THE CLOSED GATE

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 55, 6 March 1935, Page 20

THE CLOSED GATE

(By Joau Skinner, Victoria Street, Walbl ! ago It years.) The big gate in the corner of the home paddock was closed, and to the aged horec who stood with his head hung over its top bar, it seemed symbolic of his life. As he gazed wistfully across the green paddock, lights began to twinkle in the windows of the homestead nestling in the shelter of the hills. Each evening found him standing thus waiting for the master who until recently, had never failed to open the gate and let him through to the sheltered home paddock. Now all was different, an.! he waited in vain. All through the summer lie had puzzled the question of the locked gate, and with the approach of late autumn nights with their chili touch of froij-t, he had felt a slight shiver of apprehension. He misled his warm rug and his portion of oats, which hi'd been deemed unnecessary by the now owner, as he was past work, and therefore lucky to be just turned out instead of the many other forms of martyrdom often imposed on good faithful servants whose usefulness had ended. Wearily he shifted his weight and restsd a trembling leg while his head drooped lower. He must keep awake though, for they would set the dogs on him if he were still there in the morning.

Perhaps he slept, for again lie felt (lie heat of day as he toiled in the harvest field. Again the J03 T s of the mid-day spell and the scent of the new mown hay being , wafted across to where h< , rested. Once more at the close of day ho stood, while his loved master opened the gate. With an eager whining he stepped forward, but hesitated, and then, with the hand he loved resting lightly on his neck, he passed through. He did r.ot feel the earth as his wornout body slid gently to its embrace, for his spirit had found the peace mid shelter of the home paddock and the gate stood wide.