Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-28

stored to his true shape in some magical
way Wouldn't it be just like a fairy-book?"
| mo, / don't think / should like that at
| ALL" said Lola. IF he were to turn out a
! prince, he'd be just boy or a young man,
and then would lose my talking pony. And
| don't want to lose him at all. / don't think
| he Is anything but pony. Pauline; for you
| see he thinks like horse, and talks like
horse; not like man or boy at ALL"
He might be enchanted, though Pau
| line insisted Il have read of cases like
| that. And IL he was IL a magic charm, of
course he would act just like horse"
But erchanted things always have some
| thing queer about them" Lola insisted
| there's always something different from
| the ordinary
.Galopoff has white name and a white
| tall Pauline replied.
Il know" Lola said. a little uncertainty
but he told us how 1t happened. and be-
| lieve him. 1 know what 1 will do. I'll ask
| him whether he IS just a pony, or whether
he is enchanted. What's more. I'll ask him
| TODAY"
He may not know" Pauline said, shaking
her head.
Il believe he does know. Anyway. let's
ask nim 1t Will be fun to see what he
says" was Lola's reply.
BY this time toey hao reached the crook
ed, gray old rail-fence that marked off Gal
| opoff pasture from the big ten-acre lot AS
soon as he saw them coming Galopoff turn
ed his back, and walked slowly off to the
other side of the pasture, cropping the grass
as he vent, and acting as IL he didn't see
them.
Now look at him." said Pauline. laugh
Ing That's just pure mischief! He wants
you to call him. If 1 were you, 1 wouldn't
say word Lers just act as if we came
here only for fun, to sit on the fence and
talk"
Lola agreed and so the two girls pretend
ed to be very busy in talking together but
kept an eye on the pony to see what he
would do. And Galopoff went on feeding
without giving n sign that he saw them, ex-
cept that now and then he turned his head
just enough to catch glimpse of them out
OF one t:ignt eye. So the minutes went by
and neither side would give in. To fill up
the time, the girls began to play the game
''Characters.' That is would take a
character, living or dead. real or made up
and would answer the others questions as
If she were really the imagined character
Lola had taken the character of Jack
Frost. and Pauline found 1t a very hard
one to guess, because she could find out so
little about him. She had found out that he
made pictures and sometimes broke
things If they were left cut of DOORS that he
often prepared winter-sports, and but
she could not hit upon exactly the right
character. Sometimes she thought it was
Santa Claus; bur thai didn't fit because
Jack Frost seemed to enjoy pinching chill
dren's cheeks or fingers and toes. and that
wasn't o bit like Santa Claus. Then she
thought 1t was en- arctic explorer because
Jack so fond of northern climates In
fact she was decidedly mixed up, when sud
Oenly sne nedEQ q voice DenlnQ ner saying:
why don't you ask"
Pauline jumped in surprise. She had for
gotten al about Galopoff for the moment,
and the voice startled her.
Goodness met she exclaimed. WAS
that you. Galopoff? How you scared meY'
I'm sorry" the pony answered. But !
forgot, too. l was interested in the game
and spoke before thought. But why don't
you ask her whether he ever paints in col
ors?"
Well; I will. Lola, do you ever paint in
colors?"
NO." Lola answered. In the assumed
character. My pictures are always in pure
white
do they last ;ong?" Galopoff said
mo, not usually. Sometimes. though.
they last for long time
Il know" said Galopoff Il know what
the character or and he galloped about
shaking his head in delight
What is it?" Pauline asked "Will YOU |
let him guess. Lola?"
II don't mind" Lola said, as Galopof |
came lack to them.
ITS Jack Frost" Galopoff said He's |
one of my old friends in Russia"
That's right said Lola. And now you |
can take character, If you like, Galopoff. |
That's the rule Of the game. you know"
But don't wish to play the game Gal
opoff said. Games are all right for indoors |
but outdoors I'd like something liveier"
Lola has a question she wants to ask |
you," said Pauline, remembering what Lola |
Lola % '''
NO; don't" said Lola. I'D rather ask |
him myself. Galopoff, as we were walking |
down ne road, Pauline wondered whether |
you were really pony, or whether you |
were an enchanted prince, or something |
magical like that. And / said that didn't |
believe you would mind if I asked you Tell |
me. are you just a plain pony?"
"Of course I'm not just plain ponyl" |
said Galopoff with some Indignation. do /
you consider plain? No; am talking /
pony, end that = something very unusual |
a nd I toll Ind han TIM
am trick pony. 1 can do lots of tricks"
oh won't you show us sonnet" Pauline /
asked You know that never even saw /
you in the circus I wish you'd do some |
tricks right now.
"Of course I WILL" Galopoff answered |
promptly. you can be the audience and /
I'll give you a little circus all to yourselves.