of an errand; or, if the servants were busy, and there was
a letter to be posted, there was nothing easier than for Minnie to run
to the gate leading into the pasture, and call out, "Star! Star!!" Then
he would come up to the house, following her like a dog, and wait to be
saddled.

In the winter the pony occupied a stall in the neat, warm stable; and
there, curled down by his side, Nannie lay too, doing her best to keep
her favorite warm with her long fleece.

Minnie thought Star a very knowing horse, and she loved to tell her
father and mother all the cunning things he did, and how glad he always
was to see her, when she went to visit him.

Sometimes her father told her stories of other ponies. I suppose you
would like to hear some, and I will tell them to you.

"The first was an account of a horse owned by Dr. Smith, in Ireland. He
was a beautiful hackney, and although extremely spirited, was at the
same time wonderfully docile.

"The doctor had also a fine Newfoundland dog, named Caesar. These animals
were mutually attached, and seemed perfectly acquainted with each
other's actions. The dog was always kept in the stable at night, and
universally lay beside the horse.

"When Dr. Smith practised in Dublin, he visited his patients on
horseback, and had no other servant to take care of his horse while in
their houses but Caesar, into whose mouth he put the reins. The hackney
stood very quietly, even in that crowded city, beside his friend Caesar.
When it happened that the doctor had a patient not far distant from the
place where he paid his last visit, he did not think it worth while to
remount, but called to his horse and Caesar to follow him. They both
readily obeyed, and remained quietly opposite the door where he entered
until he came out again.

"While he remained in Queen's county, he had many opportunities of
witnessing the friendship and sagacity of these intelligent animals. The
horse seemed to be as implicitly obedient to his friend Caesar, as he
could possibly be to his groom.

"The doctor would go to the stable, accompanied by his dog, put the
bridle on his horse, and giving the reins to Caesar, bid him take the
horse to the water. They both understood what was to be done, when off
trotted Caesar, followed by the hackney, which frisked, capered, and
played with the dog all the way to the rivulet, about three hundred
yards distant from the stable. He followed at a great distance, always
keeping so f