Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-17
THE COLTS STORY.

Ny name is Bessie, as / suppose YOU
know. Tiny Floy calls me the little
horse" and l think l like this rather
better than Bessie. l should like it
much better if she would only leave of
the 'lttle."
But never mind. 1 shall be a year
old in about eight months, and then,
perhaps, shall be treated with more
consideration. l am sure l hope so. l
don't think am very well 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.
Whyl sometimes 1 am shut away
from her for hours at a stretch. l hear
her calling me, and l try to 90 to her,
but it is of no use, can't do it. And
sometimes l 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 and inn
ploring doesn't make bit of difference
with our hard-hearted master. He sep
arates us just the same every time he
takes a fancy to do it. l wonder that
my mother doesn't assert her rights
and put a stop to it. She is bigger
than he is, and l 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!
wouldn't be so mercenary. 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. can't under
stand it at all; and she never explains.
They call me sociable colt, aud 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 go to the window and
look in, and rub my nose on the panes
and lap them all over, just for
hint, you know, and to show the people
how much should like to be with
them. But they just scream out:
go away, Bessie, go awayl Oh,
dear! Those windows will have to be |
washed all over again"
Serves 'em right. What do they
have the windows there forp They |
could see Just as well without them, |
and it would be 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 .
can'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 | 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 l
could manage, and tried to get on the
veranda and ring the bell; but the steps |,
are so steep and narrow that / can't
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,
/ Just prance up beside them and raise
my fore feet and show my 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 l get tired and
go away. After all they are not worth
lllh1A AlOublts II Is lllDIt luu 10 lIt6-l
the boys who come into the yard and
think they will tease me. They get the
worst of it, can tell you. They might
better stay at home and mind their own
business.
usually have pretty good time on
days. / keep very quiet until
| see nice lot of clean clothes hanging
on line, and then l make a rush. /
wonder if the people of the
house put those clothes out expressly
for my amusement. On the whole, /
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 l didn't
get out of the way in such hurry, 1
am not sure but they would actually
strike me. generally manage TO get
some of the clothes into my mouth, and
lnless they are very tough, carry a
ew pieces away with me to some quiet
place where can chew them and dance /
On them and toss them up and down as !
much as l like. When they are dis I
posed of, watch until the coast is clear 1
lgain, and then l make another rush. (
You d never imagine how jolly it is un- I
ess you had tried it.
l like Trudie pretty well. Trudie is
. 4 4 1 I. - 1 4.