The Spinning Brass Dial

I bounded straight off the entryway bench toward the study desk! Resting beside an open notebook sat a heavy brass pencil sharpener shaped like an old hand-crank mill—gasp! I reached up with both front hooves and gave the tiny textured crank a sudden shove! *Whirrrr-click!* The little brass wheel spun with a loud, metallic rasp, and I froze rock-still on the spot, wide-eyed, waiting for gears to snap at my ears! But it just hummed down to a quiet stop, dusting my front hooves with tiny, fragrant cedar shavings from inside. I gently rested my felt chin right against the warm metal wheel!