Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-06-01

Pete. You see, the rocking horse ge
such funny name In this way
Grandmamma had told Johnny ant
Maggie the funniest story of an ole
stray horse who had come to hel
fathers home when she was a little
girl. This happened in the early
spring, and Grandmamma father, al
ways doing jolly things, had laughed
and said: THE old stray looks like
our old negro hostler, so we'll name
him for old Pete. And since he has
come in the spring time, we'll cal
him Spring-time Pete So the ole
his life on the great plantation belong
ing to Grandmamma's father, for nc
one had ever called for him, and nc
one ever answered the advertisements
Grandmamma' father had inserted in
the county papers. So "Spring-time
Pete" had become a sort of family
name for stray animals, cats. dogs,
and occasionally a horse. And as
there had been no Spring-time Pete
in the family since Johnny and
Maggie had entered it, Johnny thought
it good plan to call his new rocking
horse Springtime Pete.
y And as began to tell you bit ago,
Johnny did not mind his little sister
Maggies riding Spring-time Pete,
when he, Johnny, was not himself on
his back. But one day Maggie begged
to ride when Johnny was riding, and
Johnny, being a bit selfish (as, l re-
greet to say most little boys are
on first owning rocking horse) de-
cided to allow Maggie to ride behind
him. "Spring-time Pete is very strong,
and will carry double Johnny said.
He's very gentle horse, and good
natured. So get up behind me, Sister,
and We'll ride together"
Nov, where shall we ride to, sis
ter?" Johnny asked as soon as Maggie
was safely settled behind him, hold
ing round his manly waist with her
two chubby arms.
"Oh, let's go to Fairyland!" 1t was
a happy inspiration, and Maggie
glowed with pleasure as she made the
She had heard so much
about Fairyland, and had longed and
longed to go there. And 1t never
entered her five-year-old head to
doubt the possibility of Spring-time
Pete's carrying them to Fairyland.
But faltered Johnny, I'VE don't
know the direction to go. We haven't
he slightest idea where Fairyland is"
well, doesn't Spring-time Pete
know where it is?' asked Maggie, in
,ood faith. Hes horse, and ought
O know where to gallop to find any
I'D place. Just you say, Get up,
'nring-time and before supper time
'pring-time Pete, and take us to
Maryland before supper time And
m quite sure he'll do it,
Maybe he WILL agreed Johnny.
md giving Spring-time Pete the reins,
le called out in his brown-painted
ar: Get up Spring-time Pete! And
AIRY us to Fairyland before supper
ime." ..>. # ..., 49,.
Then Spring-time Pete began to
allop very fast and To toss his head |
nd to swing his long tail. And pretty
DON he jumped off the back porch,
here he had been hitched previous
, the children's mounting him, and
'ent out through the back gate, run
ing like a real, sure-enough horse ,
oward the river a mile off.
Hold on, sister, or off you'll tum-
le!" 1t was Johnny's warning to
1aggie, for Spring-time Pete was 60
1g at an awful speed and his burden |
ocked from side to side. Johnny neld |
lightly to the horn of the saddle, leav-
lg the reins lie across it.
II shan't tumble off, bruver," re-
lied Maggie, holding more tightly as
hey went rushing down a steep hill |
f11 Cd
God fun, running down hill and up |
he other side just as fast as Spring
me Pete could go.
Were off to Fairyland, I guess"
aid Johnny several minutes later.
Eyes, and we'll get there before sup
er time, too,'' replied Maggie, duck
1g her head so as to keep the dust
ut of her eyes.
After going for some distance,
Pete turned into a path
eading from the road. This path ran
cross meadow, up and down hill
nd over bridge which spanned
reek And then it led right into
Greeg's (the children's
lthers mother) big front yard.
"W'y, we're going to Grannys!"
rleQ Maggie, peeplnS past one sue
ohnny's broad back. isn't this +
ranny's path.
yep. it's Granny's path said
ohnny Maybe Fairyland is in the
GODS back of Granny's. Anyway,
ere going some place very fast"
But Spring-time Pete did not stop
side Grandmamma Gregg's big front
ard. He just galloped right through
I'D out at the back gate, not stop
ng long enough for the children to
lplain to their Granny" who stood
the door and waved hand to them
, they went by, where they were off
. But Granny must have known,
10 called ont tn than. "Take the