The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-02-09

Hes very much like Mr.. Rabbit,
said Sweetest Susan.
Hes lots better looking" remarked
| DrusiIla. who had never forgiven Mr..
| Rabbit for installing her for the Tar
| Baby.
| While they were standing there look
/ inc at the rabbit, Sweetest Susan lifted
her hands suddenly and uttered an ex-
| clamation that startled Buster John
| and Drusilla, and sent the rabbit sour
| rying off through the sedge.
what is the matter@ asked Buster
John.
oh to-day is sunday" cried Sweet
| est Susan.
..Whv, Of course it is Sunday" said
| Buster John "Is il any harm to walk
through an old peach orchard hunting
for pony?"
| '.No-o-o," replied Sweetest Susan,
| hesitatingly.
What is the matter, then?"
Nothing, ] had forgotten it was
Sunday, and just happened to think
about it, Sweetest Susan replied de-
murely.
Going forward and looking about
through the orchard, the children soon
saw the gray pony grazing in n fence
| corner at the further side. As they
| went toward him the gray pony saw
them and began TO move away, back
ing his ears and showing signs Of irri-
tation.
Leave me alone, said the pony. Il
don't want to run through these briars
and scratch myself Go away. ] don't
want to see YOU
Wait, cried Buster John; Il want
to talk to you"
"Shucks and smutty nubbins." ex-
claimed the pony. you can hardly talk
to yourselves. Al you can do is to
throw rocks and poke sticks at me
through the fence. Go away. / might
| accidentally hurt you. | wouldn't be
sorry if / did, but they'd send me off
to the river place, and / don't want to
| 60 there and get cookie burrs in my
| name and tail
But ! can talk to you persisted
Buster John II can understand
| everything you say"
The gray pony tossed his head con-
temptuously. Go off 60 off. Yonder
| comes Aaron. The Son OF Ben Ali will
make you let rue alone"
Sure enough, Aaron was coming down
the orchard path with bucket of bran.
Presently he called the gray pony.
| Come. GristIe come
! The pony kicked up his heels. shook
| his head and went galloping toward
Aaron as hard as he could go. When
| the children came up to where the
/ pony was eating his bran, they found
| him disputiug with Aaron. If the
/ children didn't know how TO talk to
| him day before yesterday, how could
| they talk now? That's what he'd like
| to know
"Gristle. listen IF you didn't have
| this bran-mash an hour ago, how can
you be sticking your nose in it now2
/ That's what I'd like to know"
The pony snorted SO hard that he
! blew the wet bran all around. How
did they learn to talk to us?' he asked.
They have been touched" replied
Aaron.
Wen, said the gray pony, chat
| changes things. That alters the case.
I'm sorry I abused them. But that
/ boy there hasn't been very good TO
me. I've seen no boy like Little
Crotchet saw them riding the black
stallion yesterday. How was that2"
"Haven't I told you, Gristle. They
have been touched They have the
sign.
II Sec, responded the gray pony.
That changes things. That alters the
case. But what do they want with
me-
sThey cau answer for themselves,
Gristle. They are here"
"T1y, we wanted you to tell us about
| the time when my Uncle Crochet
| asked grandfather to buy Uncle
The pony drew away from the buck
| ct OF wet bran and looked at the chill
| Aaron"
dren. Then he looked at Aaron.
''Well!" he snorted. 'how do they
lnow?"
Aaron laughed and pointed toward
| the big house They heard it there
| from the white-haired master They
are our friends, Gristle They know
| the sign
sThat alters the case, said the gray
| pony for the third time, but the story
is long one. To-day is the day when
| you get in the carriage and go where
the talking man lives. / used to carry
| the little master there one day in every
week from the time he could ride"
Gle means to preaching" explained
| Aaron, and the explanation made the
children laugh.
/
! pony; then everybody will be at
work, and we shall have no one to
| bother u.s."
Aaron thought that this was good
idea, and at his suggestion the chill
dren agreed to il, though not with a
very good grace, tomorrow seemed to
| be SO far off.
But the time rolled on on the plan
| tation as it did elsewhere, and some
| time during the night, when the chill
| dren were fast asleep and snoring,
may be, tomorrow became to-day
| After breakfast, when they had gone
/ over their lessons with their grand
| father, who taught them to amuse
himself, they went out and found the
/ gray pony, carrying him some green
corn.
"Now, | like that" said the pony,
| e,.ri+ohiuor bic tail yiU0rousIv ttIsya