Holbrook argus., 1911-12-05
The Summer
 Cottage Pony

Billy was introduced on tine prem ises by Anna when she came tu clean house. As l saw her rattling along down the wooded road in her old rick .ty cart drawn by q small and busi- aes slike bay pony l did not clasp my hands to my heart with premonition of trouble-l was too busy thrilling with joy at the prospect of turning the battle against cobwebs and dust over 10 her. She unhitched the pony and tied him to the back of the cart out side the fence with his nose in bunch of hay under the seat.
 The sun was shining fiercely on him q little later when | noticed him and had surge of philinthropy.
 Its a shame!" said I. 'I am going to tie him inside, in the shade, where he can eat grass. Itll save moving it!'
 Billy turned a mild and trustful eye Ipon my approach. It was then that
 saw a cherished grapevine that had been trailed over the fence at the ex- pense of much time and several yards If twine had been eaten hare. Not leaf remained. Early that morning it aad been g mass of green.
 You imp!" said and slapped Billy. He was tied short. To eat those leaves ne must have performed an acrobatic twist that would have been well worth seeing. He did not seem in the least concerned as 1 jerked him inside the fence and tied him, but rubbed my shoulder with his soft nose. 1 harden ed my heart. There are people who 1se exactly the same tactics as Billy and they should be disapproved of on principle.
 Some time later 1 looked out at Bil, ly. 1 never did have head for math- ematics and had been too liberal in the length of the rope. Having eaten Ill the grass in circle Billy was now with great enthusiasm and gusto eu- toying salad of my scarlet geranium bed recently set out at so much per geranium.
 Billy" shrieked, just as he bit of the top of the sixth geranium. He merely licked his tail and seemed in Jured when I hauled him back. Hold Ing his ears firmly, glared into his countenance and told him a few things. Wriggling loose, he tried to stick his nose into my apron pocket.
 You are not in the least cute!" Insisted coldly. q am not impressed at all, understand! l prefer beauty oi character to parlor tricks and it's plain to be seen you are an abandoned and hardened easel"
 Y Then I(tied him to a small tree in the midst of an arid waste of moss, sprouting acorns and ether unappetiz- Ing things, for 1t really seemed that by this time Billy must be entirely filled with food. Leaving him to his meditations 1 stalked away It was Anna, washing windows, who saw the deed.
 That bad horse!" she commented with cheerful stolidity He is now eating things above!"
 It was true Twisting and stretch Ing his neck like a serpent, Billy reached a waving tendril of the grape vines trained over a rustic arbor and hauled In several yards. He was standing on tiptoes to do 1t. We went out and seriously considered the mat ter after separating Billy from his aerial feast. The only safe place for him was on the fireplace mantel or the roof Still, from the latter he probably would spring agilely into the treetops and devour those. If there had been an abandoned well on the place he could have been lowered into that till Anne was ready to depart Comfortably bulging from his numer- ous repasts, Billy watched us with mild and liquid eyes as we debated He whinnied beguilingly- He seemed to think he was a fsvorite with the family, instead of an outcast got the yardstick and measured Tied around by the corner of the house, it seemed that Billy would be rendered utterly innocuoUs and help less He could not reach the peach tree with six peaches on it, which are more to me than diamonds. He could not reach the young beeches to gnaw the bark and he could not touch the wood bine over the house. Under his feet was good, plain sand. on which he might gorge if he cared to, and over his head unlimited quantities of air. | tied him in vindictive triumph while he tried to rub his nose against my cheek and whinnied the depth of his affection. There was no doutt he was a social horse.
 'There!" I crowed Now go ahead and do your worst!"
 An hour later it was time to get our monday dinner and I sought the kitchen. Hastily stepping into the pantry. l got a shock that finished me. Through the open window from outside projected Billy's head, and he was just consuming the last of the rhubsrb pie that I had bake1 early that flaw and Set on chair rO cOnt