Little Janie came up to her big brother. She laid her little thin hand on
his book. “Charlie, I wish I had something nice and new to play with,”
she said to him.
“All right,” said Charlie, laying down his book. “You shall have it. What
shall it be?”
Little Janie had been very ill a long time, and now everybody was very
kind to her, very patient. Poor little Janie!
“Well,” said Janie, “I wish I had a pony to ride.”
“All right,” said the big brother, “you shall have him, in just twenty
minutes. I will come in just twenty minutes and get you.” And off he went.
In about twenty-two minutes he was back again. First he blindfolded
Janie. Then he took her in his arms and carried her away. Then he set her
down on—a pony. Then he took off the “blindfold.” And then little Janie
laughed. It was indeed a very, very funny pony on which little Janie sat.
_Laura Howells._
[Illustration: THE PONY CHARLIE MADE.]