THE PONY CLUB

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 130, 4 June 1938, Page 20

THE PONY CLUB

TOM and Anna lived in a pretty cottage near the bush. ; They had a dearly loved dog called;Bodger and a cat called 100, but there was something else they wanted, and that was a velvet* n ° S< They n b'oth had bicycles, but they couldnii ride along the-rough bush tracks on these; besides, most of the children round about belonged to a Pony Club. It was the greatest fun; you met for picnics and .paper chases, and every child had to know how to groony and look after it? p.ony. Tom and Anna , felt rather out of it. ) When Uncle Stephen came to dinner they told him all-about; It. "This Pony Club ; is a good idea," he said -to' their mother, "and I wish these two youngstersicbuld join it." ... Mother and Fathfef agreed, but said that a pony was expensive to buy. It was then that Unse Stephen made his! sporting offer. "Look here," hefSaid, "if you children can deny yourselvc? the sweets you buy every week, and manage to save three pounds between you, I'll double it and'you sftall have your pony.";.. "And I'll pay board and lodging," added Daddy, laughing. Tom and Anna were so excited. . , r . "No more lollipops then," laughed Uncle Stephen—"we shall see whether you can resist temptation," he added. He evidently thought they couldn't. . v , .-.. . ; „ But they did, and any kind uncle or aunt who wanted to .make, them a little present dropped something,in the Pony Fund box. » " Anna, who detected mending; darned five pairs of stockings4or her mother, and got sixpence for her pains. Tom pulled up.no §nd of weeds for the same amount. ' ' <■ ~, . * _ At last the money-box was so full it would not hold penny, and they, counted it up. There were two pounds fifteen shillings', which- left only five shillings more, to get! And then sbmdthlpg happened. , ' , i ' Mother and Daddy were out fpir the afternoon and TomandAnna wet* alone with Bodger. - " Anna saw it flrit,. looking out of the bathroom .where she had.fgone to wasn her Hands, a joor thin, lame pony dragged on a rope -behind-a tinker's cart. It stuftible'4 : f?. it 'weint' along and droojjed- its head, Anna came tearing downstairs to tell Tom without, even waiting to dry her hands, but wh|h she got into the garden she found the tinker oit.the path trying to ;persiiad£ Tom to buy, a saucepan. He was a horrid-looking man with red, shifty, '^ybs. Tom sh6ok his head firmly and Bodger growled angrily. „ > "May I giveiyour poor lame pony some water and a piece of bread?" asked Anna timidly, • ... "Please yourself," said- the man, "but he ain't worth . the, ittjuble; I'm only dragging'hfa off to the knackers to get a few shillings, for his hide." The knackers! It' -was terrible. /That was where .they., lulled Anna knew. ; ' , . /' "Listen, Tcfm," she whispered, "let lis;buy it!" ./ At first her brother thbught it a silly suggestion, but. when he looked again at the wretched little animal he. gave way. "It's a perfect shame to treat it so," he said hotly, "if my father were here he'd .have something to say! How piuch do you,.want'for it?"-*! "More money than you've got, young man," sneered the. man.: - "Give him all,r everything!" implored Anna, ' So the tifaker went aWay with all their savings andthe. children were left with the'forlorn little pony: "It's perfectly hideous and covered with sores," said Tom dolefully, "and I'm sure it's to die!" , Anna-shed- tears of' pity for the pony—and just a for herself; it must be confessed./ After all. their ambitions to have nothing hilt this pitiful wreck! The pony Club had faded right out of sight. . But they led the poor pony slowly down to the shed, fed. tt,s.petted it, and sporigedythe'raw places on its'wretched neglected,• coat-', .! • Wlien Mother and Father came back.and heard the story fcpt&.tvfb rather shamefaced children they didn't say much, but that same evening they rang up Uncle Stephen and told him all about it. ?v • ~ And the very next day a perfect forest pony arrived, with Uncle Stephen's lover to-Ifwo dear, unselfish little people." But that isn't; the end. When the veterinary surgeon came tb see the pony ; patient he was most cheerful. ... i ''He's only a youngster and.he's had some bad treatment With patience and care I shouldn't be surprised' if he : turned out a really nice little beast He'll never be a beauty, but he's got good shoulders and might jump well,'' he told them. ' ' So that's what happened. They kept both the ponies, Joined«the Pony Club, and had the time of their lives. Anna had Tinker as it was her idea to rescue him, and Tom had Steve, so called as a compliment to Uncle Stephen. ■ ... . . At the Pony Club gymkhana, the following summer, Steve, won a prize for the most handsome pony, and Tinker for the best jumper. So you see, you never know. ,