The Argosy — page 131: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ree Anceer Shaving the Pontes’ Tails. 117 “Look at them, Joe!” he rapturously said, leaning back to Tod. | “Don’t they step together !—are not the heads fine? And the tails! There’s not such a pair of tails in the county,” he went on. “ And I caught old Giles saying he should like to shave them off! I’d rather he came in when I was asleep, and shaved my head !” Whether the words suggested ideas to Tod, or whether what hap- pened later—but I had better go straight on. The Pater had not finished his say. “IT wouldn’t answer for it, Joe, that I shall not have to send Giles about his business. He gets more pig-headed every day. You may keep a servant too long. Now, then, Johnny, I'll take the reins. We are close there.” At the Jacobsons’ we found a regular party. All of them went out to see Squire ‘Todhetley’s model ponies, and decided that they and their tails deserved to be photographed. About eighteen of us sat down to dinner at six. Old Sterling was one; and when the cloth was drawn, he told about Hugh’s escapade, and what the Pater did with the whip. He meant it in joke, but he was an old fodol for his pains. It put up Tod’s blood awfully, and vexed the Pater, as I could see. We did not sit so long as they did, and Tod got me round to the stables. ‘I want you there a minute, Johnny,” he said. .And I went, thinking nothing. ‘I’m going to shave off their tails,” he began, as he struck a light ; and I laughed, supposing he was joking. But when I found he was in earnest, not jest, I nearly went out of my senses with fnght ; I almost went on my knees to him in the stable. “Stow that!” said he. “All you’ve got to do is to hold the light. I shall never betray that you did as much as that, Johnny. Catch hold — of the candle, and don’t shake.” I always did what he told me: his was the master spint: and I stood there, in the stable, lighting him, a very reed under his will. He had noticed a pair of large scissors, or shears, hanging there mm the day- time. He said so as he took them down, when his preparations were made, and he proceeded to use them with night good will. “We'll begin upon Punch first,” said he, seizing the tail of the secured animal, and clipping off, at the first go, enough to stuff a pillow- case. ‘There's my beauty!” he chirped to the poor pony, with insi- dious flattery. ‘Punch shall have his tail trimmed, and make a fine show at the fair! Johnny, if you dodge the light about like that, I shall have an account to settle with you. Are you laughing or crying, sir ? Handsome Punch! A little more yet. Was it fond of its tail, then, and didn’t it like to lose it! ‘¢¢ Oh, dear, what can the matter be ? Dear, dear, what can the matter be ? Oh, dear, what can the matter be? ECOMicoOolkxs.cO© He’s sot no tail for the fair !’”’