The Idler Magazine, Volume III, April 1893 | Page 2

the Princess Victoria of Connaught, for whose use it is
now being broken in. Directly the donkey is taken out of the stable for
educational purposes, the charger becomes restless and unhappy, races
round the paddock attached to his loose box in evident distress, and
refuses to be comforted until his beautiful little companion returns.
Then he playfully nibbles her back, joyfully flings up his heels, and
careers wildly round the paddock, neighing shrilly as he goes, his long
tail floating in the breeze. What will happen when "Ninette" leaves her
companion it is difficult to say. At present she takes little notice of this
exuberant display of affection, beyond running beneath the charger's
belly, and playfully trying to plant her tiny heels in his lofty side. When

they have been twice round the paddock, "Ninette" plodding gamely on,
a long way in the rear, the couple halt at the shed entrance, and look at
us with exuberant curiosity, the donkey's long ears shooting backwards
and forwards with great rapidity.
After inspecting this somewhat incongruous couple, we are taken to
another stable to see "Jenny," a white donkey, twenty-five years old.
"Jenny" belongs to the Queen, and was bred at Virginia Water. Her
Majesty saw "Jenny" when she was a foal, had her brought to Windsor
and trained, and there the docile old animal has remained ever since.
She is pure white in colour, with large, light, expressive grey eyes. One
peculiarity about her is an enormous flat back, soft and almost as wide
as a moderate-sized feather bed. A handsome chestnut foal is
temporarily quartered with her. This foal was bred from a mare
belonging to the late Mr. John Brown, and promises to grow into a very
beautiful animal.
[Illustration: "JENNY."]
"Jenny," although rather reserved, affably condescends to partake of a
biscuit, pensively twitching her long ears after us as we depart along
the road leading to the Royal dairy. As we leave the trimly built and
picturesque outbuildings there is a brave burst of sunshine; chaffinches
"chink-chink" in the trees around, producing a sharp, clear sound as if
two pebbles were struck against each other; rooks sail majestically
overhead, their sentinels, posted in the trees around, giving notice of
our approach; and the pale petals of a rathe primrose gleam shyly out
from a sheltering hedge. The park is filled with Scotch cattle with
beautiful heads and matted, shaggy hides. In the next paddock a
handsome Jersey cow thrusts her head over the intervening rails and
licks the shaggy frontlet of a small dun bull, who gives a gentle low of
satisfaction, and endeavours to follow us as we pass through the gate in
the direction of the Queen's dairy. At this section of the farm, in the
buildings, we find "Tewfik," a very fine white Egyptian donkey, with
large black eyes and tremendous ears. He is one of those enormous
asses which are so greatly esteemed in the East for their powers of
endurance. It is a curious fact that a donkey of this kind will do as

much work as a horse, last twice the time on a long march, and never
break down. "Tewfik" was purchased by Lord Wolseley in Cairo, and
sent to England, gay with magnificent Oriental trappings, and clipped
all over in most extraordinary patterns, resembling Greek architectural
ornaments. These patterns are a source of great trouble to the
unsophisticated traveller in the East. He learns one side of his donkey
by heart, and never thinks of looking at the other; consequently, when
he sees the hitherto unknown side of the animal, he is inclined to think
that some wight has been playing a practical joke, and substituted a
different beast for the one he has bestridden. "Tewfik" was much
admired at the Jubilee Agricultural Show in Windsor Great Park, and
seems really a very amiable, well-mannered, aristocratic animal. He is
delighted to see us, and prefers sweet biscuits to plain. Indeed, it is with
regret that he watches us depart. His long mobile ears shoot out from
the stable door as he endeavours to follow us into the box of his
neighbour, a dainty Shetland pony, some three feet six inches high,
which is usually known as "The Skewbald." This diminutive little lady
welcomes us in the most charming manner, and is as frolicsome as a
kitten, romping about and playing all sorts of tricks. Her mission in life,
besides being everyone's pet, is to draw a small two-wheeled cart for
Her Majesty's grandchildren. The dainty, trim, little brown-and-white
beauty possesses enormous strength, and takes existence very
philosophically. The first time she was put into harness she acted as if
she had been accustomed to it all her life, and never required the
slightest breaking in. There is another Shetland pony in