he walls of the house, and in a manner made it
a Castelle, and unto this day it is the glorie of the town building
in Faweye."--_Carew_. The beauties of Place Castle remain to
this day also.]

DOLLY.

They call me Dolly, but I'm not a doll, and I'm not a baby, though
Baby is sometimes my name;
I behave beautifully at meals, and at church, and I can put on my
own boots, and can say a good deal of the Catechism, and ride
a donkey, and play at any boys' game.
I've ridden a donkey that kicks (at least I rode him as long as I was
on), and a donkey that rolls, and an old donkey that
goes lame.
I mean to ride like a lady now, but that's because I ought, not because
I easily can;
For what with your legs and your pommels (I mean the saddle's pommels),
it would be much easier always to ride like a man.
Boys _look_ braver, but I think it's really more dangerous to ride
sideways, because of the saddle slipping round.
(I didn't cry; I played at slipping round the world, and getting to
New Zealand with my head upside down on the ground.)
The reason the saddle is slippery is not because it's smooth,
for it's rather rough; and there's a hard ridge behind,
And the horse's hair coming through the donkey's back (I mean through
his saddle) scratches you
dreadfully; but I tuck my things under me, and pretend I don't mind.
They work out again though, particularly when they are starched, and
I think frocks get shorter every time they go to the wash;
But I don't complain; if it's very uncomfortable, I make an ugly face
to myself, and say, "Bosh!"
We've all of us had a good deal of practice, so we ought to know
how to ride;
We've ridden a great deal since we came to live on the Heath, and we
rode a good deal when Father was stationed at the sea-side.
My Major taught me to ride sideways, and at first he would hold me on;
But I don't like being touched; and I don't call it riding like a lady
if you're held on by an officer, and I'd rather tumble off if
I can't stick on by myself; so I sent him away, and the nasty
saddle slipped round directly he was gone.
I only crushed my sun-bonnet, and the donkey stood quite still. (We