"Yes, you you are the friend it is for; it's for you, it's for you! You are Grandpa's friend, aren't you?" she repeated, springing upon Ellen, and hugging her up in an ecstasy of delight.
"But it isn't really for me, is it?" said Ellen, now looking almost pale "oh, Alice!"
"Come, come," said Miss Sophia "what will Papa say if I tell him you received his present so? come, hold up your head! Put on your bonnet and try him come, Ellen! let's see you."
Ellen did not know whether to cry or laugh till she mounted the pretty pony; that settled the matter. Not Ellen Chauncey's unspeakable delight was as great as her own. She rode slowly up and down before the house, and once a-going would not have known how to stop if she had not recollected that the pony had travelled thirty miles that day, and must be tired. Ellen took not another turn after that. She jumped down, and begged Thomas to take the tenderest care of him; patted his neck; ran into the kitchen to beg of Margery a piece of bread to give him from her hand; examined the new stirrup and housings, and the pony all over a dozen times; and after watching him as Thomas led him off, till he was out of sight, finally came back into the house with a face of marvellous contentment. She tried to fashion some message of thanks for the kind giver of the pony; but she wanted to express so much that no words would do. Mrs. Chauncey, however, smiled, and assured her she knew exactly what to say.
"That pony has been destined for you, Ellen," she said, "this year and more; but my father waited to have him thoroughly well broken. You need not be afraid of him! he is perfectly gentle and well-trained; if he had not been sure of that, my father would never have sent him though Mr. John is making such a horsewoman of you."
"I wish I could thank him," said Ellen, "but I don't know how."
"What will you call him, Ellen," said Miss Sophia. "My father has dubbed him 'George Marshman;' he says you will like that, as my brother is such a favourite of yours."
"He didn't really, did he?" said Ellen, looking from Sophia to
Alice. "I needn't call him that, need I?"
"Not unless you like," said Miss Sophia, laughing "you may change it, but what will you call him?"
"I don't know," said Ellen, very gravely "he must have a name, to be sure."