DOLLY'S DAY OFF 



until they came to a little road that cut across a 

 gore that had been left by the original surveyors 

 of the township. I saw a chance, and sent the boy 

 across the fields to head them off. As the little road 

 had rail fences on both sides it was choked with 

 snowdrifts, so it looked as if this manoeuvre would 

 work. They stopped, and the boy climbed over the 

 fence ahead of them. In the meantime I drove along 

 until I had passed the little road and took up a stra- 

 tegic position where I could head them off and start 

 them towards home as the boy drove them back. 

 Alas for the vanity of human wishes ! The mail car- 

 rier had let down the fence a few rods down the 

 little road so as to avoid the drifts by crossing 

 through a field. Dolly saw the opening and took 

 advantage of it at once. Into the field they went. 



I admit that it was a beautiful sight to see them 

 cavort around that ploughed field. It reminded me 

 of a passage in Mazeppa: 



"They stop^ they snort^ they snifF the air. 

 Gallop a moment here and there. 

 Approach, retire, wheel round and round. 

 Then plunging back with sudden bound. 

 They snort, they foam, neigh, swerve aside !" 



But I didn't meditate on the poetry. Instead, I 



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