The Argosy — page 137: what you’re looking at

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

\ THR ARGOSY. Shaving the Pontes Tails. 123 Jan. 1,1 seen behind a couple of mules. Go and look at the poor docked wretches.” “ Their tails will grow again, sir,” I pleaded, not in the least knowing whether they would or not. “Joe says that the feel of his father’s whip will never wear off his back. He’d not have minded it from anybody else.” . The Squire swallowed something in his throat. ‘“ Well, well ; I’ll not have him taken up, and I won't beat him. There, go and bring him home, Johnny.” : ‘‘’You can come too, please.” We went up-stairs in a body, the three of us. Tod was asleep. He lay with one arm outside the bed-clothes, and the shirt-sleeve had been pushed up to the shoulder, showing some blue wheals—those left on it on Christmas Day. Mrs. Todhetley quickly drew the sleeve down, and put the arm gently inside the bed. ‘ Poor Joe! don’t wake him,” said the Squire, in a soft voice. “ But I must have a talk with him to-morrow. He can’t expect to shave off ponies’ tails, and not get told of it.” And we went down-stairs again. “Tt was all through the missis,” I said to Tod when he awoke, re- spectfully alluding to Mrs. Todhetley. ‘ But for her the Pater would not have come to. She wants to be kind to you, Tod.” ‘‘Madam shams,” returned Tod. ‘I say, Johnny, though, I'd give my next quarter’s allowance to be able to undo it. I dreamt just’ now that the Pater was dying, and that that precious gander of a Duff came in with his cane and his long face, and said the ponies’ tails had killed him.” There’s no more room. [I'll tell something else about Tod another time. JoHNNy LUDLOW. comicaooks GO)