A HELPING HAND.
Reading edition
F rank's road to school leads over ways Where yet no trains approach, And past the Yellow Dragon Inn, Where stops the Dirleton coach: Here the old horses, Duke and Ned, Are daily watered, changed, and fed. Frank knows them well, and one hot day, As whistling home he sped, He saw the patched old feeding-bag That hung at Neddy's head Fell too far down—Ned vainly tried To reach the yellow corn inside. No one was near—Ned tossed his head, And strove, but still in vain, Hungry as any horse might be, To seize the tempting grain; Frank checked his headlong homeward course, And then approached the wearied horse. With quick light hands he raised the bag, And made the strappings tight; Ned hid his nose among the corn, And softly neighed delight. For Frank it was sufficient prize To read his thanks in Ned's bright eyes.
Robert Richardson.
