Middletown transcript., 1898-01-22
'In this weather. a horse certainly
requires blanketing after driving. But

pattern for such an animal"
Barbara's temper flashed. II viii
take one of each. The proper size
This blue and gray one will be becom
ing, l think" Her manner, as she
paid the ten dollars which Flora's cos
tunes cost, implied: "The horse il
mine. She has become digniied
member of society,""
''I'll send these right away"
"Do so, please. Where is the feed
storeP"
AS she left the first shop she ''did" q
little mental problem. "A women
bought horse for eighteen dollars, a
night blanket for two and half and a
street blankst for seven; how much did
she pay for the horse2 Answer: Hell
new winter coat. Was the woman sat-
fed? She was"
Then she crossed the street, rumin-
ating.
81 haven't the least idea what q
horse requires, except hay. But I won't
be mean. .H'ml 1 want to buy some
er-horse provision"
Eyes, madam.''
"I'll take-I'll take twenty-five pounds
of hay and ten of oats. F"
"Eh? Beg pardonl didn't quite
undertand."
Barbara repeated her statement dis
tinctly.
Eyes; 5ut we don't sell in that way.
Hay by the hundred weight. Feed by
the bag or bushel."
"IndeedP" The merchant looked
honest. She resolved to trust him.
II have never owned a horse before.
Please give me little information.
shall appreciate it,"
So did the seller of oats, and Miss
Belts left his establishment with the
price of gown to swell the sum in ad-
dition.
Flora was sin clover" She held up
her venerable head and looked her new
mistress SO gratefully in the eye that
Bab's heart melted within her.
"You precious ANIMAL believe yor
are almost human! But how you de
eat suppose you've been half star
we'd. Never mind. You shall have al
you want, If 1 go without myself
Goodnight, Floral Pleasant dreamsP
Did she actually hug the creaturei
Elderly maidens, not fully appreciated
by their families, sometimes do eccen'
trio things. Be that as it may, Miss
Belts went into the house and bandaged
her wrist, where an ugly bruise called
for gibing comment from Kathryn.
81 do believe that beast has bitter
you."
swell, if she has, she hasn't yet
learned to understand kindness"
"Oh, thought she was family
petP" noes
There was no reply. = b
Barbara visited the stable four time
that night. She was there when th'
breakfast bell rang, and she was not in
quite her usual dainty trim when she
appeared at table. 4
"I'ye been getting things in order
I'll not be so late again." fion
"Shades OF Arabyl 1 wish you'G
postpone you stable visits till afte
you've visited your family" observed
the younger sister, shifting.
"Childrenp' ba-
Eyes, mother. But, Bah, what ar
you going to do with Miss Flora, nov
you have herP" i
"I-I'm going to buy a saddle am
ride. She has a delightful motion
they tell me-"
barbara Bettsl how are you to pa
for all this extravagancep"
"Out of my own allowance" d
The tone admitted of no furthe
comment. f6
When they lef5 the breakfast-roon
Mrs. Belts said, rather wistfully.
"Now that wes have a horse, 1 al
most wish we had=-a wagon"
Flora's mistress was Inclined to re
sent the 1--WE have" but glanc
motherward checked the tendency
On the walk to the mail her saddle wa
metamorphosed into as harness an
phaeton, with robes
SIT must be secondhand, to mattel
the horse. 1 saw such advertised
I'll buy that OUTFIT"
She did. The next day she hal
messed Flora and invited Mrs. Bett
to ride. Flora earned her title
.'goatn by capering around in franti
manner, which ended in the SEVERN
of straps and the overturning of th
vehicle. This elimination of be
playfulness was reached at a mo:
favorable point-in front of the bal
ness shop.
The master came out and rescue
the ladies'.
ssIf I were allowed to offer sugge
tion, 1 should say first learn to hal
ness The reasons why this brol
are that it is on wrong, and it is wor
out"
Barbara Belts was sensible. ST
always. followed good advise. St
bought new harness on the spot an
ordered new phaeton for the morrow
bartering her secondhand outfit !
(sllghtly) partial payment. That nigl
she wrote in her diary:
Item-one horse. .Cost-0ne winter coat.
Blankets. !" Two pairs shoes.
Harness. Two bonnets.
Phseton, etc A new Cyclopedi