Sister's Forbidden Ride

He had found five when Mother called him to breakfast. Piled beside his plate were allot of presents. I can't remember all he got--but there was a knife, a pencil set for school, a kite, a sweater and some other things.

And then after breakfast, Mother handed him one end of a string and said, "here Freddie, follow this string to one more present." So all excited, Freddie followed the white string. First through the front room, then upstairs through every room, down the back stairs into the woodshed, out the door, around the house across the yard and finally into the barn.

A brown pony!

Just the right size for an eight year old boy. Freddie was so pleased he could hardly speak. It was such a nice pony, so friendly, so gentle.

Freddie's Father showed him how to put on the pony's saddle and bridle. He showed him how to take care of the pony, because of course the pony needed water, and food and a clean bed and fresh air.

Well that's part of the story. Freddie loved his pony the the pony loved Freddie. Freddie used to ride him everywhere. I'll tell you some stories about Freddie and his pony some other time. But tonight it is about Sister.

Sister didn't have any pony. Her Father said when she was a little bigger she could have one too. He also told her not to ride Freddie's pony unless someone said she might.

But one day Freddie wasn't home and the pony was down in his outdoor pasture. Sister asked Mother "May I ride the pony?"

"No" said Mother, "You have on a new dress--besides you must not ride him alone and I'm too busy to go with you. You'll have to wait 'till Freddie comes home."

Head Stall

But Sister wanted to ride the pony. And so she was very naughty. She went down to the pony pasture. then she called the pony. His name was Brownie. He didn't have on his saddle, just a thing on his head they called a head stall. Sister climbed up on the fence then onto the pony's back.

Brownie began to walk. "This is easy" thought sister. Bye and by she got tired of going slow. She wanted to go fast. Brownie wouldn't go any faster. He knew Sister would fall off without any saddle or bridle.

Then because he would only walk she bagan to slap Brownie and kick him with her heels. That HURT and Brownie got a little cross too. He began to run.

He ran fast, right toward the brook!

Sister was frightened. It was hard to stay on. Brownie was getting close to the brook. The brook wasn't deep but it was W-I-D-E and very muddy on the sides.

Brownie whoaed. But he stopped so quickly that Sister didn't stop. She went right over Brownie's head and...