Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-23
GAL0PoFF, THE TALKING PONY
A Story for Young Folks.

BY Tudor jerks. Copyright, Henry Altemus, 1901.
CHAPTER VI.
THE PICNIC, AND GALoPoFFS STORY.
When Galopoff was thus interrupted, he
forgot himself for moment, and said, has
tily:
"Botheration,"
AS soon as Pat heard the word he drop
ped the fish he was carrying, and stood
staring at the pony, with his jaw dropped
and an expression of amazement
BE the powersn' said Pat. when he could
speak. did We hear him? The little horse
said 'bothera.ion,' or something like It, as
sure as me names Patrick! What kind of
a land Is this, in which the fish can laugh
In me face and the horses talk?'
NOW. the little girls didn't know what to
say. They were afraid that if grown peo-
pie found out that Galopoff could talk. it
would put an end to all their fun Still,
they couldn't think what to say without
SAYING say what wasn't true, and they were not
iy, they said nothing. But Galopoff was not
80 slow-witted. In knocking about the
world he had certainly frightened his wits
So, the little girls were amazed to hear
him half say and half whinny something
like this:
Bother NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
whinny-y-y! 1t began like word. but it
certainly ended with the horsiest kind of a
whinnyfng neigh.
Pat looked puzzled, with his eve fixed on
the pony, and his mouth drawn down at
Pat said:
$50. t was neighing you were? You're
that sinsible that thought you were talk
Ing. Let this teach We young ladies how
aisy 1t is to be desaved.'
Maybe the fish didn't laugh, them sug-
gested Lola.
Maybe not" Pat answered with a grin.
But it's all one now: for t is too late to
ryo'n rcfx r; III
pudence, and cook him for lunch'
Then Pat built bright fire of cracking
sticks. and made bed of embers. Wrap
ping the fish In leaves he put him into the
hot ashes. When the fish was cooked, all
the skin stuck to the leaves. and the fish
was the most delicious morsel that could be
imagined.
Well exclaimed Pat, as he polished the
last bone, "a good fish needs no dish. Now,
I'll go see if 1 can't catch one Of his
brothers"
''Why?" asked Pauline Haven't YOU had
enough?''
I've had plenty of fish. but not enough
Of fishing" Pat answered, as he rose and
walked away toward the river.
AS soon as he was out of sight, Galopoff
came strolling back again, nibbling bits of
grass by the way.
''oh. Galopoff,' exclaimed Lola you
nearly got caught that time. Pat surely
out you could speak?
But Galopoff made no answer He put
down his little nose, upset the sugar bowl.
and helped himself to three big lumps.
Sugar is great Invention he rema rk-
ed Il think it Is perfectly sweet. Let me
see, where was I?''
You were telling about how you used the
letters In the circus to
"Ah yes; remember" said Galopoff. 81
waited until the ring-master asked me what
I'd like to have. Usually 1 would pick out
the letters o, A, T, s, which I'm told, spell
oats. But this time / picked out another
set of letters. and put them down in
bunch. The ring-master didn't know what
L was about, and didn't know what to do;
and while he was making up his mind
arranged the letters to read like this:
Pay me my money, or l won't work
Then the people cheered, and laughed,
and made a great noise. The ring-master
gave me the signal to go on. But 1 sat
down. and pointed with one hoof to the
words had spelled Then he tried to get
me to leave the ring, but I would not
bulge So he lost his temper and raised