Carrys Rose | Page 7

set out to fish in the river, and
while walking round by the common they came upon a donkey
standing all alone, without a bridle or even a rope on it. It was close to
a large juicy thistle, but it did not seem to be eating it, and every minute
or two it shook and trembled.
[Illustration: THE DONKEY.]
Lizzie was the first to notice it, and going closer, exclaimed, "I am
afraid the poor beast must be ill."
"Tuts, what nonsense!" said Herbert; "donkeys are never ill. Don't you
know they live for ever, Cousin Lizzie?"
"Well, I don't know about that," said Charles, going close up to the
donkey and looking into its face; "all I can say is, if this poor beast isn't
ill it looks very like it."
"It's nothing but a stubborn fit," said Herbert; and before any one could
stop him he gave the donkey a lash with a switch he held in his hand,
calling out at the same time, "Gee up, Teddy! come, get out of your
sulks, sir!"
The donkey's flesh seemed to shiver, and he breathed harder, but his
heavy eye never brightened.
"I tell you what it is, Herbert, I'll not see that poor animal ill-used in
that manner," said Charles; "he's not sulky, he's ill!"
[Illustration: THE COWHERD.]
Herbert felt inclined to quarrel with Charles for his reproof, but Charles
had spied a little boy sitting on a gate herding a cow, and he ran over to

him to make inquiries who the donkey belonged to.
"Well, sir, the poor beast belongs to some travelling gipsies who are
living t'other side of the common, and they left it here this morning
because it couldn't go no further, and there it has stood before that 'ere
thistle ever since."
Caroline now came up, and hearing that the donkey was ill beyond a
doubt, she proposed they should go home and ask their mamma to send
the stable lad with a hot drink to the poor animal. "I know when our
pony was ill one day he got a hot drink and some medicine, and he very
soon was all right again."
"I'm not going back, for one," said Herbert; "the idea of making such a
fuss about a donkey; it's quite ridiculous!"
"Nobody is forcing you, my dear cousin," replied Charles cheerily;
"you may go on to the river by yourself; but I for one couldn't enjoy
myself, unless I had done something to help this poor animal in its
distress."
"Well, I don't see why we all should stay because you choose to doctor
an old donkey," said Herbert peevishly. "Come along, Lizzie and Carry;
if you don't come at once we'll lose the best part of the day, and get no
fish."
The girls, however, were quite as anxious about the welfare of the poor
donkey, and declared their intention to stay with Charlie. They even did
more, for they volunteered to go back to the house to get what was
necessary for the animal, while Charlie and the herd-boy watched by
him, ready to render any assistance if he should turn worse.
Caroline was fortunate in finding Stephens the gardener, who was
considered very skilful in doctoring sick animals; at anyrate, he had set
the leg of one of her chickens when it was broken, and managed to
bring Neptune through a severe illness, therefore it was to be supposed
he could cure the donkey also.

"Well, miss, I'll come and see him," said Stephens; "but if he is as bad
as you say, I fear it's little I can do." To their great delight, however,
when Stephens had examined him, he gave it as his decided opinion
that the animal was suffering from a severe cold and over-work. "If we
had him put into a warm house for a night, and gave him something
warm to eat, I think he would soon be all right," said Stephens. "I might
manage to make him up a bed in the root-house, if your mamma would
have no objections."
[Illustration: THE GIPSY ENCAMPMENT.]
Caroline and Lizzie ran back to the house again, and after telling the
story, Mrs. Ashcroft gave permission that all attention should be paid to
the sick animal; and while Charles and the herd-boy went over to the
gipsy encampment to tell where their donkey had disappeared to,
Caroline and Lizzie helped Stephens to make the donkey comfortable.
Even in the short time they were beside him the poor animal seemed to
be much relieved; and though at first he could scarcely open his mouth
to eat the warm, soft mash Stephens had prepared for him, before they
left he was beginning to nibble at a tuft of hay that had been placed for
his use.