THIRSTY BILLY.
HOA, Billy!" said a farmer, as he was driving home from the mill with a load of meal. "We'll stop here, and you shall have a good drink. You must need it after climbing up this long hill.
"There are good people in the world, are there not, old fellow? And it certainly was one of them who put this trough here for poor beasts like you to drink from. Well, you are thirsty, to be sure! Don't you mean to leave a drop there? What do you think the next donkey that comes along will do?
"Ah, you prick up your ears, and wink your eye, as much as to say, 'Never you fear about that, my friend. There's no danger of my drinking all there is in this trough, and you know as well as I that there is plenty more water in the spring where this came from.'
"So at last, then, you have enough," added the farmer, as Billy lifted his dripping nose from the water.
"Come on then, long ears: we have another hill to climb, you know, and wife wants some of this meal to make a corn-cake for supper."
And Billy started on briskly, as if he knew well what supper meant, and thought he should have a share of corn-cake too.
UNCLE CHARLES.
