever see her
again or not. All our begging aud i'm
ploring doesn't make bit of difference
with our hard hearted master. He sep
arates US just the same every time he
takes fancy to do it. wonder that
my mother doesn't assert her rights
and put a stop to it. She is bigger
than he is, and know she could master
him if she tried. May be she is afraid
he wouldn't give her any more oats if
she quarreled with him. Dear me! l
wouldn't be so me:cenary. As if she
couldn't live on grass! And there is
plenty Of grass everywhere. Perhaps
that isn't the reason; always thought
she had spirit enough. 1 can't UNDER
stand it at all; and she never explains.
They call me sociable colt, and it is
true that like company. l should like
to go into the house and call on the
people there, but they never ask me
Sometimes l 60 to the window and
look in, and rub my nose on the panes
and lap them all over, just for a
hint, you know. and to show the people
how much l should like to be with
them. But they just scream out:
$50 away, Bessie, go away! Oh,
dear! Those windows will have to be
washed all over again."
Serves 'em right. What do they
have the windows there for? They
could see just as well without them,
and it would be a deal more convenient.
l could 90 and talk to them at any time
then. But what do you thinkP Half
the time they keep some ugly, green,
Slated things all over the windows, and
Ican't even look through, or touch the
glass with my tongue.
Perhaps they think it is not polite for
me to try to visit with them through
the windows. l am sure l should be
glad to do it in more proper way if l
could. l have often marched up the
front walk with as dainty steps as I
could manage, and tried to get ON the
veranda and ring the bell; but the steps
reach the door to save me.
Sometimes have little fun with the
chickens and turkeys. You know how
they will strut around. Little, puny
punches of feathers! As if they were
of any consequence to anybody! Well,
l Just prance up beside them and raise
my fore feet and show nv teeth, and
you ought to see them scatter. They
never stop until they are safe on the
fence; then dance up and down and
run along before them, and they don't
dare to come down until get tired and
go away. After all they are not worth
much trouble. 1t is more fun to tree
the boys who come into the yard and
think they will tease me. They get the
worst of it, I can tell you. They might
better stay at home and mind their own
business.
| usually have pretty good time on
washing days. l keep very quiet until
I see nice lot of clean clothes hanging
on line, and then I make q rush. l
sometimes wonder if the people of the
house put those clothes out expressly
for nv amusement. On the whole, l
guess they don't; for sometimes they
come out of the house and scream all
sorts of queer things, and run after me
with broom and sticks; and If didn't
get out of the way in such hurry, I
am not sure but they would actually
strike me. I generally manage to get
some of the clothes into my mouth, and
unless they are very tough, l carry a
few pieces away with me to some quiet
place where I can chew them and dance
on them and toss them up and down as
much as like. When they are dis
posed of, watch until the coast is clear
again, and then I make another rush.
You'd never imagine how jolly it is I'M
less you had tried it.
l like Trudie pretty we'll. Trudie is
q pretty girl, with black eyes, and she
has long braid hanging down her
back. Sometimes she brings me salt,
or pieces of sugar, and let's me eat out
of her hand. Salt is good and sugar is
good, and Trudie is good to give them
to me, but I cam help teasing her some
times.
One day, when she went to the hen
house to look for eggs, | danced up
behind her very softly. She didn't hear
me at first. but all at once she looked
around and saw me stepping along be-
hind her on my hind feet, with my fore
feet paving the air and almost touch
ing her shoulders. was only trying
to walk as she did, but. oh, my good
ness, how she jumped and run! She
went in that hen-house as quick as
flash. 1 couldn't get in with her
more's the pity but l paved at the
door, and ran around and around the
place until l got so tired had to go
away and let the poor thing come out.
Did you say it was mean of meP
Well, may be it was. a little. But she
needn't have been SO scared.
wouldn't have hurt her for anything.
One afternoon Trudie came out into
the orchard to give me some salt; at
least, that is what supposed she came
for. But there was young man with
her who persisted in taking all her at
tcntion away from me. She didn't say
much of anything to me, just gave me
q few grains of salt and then seemed to
forget all about me. She utterly ignor-
ed me, in fact, and turned her back
upon me, although she knew | was dy-
ing to have q nice little chat and frolic
with her.
Now, if there is anything trying to
the nerves of sociable and sensitive
colt, it is such conduct as this. as
sure you it was not to be endured. l
thought would give her hint, just to
let her know that was not altogether
insensible to her rudeness. So l softly
stepped up behind her and caught her
long braid in my teeth, and tried to pull
her away with me. Oh, deas! What q
squealing and protesting she did set up!