The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-19

! she seems to love me already Pm going to
show her how much l can love her."
Then Timothy produced the harness
that fitted the little hoorse" which Gifted
| lnsoide, and the pony was harnessed to
the phaeton that had been made to his
measure.
No words can express the rapture OF that
drive. 10 hold the pretty reins and feel
! the prompt response given by the we'll
trained little animal; to watch his pranks
and antics as he dashed along, apparently
trying to show how graceful he could be In
order to convince his new mistress that he
left nothing to be desired-it really seemed
too good to be true, and Denise feared 1t
might all be a dream from which she
would waken ana find that pony and all
had vanished.
The little feet fairly flew over the ground,
and the drive home was quite the shortest
she had ever known.
Mamma stood on the piazza, watching
for the surprise to come and when she saw
the handsome pony and the carriage with
her husband and her own little daughter
sitting in it come dashing up the driveway,
she was as much pleased as mothers usu-
ally are when they know that their little
girls dearest wishes are realized.
The entire household had to be sum-
moned to see and admire this pony, which
was surely more wonderful than any pony
| tudI uau ever lived anu the Charming
little fellow was talked to and caressed and
petted and fed with apples and sugar until
he was in very fair way to be made i'll
And now" said Denise, "what shall
we name him, mamma?'
you must name him yourself, darling"
answered mamma, ''for he is all your very
own, to love and care for.
'Well," said Denise, in a tone which
settled the matter beyond all question
~ m going to call him Ned Toodles' n ed
because he is as black as old darky Ned
who comes for the ashes. and Toodles be-
cause he is so little and round ard roly-
poly"
So Ned Toodles' was the name given
to the dear little pony, who thenceforth
figured very conspicuously in the life and
pranks of his mistress, and caused no end
OF jealousy among the other pets.
At last Denise was persuaded to let Ned
be led away to his new quarters, Timothy
exclaiming as he marched off with his
small charge in tow: Faith howiver am
l to clane sooch a schrap OF a thing as
this? I'll have TO be hoontin' up a big
box to sthand him on!"
And sure enough, that was exactly what
he had to do, and it took but short time
for the intelligent little animal to learn
Just what the box was for. AS soon as his
stall door was opened he would march out,
get upon the box, stand very still while
| he was curried, and then lift first one foot
and then the other to have it cleaned and
! washed.
Nothing gave Timothy greater satisfac-
ton than to brush the beautiful coat until
it shone like moleskin and to comb the
silky name and tail until each particular
hair seemed to stand out for very pride.
Ned soon grew to love his little mistress
very dearly and to answer with a loud
neigh the queer, piping whistle by which
she always called him.
No pen can describe the delightful
| drives of the charming autumn days.
Jack Frost seemed particularly gracious
that year, and painted the trees more
| gorgeously than ever before.
| At least it seemed so to Denise; but
| perhaps seeing it all from her little car
| riage as she drove along in the golden
sunshine singing to Ned the little song OF
which he never seemed to tire gave an
added charm to everything.
| This song was all about 'poor little
robin" whose name was "Toodle-de-too, -
ana Ned seemed to think that it had been
composed especially for him, and would
invariably go very slowly as soon as Denise
began 20 sing it, and would turn back one
ear, as though to hear better.
When the song ended he would give a
funny little jump of approval, and then
trot on again.
And so the happy autumn days sped by
| and Denise felt that there never had been
SO happy an introduction before as that
which made her acquainted with Ned
Toodles.
GABRIELLE E. JACKSON in st. Nicholas.