FOR THE CHILDREN.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 79, 2 December 1914, Page 7

FOR THE CHILDREN.

BAD DAY FOR GYPSY. One day, as Geoff was passing- the famous beech avenue that ted to the Manor House, the Squire’s old-fash-ioned barouche overtook him and turned in at the drive. Finding the .gate closed against him, the coachman checked his horses and tapped impatiently at the cottage porch. It was seldom that old Betty was absent from her post, and wondering vaguely what had become of her, Geoff slipped down front Gypsy’s back and ran forward. He jerked up the latch, and flung back the gat-3, and steed, can in hand, as the Squire s •carriage relied by. “Oh, what a beautiful pony-'' exclaimed a high, boyish voice as they passed. And then Geolf noticed that deep down in the cushions cf the roomy barouche two curly headed buys were craning (heir necks forward tc gel. a bettor view of Gypsy. “ There are visiters up at the Manor House,” Geoff remarked at teatime tiiatday-—“two little boys with thick yellow curls.” “ Yes,” answered Peggy. “I saw tbem with a lady, walking in the grounds, when I took the dairy bucket up this morning. I think they must be twins. They are wonderfully alike.”

“ They’ve taken a tremendous fancy to Gypsy.” added Geoff, with a laugh. “ T passed the carriage in the drive, and the little fellows couldn’t take their eyes off her.” “Envying you, most probably, and longing for a ride on her back,” said the farmer. And he was not far wrong, as events proved. For the next morning the squire’? groom, Morgan, came to the farm with a message from his master whose little guests, it appeared, could do nothing but talk cf Geoff's bor.uii ful pony. Would they lend her tf tlmm for the afternoon? The little family were only too plea • of 1 . The squire had hern such a goc" fri.end to them all that -hey were de lighted tc be able to make some re torn i'er kis kindness, however Tiki it might be. Gypsy was hastily groom saddled, and led elf. Mcigan brought her hack a coruk - f hcu:;s later v,hb the n-r-g; id; ; km from the Manor Meuse wot: ■i ranging a picnic in the weeds the ae t day, and a request lb it the 'if. •tie ho’- ■ mimY drj- e ever ‘ in ’h; farmer’s, governess car. (.'cu-cn; vrrs siren vi"iwdv mr : : ■ but r." the necn v m <vT Meg Irak ed across at her hrrrb---- with ob-n.u n mel' ina ; in her m e knowing kk •voll what was n ■- r b-ul. GeHV m su: ?.l Iter Hat the m" have no few for her pet ■ ' ■ b-■ in excrklen hands. No r '■ m could befall her. Evr• ’ 'a ■ t since Morgan had i: mo, ■ f the squire’s stab lea * •• ■ m perfection. And sum: r k ■■ hou ncry and trap duly returned, safe and sound, to their proud owners, no fault could be found with ih 3 condition cf either. Again and again in the days that followod the curly-headed twins enjoyed a ride rr r. drive with the gen Me •..rs-.iture, v.!r?c In. rsfy and inteilig-pu-e won all hearts. But. me morning, as Geoff was leisurely making his way down a long winding hill, bis eras naught the scuad of voices raised in anger. The vplies seemed familiar, and on turning a sharp bed of the road, he was not surprised to come face to face with the governess car.

A fierce altercation was in progress. One of the twins was tightly holding the reins against the passionate onslaughts of the other, who shrilly maintained that his turn had come to drive, and was vainly endeavouring to assert his rights. Appeals for justice to the remaining occupant of the pony carriage—the Squire’s ne’er-do-well nephew, just home from college—met with nothing more in the way of response than a roar of laughter A single glance at Gypsy filled Geoff with indignation. In spite of the long, steep hill she was mounting, in spite of her heavy load —for the young gentleman who was sprawling in the car was no light weight—in spite of the irritating tugging and jerking at the reins that was bruising the little creature’s sensitive mouth, Gypsy was patiently and faithfully on her way.

But that was not all. Under such trying conditions Gypsy would have found a certain comfort in dropping her head so that, without hindrance

or restraint, she might put her full strength into the work. But, instead, her proud head was forced upwards by a tight bearing rein, a thing of torture and misery that has broken the spirit and the temper of many a good horse.

The sight was too much for Geoffi At one bound he sprang forward, and, with hands that trembled with excitement, he unfastened the rein and set the mare free.

“ Here, you impudent busybody I Let that horse alone, wil lyou? ” The young gentleman had drawn himself up, and was leaning forward with an unpleasant look .on his face. “What do you mean by your interference? ” he asked angrily.

“ I mean,” replied Geoff, doing his best to control his temper —“ I mean that I’ll never see a horse tortured by a bearing rein while I can prevent it. That little mare is mine. I lent it to the squire, and the squire is welcome to keep her as long as he likes. But I’ll never believe that that rein was put on by his orders, nor with his permission.” “ You’re right there, my boy,” said a voice behind them. The squire had ridden up unnoticed, and was watching ■the scene from his magnificent roan, “ No horse of mine has ever worn a bearing rein, and never shall. I don't believe in them. A good horse who is well fed and well cared for will 'tirid - himself as proudly as any high-

1:1011s. And, what s more, u ne's ca icing a load uphill it’s not far short of torture.” And that was the first and last time that Gypsy suffered the pain and indignity cf a bearing-rein. Where it came from was a mystery. The squire’s nephew must have cut down one of the bridle-reins used cn Iho horses —it is certain that such a thing found no abiding- place in I lie stables at the Manor House.