My First Pony. 23 



developed and increased by such treatment, but 

 I think there is a natural stubbornness inherent 

 in donkey-nature, which no kindness can eradi- 

 cate ; at all events, my animal soon began to 

 show the old Adam which lay latent in his 

 system. On his arrival nothing would do 

 but I must try him at once, and having got 

 him duly equipped in one of my father's hunt- 

 ing saddles, which was a few sizes too large for 

 him, with a pair of small stirrups and leathers 

 from my own stores, and the girths knotted 

 up under his belly, — being without that about 

 eighteen inches too long, — and having armed 

 myself with a good straight cutting whip and 

 a pair of spurs, or rather, I should say, two 

 spurs, for they were odd ones, also from my 

 own stock-in-hand, I started — I beg the reader's 

 pardon, I should say I tried to start ; but not 

 one inch would the brute move. I tried two 

 or three vigorous cuts with the whip, for — 



" I had a donkey that wouldn't go ; " 



and they had no more effect than hitting a 

 bundle of hay. My patience would stand it 

 no longer : in went the spurs with a will. That 

 was a new sensation altogether to Mr. Ned. 



