A Pony for Jean

Radio Record, 21 August 1936, Page 56

A Pony for Jean

EAN and her mother went to live in a cottage in a tiny village, and at the end of their garden was a big orchard. In the orchard lived a shaggy Shetland pony named Mousey. When her master went out for rides on his big bay mare Mousey used to run along the hedge as far as she could, whinnying excitedly. "Mousey does so want to go’for a ride with the old gentleman," Jean told her mother. Indeed she felt so sorry for the pony that she used to go to the gap in their hedge and give her a lump of sugar. ' Mousey soon grew to know her and would come galloping up on her sturdy little legs as soon as Jean appeared. One day when Jean was talking to her the old gentleman came into the orchard. Mousey ran to meet him, and

then came frisking back, as if to say, ‘Come along and I'l! introduce you to my new friend!" The. gentleman smiled at Jean and said, ‘‘Mousey seems to have made great friends with you." "Yes," said Jean shyly, ‘‘she always looks so disappointed that she can’t go for a ride with you that I give her a lump of sugar to cheer her up. I hope you don’t mind," she added. . "Oh no," laughed the gentleman, "a lump of sugar won’t hurt Mousey; and, as a matter of fact, she does want a ride very badly. I keep her for my little grand-daughter, May, who stays here and rides when she comes home for her holidays, but Mousey is miserable when she goes. back to school. Can you ride?" he added.. "No,’’ answered Jean; "‘but I should love to!" "Well," said ber new friend, "if your mother will allow it my man shall teach you, and then Mousey will be able _to have her morning rides again." "Oh, thank you!" cried Jean, clapping het hands. ‘‘How lovely!" Jean’s new friend kept his word, and before very long the little girl was trotting happily along the lane on pretty Mousey beside the old gentleman on his big horse.