152 OCCASIONAL HAPPY THOUGHTS. 



brought 'im hover. Walked 'im a'most hall the way. Quite 

 quiet ; no wice: no tricks o' no sort. 



All this sounds well. After all, I think Jelfer, having 

 given me a cheque and a horse, jnust have got the worst of 

 the bargain. 



Happy Thought. — Try him in the trap. 



He allows himself to be harnessed. He is quiet. I mount 

 the box — Murgle behind. I don't ask my Aunt to accom- 

 pany me this time, because she made me so nervous before. 



I square my elbows, take up the reins, and say " Tchk I " 

 encouragingly. 



The horse pays no sort of attention. 



I pull the reins a trifle tighter, and repeat " Tchk ! " less 

 encouragingly, and in a tone of command. 



The horse stands quite still, v.ith rather a hang-dog ex- 

 pression about the head. 



With some diffidence, I use the whip. Just once tickle^ 

 with one " Tchk ! " 



Happy Thought. — Always use whip with diffidence on a 

 new horse, because, however quiet he may have been up to 

 that moment, you don't know what he might suddenly do on 

 feeling the whip. He might send up his heels through the 

 splash-board, kick at me, dash ofif into the road, overturn 

 the trap, leave me senseless — and perhaps never sensible 

 again — in the ditch. In this case Jelfer would decidedly 

 have had the best of it. 



The Grey does nothing of the sort. He takes less notice 



