You can,
of course, overdo kindness to animals, but it is a fault on the right
side; and, as a rule, I do not discourage her. Veronica was allowed
to remain, owing to her bad knee. It is a most unfortunate
affliction. It comes on quite suddenly. There is nothing to be
seen; but the child's face while she is suffering from it would move
a heart of stone. It had been troubling her, so it appeared, all the
morning; but she had said nothing, not wishing to alarm her mother.
Ethelbertha, who thinks it may be hereditary--she herself having had
an aunt who had suffered from contracted ligament--fixed her up as
comfortably as the pain would permit with cushions in the centre of
the back seat; and the rest of us toiled after the carriage.
I should not like to say for certain that horses have a sense of
humour, but I sometimes think they must. I had a horse years ago who
used to take delight in teasing girls. I can describe it no other
way. He would pick out a girl a quarter of a mile off; always some
haughty, well-dressed girl who was feeling pleased with herself. As
we approached he would eye her with horror and astonishment. It was
too marked to escape notice. A hundred yards off he would be walking
sideways, backing away from her; I would see the poor lady growing
scarlet with the insult and annoyance of it. Opposite to her, he
would shy the entire width of the road, and make pretence to bolt.
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