Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1911-10-04
The Summer
Cottage Pony

Billy was introduced on the prem
1ses by Anna when she came to clean
house. AS | saw her rattling along
down the wooded road in her old rick
ETY. cart drawn by a small and busi-
nesslike bay pony l did not clasp my
hands to my heart with a premonltlon
of trouble-I was too busy thrilling
with joy at the prospect of turning the
battle against cobwebs and dust over
to her. She unhitched the pony and
tied him TO the back OF the cart out
side the fence with his nose In q
bunch of hay under the seat.
The sun was shining fiercely on him
a little later when l noticed him and
had surge of philanthropy.
It's shame!" said |. Il am going to
tie him inside, in the shade. where he
can eat grass. It'll save moving it,"
Billy turned mild and trustful eye
upon my approach. 1t was then that
1 saw cherished grapevine that had
been trailed over the fence at the eX-
pense of much time and several yards
of twine had been eaten bare. Not a
leaf remained. Early that morning It
had been mass OF green. 81
You imp!" said and slapped Billy.
He was tied short To eat those leaves
he must have performed an acrobatic
twist that would have been we'll worth
seeing. He did not seem in the least
concerned as l jerked him inside the
fonna ffod him hnt YnhhaH nv
shoulder with his soft nose. | harden
ed my heart. There are people who
use exactly the same tactics as Billy
and they should be disapproved OF on
principle
Some time later looked out at Bill
ly. l never did have a head for math-
emaucs and | had been too liberal in
the length of the rope. Having eaten
all the grass in a circle Billy was now
with great enthusiasm and gusto en-
joying a salad Of my scarlet geranium
bed recently set out at SO much per
geranium.
Billy" shrieked, just as he bit off
the top of the sixth geranium. He
merely f1icked his tail and seemed i'll
jured when | hauled him back. Hold
ing his ears firmly. | glared into his
countenance and told him few
things Wriggling loose, he tried to
stick his nose into my apron pocket.
You are not in the least cute,"
insisted coldly. Il am not impressed
at all. understand, prefer beauty OF
! character to parlor tricks and it's plain
to be seen you are an abandoned and
| hardened case:"
| Then | tied him to a small tree in
! the midst of an arid waste O. moss
| sprouting acorns and other unappetiZ
ing things, for 1t really seemed that
by this time Billy must be entirely
filled with food Leaving him to his
meditations | stalaed away. 1t was
Anna, washing windows, who saw the
deed
That bad horse" she commented
with cheerful stolidity, He is now
eating things above"
II was true Twisting and stretch
ing his neck like a serpent. Billy
reached a waving tendril OF the grape
vines trained over q rustic arbor ane
hauled in several yards. He wal
standing on tiptoes to do It, We wen
out and seriously considered the mat
ter after separating Billy from hi
aerial feast The only safe place TO
him was on the fireplace mantel O
the roof Still. from the latter b.
probably would spring agflely into tn
treetops and devour those. II ther
had been an abandoned well on tn
place he could have been lowered int
! that till Anne was ready to depart
/ Comfortably bulging from his numel
GUS repasts. Billy watched us wit
mild and liquid eyes as We debated
He whinnied beguilinsly. He SCENE
to think he was & favortte with tn
family, instead Of an outcast