December Days 



There is a long homeward ride, and the short 

 December day is closing in long before home 

 is reached. Colder and colder it gets; the 

 monotonous grey of the morning sky has 

 changed to a bright blue which is momentarily 

 increasing in intensity ; the stars shine out con- 

 spicuously, becoming brighter and brighter 

 every minute, and before the welcome stable 

 lights appears in sight there is a decided 

 " ring " of the ground which has but one 

 meaning. 



And the horse, what of him ? He has carried 

 you well, but he has been obviously leg-weary 

 for the last five or six miles. There is just a 

 lurking suspicion likewise that he is not too 

 sound on that off foreleg about which you have 

 had qualms once or twice of late. Well, he 

 will have a chance of getting right again, for the 

 frost is here at last and in good earnest. A 

 final look round shows you the snow packs on 

 the horizon, and you know you are in for a 

 rest. 



But you have had a good season's sport up 

 to this time ; the horses, especially the old 



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