The Argosy — page 132: what you’re looking at

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

ee ie 118 Shaving the Ponies Tails. Tyan 1, 1008. ‘Don’t sing, Tod! Suppose they hear you ?” “Good Punch! Just a few more clips to make it perfect. We'll begin upon the mane next. Proud Punch! its tail shall be con- verted into a lady’s chignon, and tied on with blue nbbons! Steady, Mr. Punch! be a gentleman, now! A little closer. You don’t know how perfect an animal you'll be. Your own mother wouldn't know you !” Perfect it was, but very bare. Had Tod served an apprenticeship to the art of tail-cutting, he could not have done it better. Toby’s turn came next, but there was more trouble with him, and he could not be finished off so artistically. The manes escaped. Tod was beginning upon them when we heard a noise outside, so he just gave the nearest to him a good notch, and we prepared to decamp. ‘‘ Now, then, Johnny! ‘Take down that apron of old Blossom’s, and shove this horsehair in it as tight as you can. Make a ball of it, and pitch it into the pond. We must sacrifice the chignon. That's it!” He blew out the light, and away we went. I flung the horsehair and apron into the pond, after which we got safe in-doors, and sat down to a round game at Pope Joan. Tod was going into fits of laughter per- petually, and the girls thought it was the cards that made him. © It was past twelve o’clock when we started home. The Pater had been boxed up in the dining-room, smoking with the old ones, and he looked half asleep. All of them were wanting their carriages together, and. Tod ran out, telling Gruff Blossom he'd see to ours. Blossom thanked him: it stood to reason that he could not get about fifteen vehicles ready at once. So there was no difficulty in the matter. Tod harnessed the ponies to the carriage, and brought it round. “You can drive, Joe,” said the Pater, shaking hands with me, 1n mis- take for somebody else; and he went fast asleep before we were clear of the Jacobsons’ gates. Tod was silent all the way home, as if he did not like what he had done. Success attended us. The Manor servants had been keeping up Christmas as well as ourselves, and Dwarf Giles was not in attendance to take the ponies. Three or four times in the year Giles would get too much to drink, and for twenty-four hours or so be no good to any- body. The Squire threatened to dismiss him every time, but never did. it. Bill, the stable-boy, was there, and Tod and I went round with him. ‘¢ My eyes!” exclaimed Bill, when his lantern flashed on the ponies. “What's come to ’em ?” “Never you mind,” answered Tod; ‘‘I suppose the Squire can do what he pleases with his own animals. The tails were getting too long.” And that silenced Bill. The Pater never came down the next day till twelve o’clock. The frost made him over-sleep himself, he said; and while he x bodies break- fasting, Budd, the agent, came in. Tod was out of the way som OKSRG ‘©