The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-08-26

found who had done the mischief: but IL
was not so easy TO find hiding-place
which the four-foo,ed depredators could
not smell or spy out.
1t was on the backs of such bright
ponies, made if possible more intelli-
gent, and so faithful and afl'ectionale by
being much petted. that the party OF lit
tie folks ALWAYS used to be going off on
errands or for their own pleasure. Such
a Joyous. healthful kind of life as it was,
too. though those jaunts on which they
went to deliver messages for their faith
er often took them into dangerous
places But the ponies were to be
truSted and so were the children, who
grew to be courageous and self-reliant,
and no harm ever came to them. In
the summer the only paths over the
mountains were the beds of the brooks,
from which the water had dried away
crooked channels, quilted and worn
by the winter torrents, and turning
many sharp angle where a craggy
ledge or boulder almost shut the way,
but the small rider would leave every
thing to the faithful pony, drop the
bride ON his neck and stick fast, sure
that he would pick his way and come
out all right
1t was as dangerous a kind of country
rs could well be imagined. Great per-
ills lurked in the old forsaken lime pits,
which had been left open when there
was no further use for them. These
were on the edge of some precipice-
deep, vast cemented pits, into which
the broken lime stone rocks had been
thrown, then fire made below, which
NUpnl1 hmm, fbnr, ,,rit N -,D1; !,
for days together, lighting up the whole
countryside.
Of the many ponies who were their
companions. right good comrades in
the best of fellowship, over so many
miles almost every day of their lives,
the handsomest was Jack. He was OF
pure Welch black, except diamond
shaped spot as white as snow in the
middle of his forehead. In genuine
pride and self-respect, which kept him
always at his best, he was as near hui
man as pony could be. He carried
his head so high that when his ten
year old mistress was on his back their
two heads were nearly on level. He
was very fond of her, and would follow
her about like dog, and, so far as he
knew how, was a useful little servant
to her; and when she was riding he
seemed to feel it his duty to take charge
OF the whip, which he held between his
teeth as he galloped along.
In the morning she always went out
to the stable to see him; and, like the
trim English maiden she was-as
quantity sweet, | imagine, as Kate
Greenaway's little damsels-she had on
white apron tied with long strings.
These had an irresistible fascination to
Jack, who Immediately began to
unite them; but if by any chance he
took hold of one of the bows instead of
an end. he saw his mistake, and
dropped it, seeming to understand that
otherwise he should pull it into a knot
After he had made the apron fall on, he
would try to twist the buttons from her
dress.
The stable opened into the door-yard,
and as soon as he was let out he would
start for the house to find her, going up
the steps into the hall, and past the
kitchen door, as if there was nothing
there to attract him. If it happened to
be meal-time he would stop in the
dping-room, and, walking up to the
table, lay his head on the shoulder of
some one of the family, and drink cup
of tea. His tavorite place, however,
was in the parlor, where at certain
hours little missy" was sure to be
practicing on the piano, To get there
he was obliged to go up several
more steps; then he would unlatch the
door and let himself in, march straight
up to where she was perched at the in
strument, and lay his nose against the
keys. He would even go and sniff at
them, coaxing her to play; and many a
time she was to be seen at the piano,
with the kitten lying on one end and
Jacks head on the other; and until the
music ceased it was next to impossible
to get him out of the room. -Amandd
B. Harris ill Wide A7C1Ep