第87章 Cattle Show(4)

A young lady in the town owned a donkey,a small,gray beast,who insisted on tripping along the sidewalks and bumping her rider against the walls as she paused to browse at her own sweet will,regardless of blows or cries,till ready to move on.Expressing great admiration for this rare animal,Grif obtained leave to display the charms of Graciosa at the Fair.Little did she guess the dark designs entertained against her dignity,and happily she was not as sensitive to ridicule as a less humble-minded animal,so she went willingly with her new friend,and enjoyed the combing and trimming up which she received at his hands,while he prepared for the great occasion.

When the morning of September 28th arrived,the town was all astir,and the Fair ground a lively scene.The air was full of the lowing of cattle,the tramp of horses,squealing of indignant pigs,and clatter of tongues,as people and animals streamed in at the great gate and found their proper places.Our young folks were in a high state of excitement,as they rumbled away with their treasures in a hay-cart.The Bunny-house might have been a cage of tigers,so rampant were the cats at this new move.Old Bun,in a small box,brooded over the insult of the refrigerator,and looked as fierce as a rabbit could.Gus had a coop of rare fowls,who clucked wildly all the way,while Ralph,with the bust in his arms,stood up in front,and Jill and Molly bore the precious bedquilt,as they sat behind.

These objects of interest were soon arranged,and the girls went to admire Merry's golden butter cups among the green leaves,under which lay the ice that kept the pretty flowers fresh.The boys were down below,where the cackling was very loud,but not loud enough to drown the sonorous bray which suddenly startled them as much as it did the horses outside.A shout of laughter followed,and away went the lads,to see what the fun was,while the girls ran out on the balcony,as someone said,"It's that rogue of a Grif with some new joke."It certainly was,and,to judge from the peals of merriment,the joke was a good one.In at the gate came a two-headed donkey,ridden by Grif,in great spirits at his success,for the gate-keeper laughed so he never thought to ask for toll.A train of boys followed him across the ground,lost in admiration of the animal and the cleverness of her rider.Among the stage properties of the Dramatic Club was the old ass's head once used in some tableaux from "Midsummer Night's Dream."This Grif had mended up,and fastened by means of straps and a collar to poor Graciosa's neck,hiding ~work with a red cloth over her back.One eye was gone,but the other still opened and shut,and the long ears wagged by means of strings,which he slyly managed with the bridle,so the artificial head looked almost as natural as the real one.The funniest thing of all was the innocent air of Graciosa,and the mildly inquiring expression with which she now and then turned to look at or to smell of the new ornament as if she recognized a friend's face,yet was perplexed by its want of animation.She vented her feelings in a bray,which Grif imitated,convulsing all hearers by the sound as well as by the wink the one eye gave,and the droll waggle of one erect ear,while the other pointed straight forward.