The Washington herald., 1913-11-30

and the good-natured owner would oc-
casionally let him take pets home TO play
with. On one occasion I was holding a
conversation with one OF the leaders in
Congress, Uncle Pete Hepburn, about
the railroad rate bill The children
were strictly trained not to interrupt
business. but on this particular occasion
the little boys feelings oyercame him.
He had BEEN loaned a king-snake, which.
as all nature-lovers know. Is not only a
useful but a beautiful snake, very friend
ly to human beings: and he came rush
ing home 20 show the treasure He was
holding II inside his coat, and Il con-
trived TO wiggle partly down the sleeve
Uncle Pete Hepburn naturally did not
understand the fun import CT what the
little boy was saying to me as he en-
deavored to wriggle out OF his Jacket.
and kindly started TO help him-and then
jumped back with alacritS as the small
boy and the snake both popped out OF the
jacket.
Play and Pets.
There could be no healthier and pleas
anter place in which to bring up chill
dren than in that nook OF old-time Amer
lea around Sagamors Hill. Certainly I
never knew small people to have a bet
ter time or a better training for their
work in after life than the three families
OF cousins at Sycamore Hill. 1t was real
country, and-speaking from the some-
what detached point OF view OF the mas
culine parent-I should say there was
just the proper mixture OF freedom and
control in the management OF the chill
dren. They were never allowed to be dis
obedient or to shirk lessons or work; and
they were encouraged to have all the fun
possible.
They often went barefoot. especially
during the many hours passed in various
enthralling pursuits along and in the
waters of the bay. They swan, they
tramped. they boated. they coasted and
skated in winter, they were intimate
friends with the cows. chickens. pigs,
and other live stock. They had in sue
cession two ponies, General Grant and.
when the generals legs became such that
he lay down too often and too unex-
pectedly in the road, a calico pony named
Algonquin, who is still. living a life OF
honorable leisure in the stable and in
the pasture-where he has to be picketed,
because otherwise he chases the cows.
Sedate pony Grant used to draw the cart
in which the children went driving when
they were very small, the driver being
their old nurse Name, who had held their
mother in her arms when she was born,
close as any tie of blood. doubt whether
I ever saw Name really offended with
them except once when. out Of pure, but
misunderstood affection, they named
pig after her! They loved pony
Grant Once / saw the then little boy
Of three hugging pony Grants fore legs.
As he leaned over, his broad straw hat
tilted on end, and pony Grant medita-
lively munched the brim: whereupon the
81 rrTtfh ran NJ n
guish. evidently thinking the pony had
decided to treat him like a radish.
The children had pets OF their own.
too, of course. Among them guinea pigs
were the stand-bys-their highly unemo-
tional nature fits them for companion
ship with adoring but over-enthusiastic
young masters and mlstresses. Then there
were flying squirrels, and kangaroo rats.
gentle and trustful, and a badger whose
temper was short, but whose nature was
fundamentally friendly.
The badgers name was Josiah; the
particular little boy whose property he
was used to carry him about, clasped
firmly around what would have been his
waist IL he had had any. Inasmuch as
when on the ground the badger would
play energetic games of tag with the
little boy and nip his bare legs, / sug-
gested that 1t would be uncommonly dis
agreeable II ne TOOK advantage OF Deing
held in the little boys arms to bite his
face; but this suggestion was repelled
with scorn as an unworthy assault on
the character Of Josiah. He bites legs
sometimes, but he never bites faces" said
the little boy.
We also had a young black bear whom
the children christened Jonathan Ed
wards, partly out Of compliment to their
mother. who was descended from that
great Puritan divine, and partly because
the bear possessed a temper in which
gloom and strength were combined in
what the children regarded as Calvinistic
proportions. AS for the dogs. Of course
there were many, and during their lives
they were intimate and valued family
friends, and their deaths were household
tragedies. One Of them, large yellow
animal Of several good breeds and valua-