BLACK BEAUTY

The Autobiography of a Horse

by Anna Sewell [English Quaker -- 1820-1878. ]

[Note: 'Black Beauty' was originally published in 1877. This etext wastranscribed from an American edition of 1911. Some small correctionswere made, after being confirmed against other sources. ]

 To my dear and honored Mother, whose life, no less than her pen, has been devoted to the welfare of others, this little book is affectionately dedicated. 

Contents

 Part I

 Chapter 01 My Early Home 02 The Hunt 03 My Breaking In 04 Birtwick Park 05 A Fair Start 06 Liberty 07 Ginger 08 Ginger's Story Continued 09 Merrylegs 10 A Talk in the Orchard 11 Plain Speaking 12 A Stormy Day 13 The Devil's Trade Mark 14 James Howard 15 The Old Hostler 16 The Fire 17 John Manly's Talk 18 Going for the Doctor 19 Only Ignorance 20 Joe Green 21 The Parting

 Part II

 22 Earlshall 23 A Strike for Liberty 24 The Lady Anne, or a Runaway Horse 25 Reuben Smith 26 How it Ended 27 Ruined and Going Downhill 28 A Job Horse and His Drivers 29 Cockneys 30 A Thief 31 A Humbug

 Part III

 32 A Horse Fair 33 A London Cab Horse 34 An Old War Horse 35 Jerry Barker 36 The Sunday Cab 37 The Golden Rule 38 Dolly and a Real Gentleman 39 Seedy Sam 40 Poor Ginger 41 The Butcher 42 The Election 43 A Friend in Need 44 Old Captain and His Successor 45 Jerry's New Year

 Part IV

 46 Jakes and the Lady 47 Hard Times 48 Farmer Thoroughgood and His Grandson Willie 49 My Last Home

Black Beauty

Part I

01 My Early Home

The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadowwith a pond of clear water in it. Some shady trees leaned over it, andrushes and water-lilies grew at the deep end. Over the hedge on one sidewe looked into a plowed field, and on the other we looked over a gateat our master's house, which stood by the roadside; at the top of themeadow was a grove of fir trees, and at the bottom a running brookoverhung by a steep bank. 

While I was young I lived upon my mother's milk, as I could not eatgrass. In the daytime I ran by her side, and at night I lay down closeby her. When it was hot we used to stand by the pond in the shade of thetrees, and when it was cold we had a nice warm shed near the grove. 

As soon as I was old enough to eat grass my mother used to go out towork in the daytime, and come back in the evening. 

There were six young colts in the meadow besides me; they were olderthan I was; some were nearly as large as grown-up horses. I used to runwith them, and had great fun; we used to gallop all together round andround the field as hard as we could go. Sometimes we had rather roughplay, for they would frequently bite and kick as well as gallop. 

One day, when there was a good deal of kicking, my mother whinnied to meto come to her, and then she said:

"I wish you to pay attention to what I am going to say to you. The coltswho live here are very good colts, but they are cart-horse colts, andof course they have not learned manners. You have been well-bredand well-born; your father has a great name in these parts, andyour grandfather won the cup two years at the Newmarket races; yourgrandmother had the sweetest temper of any horse I ever knew, and Ithink you have never seen me kick or bite. I hope you will grow upgentle and good, and never learn bad ways; do your work with a goodwill, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never bite or kick evenin play. "

I have never forgotten my mother's advice; I knew she was a wise oldhorse, and our master thought a great deal of her. Her name was Duchess, but he often called her Pet. 

Our master was a good, kind man. He gave us good food, good lodging, andkind words; he spoke as kindly to us as he did to his little children. We were all fond of him, and my mother loved him very much. When she sawhim at the gate she would neigh with joy, and trot up to him. He wouldpat and stroke her and say, "Well, old Pet, and how is your littleDarkie?" I was a dull black, so he called me Darkie; then he would giveme a piece of bread, which was very good, and sometimes he brought acarrot for my mother. All the horses would come to him, but I think wewere his favorites. My mother always took him to the town on a marketday in a light gig. 

There was a plowboy, Dick, who sometimes came into our field to pluckblackberries from the hedge. When he had eaten all he wanted he wouldhave what he called fun with the colts, throwing stones and sticks atthem to make them gallop. We did not much mind him, for we could gallopoff; but sometimes a stone would hit and hurt us. 

One day he was at this game, and did not know that the master was in thenext field; but he was there, watching what was going on; over the hedgehe jumped in a snap, and catching Dick by the arm, he gave him such abox on the ear as made him roar with the pain and surprise. As soon aswe saw the master we trotted up nearer to see what went on. 

"Bad boy!" he said, "bad boy! to chase the colts. This is not the firsttime, nor the second, but it shall be the last. There--take your moneyand go home; I shall not want you on my farm again. " So we never sawDick any more. Old Daniel, the man who looked after the horses, was justas gentle as our master, so we were well off. 

02 The Hunt

Before I was two years old a circumstance happened which I have neverforgotten. It was early in the spring; there had been a little frost inthe night, and a light mist still hung over the woods and meadows. Iand the other colts were feeding at the lower part of the field whenwe heard, quite in the distance, what sounded like the cry of dogs. Theoldest of the colts raised his head, pricked his ears, and said, "Thereare the hounds!" and immediately cantered off, followed by the rest ofus to the upper part of the field, where we could look over the hedgeand see several fields beyond. My mother and an old riding horse of ourmaster's were also standing near, and seemed to know all about it. 

"They have found a hare, " said my mother, "and if they come this way weshall see the hunt. "

And soon the dogs were all tearing down the field of young wheat nextto ours. I never heard such a noise as they made. They did not bark, norhowl, nor whine, but kept on a "yo! yo, o, o! yo! yo, o, o!" at the topof their voices. After them came a number of men on horseback, some ofthem in green coats, all galloping as fast as they could. The old horsesnorted and looked eagerly after them, and we young colts wanted to begalloping with them, but they were soon away into the fields lowerdown; here it seemed as if they had come to a stand; the dogs left offbarking, and ran about every way with their noses to the ground. 

"They have lost the scent, " said the old horse; "perhaps the hare willget off. "

"What hare?" I said. 

"Oh! I don't know what hare; likely enough it may be one of our ownhares out of the woods; any hare they can find will do for the dogs andmen to run after;" and before long the dogs began their "yo! yo, o, o!"again, and back they came altogether at full speed, making straight forour meadow at the part where the high bank and hedge overhang the brook. 

"Now we shall see the hare, " said my mother; and just then a hare wildwith fright rushed by and made for the woods. On came the dogs; theyburst over the bank, leaped the stream, and came dashing across thefield followed by the huntsmen. Six or eight men leaped their horsesclean over, close upon the dogs. The hare tried to get through thefence; it was too thick, and she turned sharp round to make for theroad, but it was too late; the dogs were upon her with their wild cries;we heard one shriek, and that was the end of her. One of the huntsmenrode up and whipped off the dogs, who would soon have torn her topieces. He held her up by the leg torn and bleeding, and all thegentlemen seemed well pleased. 

As for me, I was so astonished that I did not at first see what wasgoing on by the brook; but when I did look there was a sad sight; twofine horses were down, one was struggling in the stream, and the otherwas groaning on the grass. One of the riders was getting out of thewater covered with mud, the other lay quite still. 

"His neck is broke, " said my mother. 

"And serve him right, too, " said one of the colts. 

I thought the same, but my mother did not join with us. 

"Well, no, " she said, "you must not say that; but though I am an oldhorse, and have seen and heard a great deal, I never yet could make outwhy men are so fond of this sport; they often hurt themselves, oftenspoil good horses, and tear up the fields, and all for a hare or a fox, or a stag, that they could get more easily some other way; but we areonly horses, and don't know. "

While my mother was saying this we stood and looked on. Many of theriders had gone to the young man; but my master, who had been watchingwhat was going on, was the first to raise him. His head fell back andhis arms hung down, and every one looked very serious. There was nonoise now; even the dogs were quiet, and seemed to know that somethingwas wrong. They carried him to our master's house. I heard afterwardthat it was young George Gordon, the squire's only son, a fine, tallyoung man, and the pride of his family. 

There was now riding off in all directions to the doctor's, to thefarrier's, and no doubt to Squire Gordon's, to let him know about hisson. When Mr. Bond, the farrier, came to look at the black horse thatlay groaning on the grass, he felt him all over, and shook his head; oneof his legs was broken. Then some one ran to our master's house and cameback with a gun; presently there was a loud bang and a dreadful shriek, and then all was still; the black horse moved no more. 

My mother seemed much troubled; she said she had known that horse foryears, and that his name was "Rob Roy"; he was a good horse, andthere was no vice in him. She never would go to that part of the fieldafterward. 

Not many days after we heard the church-bell tolling for a long time, and looking over the gate we saw a long, strange black coach that wascovered with black cloth and was drawn by black horses; after that cameanother and another and another, and all were black, while the bell kepttolling, tolling. They were carrying young Gordon to the churchyard tobury him. He would never ride again. What they did with Rob Roy I neverknew; but 'twas all for one little hare. 

03 My Breaking In

I was now beginning to grow handsome; my coat had grown fine and soft, and was bright black. I had one white foot and a pretty white star on myforehead. I was thought very handsome; my master would not sell me tillI was four years old; he said lads ought not to work like men, and coltsought not to work like horses till they were quite grown up. 

When I was four years old Squire Gordon came to look at me. He examinedmy eyes, my mouth, and my legs; he felt them all down; and then I hadto walk and trot and gallop before him. He seemed to like me, and said, "When he has been well broken in he will do very well. " My master saidhe would break me in himself, as he should not like me to be frightenedor hurt, and he lost no time about it, for the next day he began. 

Every one may not know what breaking in is, therefore I will describeit. It means to teach a horse to wear a saddle and bridle, and to carryon his back a man, woman or child; to go just the way they wish, and togo quietly. Besides this he has to learn to wear a collar, a crupper, and a breeching, and to stand still while they are put on; then to havea cart or a chaise fixed behind, so that he cannot walk or trot withoutdragging it after him; and he must go fast or slow, just as his driverwishes. He must never start at what he sees, nor speak to other horses, nor bite, nor kick, nor have any will of his own; but always do hismaster's will, even though he may be very tired or hungry; but the worstof all is, when his harness is once on, he may neither jump for joy norlie down for weariness. So you see this breaking in is a great thing. 

I had of course long been used to a halter and a headstall, and to beled about in the fields and lanes quietly, but now I was to have a bitand bridle; my master gave me some oats as usual, and after a good dealof coaxing he got the bit into my mouth, and the bridle fixed, but itwas a nasty thing! Those who have never had a bit in their mouths cannotthink how bad it feels; a great piece of cold hard steel as thick asa man's finger to be pushed into one's mouth, between one's teeth, andover one's tongue, with the ends coming out at the corner of your mouth, and held fast there by straps over your head, under your throat, roundyour nose, and under your chin; so that no way in the world can you getrid of the nasty hard thing; it is very bad! yes, very bad! at least Ithought so; but I knew my mother always wore one when she went out, andall horses did when they were grown up; and so, what with the nice oats, and what with my master's pats, kind words, and gentle ways, I got towear my bit and bridle. 

Next came the saddle, but that was not half so bad; my master put iton my back very gently, while old Daniel held my head; he then made thegirths fast under my body, patting and talking to me all the time; thenI had a few oats, then a little leading about; and this he did everyday till I began to look for the oats and the saddle. At length, onemorning, my master got on my back and rode me round the meadow on thesoft grass. It certainly did feel queer; but I must say I felt ratherproud to carry my master, and as he continued to ride me a little everyday I soon became accustomed to it. 

The next unpleasant business was putting on the iron shoes; that too wasvery hard at first. My master went with me to the smith's forge, to seethat I was not hurt or got any fright. The blacksmith took my feet inhis hand, one after the other, and cut away some of the hoof. It did notpain me, so I stood still on three legs till he had done them all. Thenhe took a piece of iron the shape of my foot, and clapped it on, anddrove some nails through the shoe quite into my hoof, so that the shoewas firmly on. My feet felt very stiff and heavy, but in time I got usedto it. 

And now having got so far, my master went on to break me to harness;there were more new things to wear. First, a stiff heavy collar juston my neck, and a bridle with great side-pieces against my eyes calledblinkers, and blinkers indeed they were, for I could not see on eitherside, but only straight in front of me; next, there was a small saddlewith a nasty stiff strap that went right under my tail; that was thecrupper. I hated the crupper; to have my long tail doubled up and pokedthrough that strap was almost as bad as the bit. I never felt more likekicking, but of course I could not kick such a good master, and soin time I got used to everything, and could do my work as well as mymother. 

I must not forget to mention one part of my training, which I havealways considered a very great advantage. My master sent me for afortnight to a neighboring farmer's, who had a meadow which was skirtedon one side by the railway. Here were some sheep and cows, and I wasturned in among them. 

I shall never forget the first train that ran by. I was feeding quietlynear the pales which separated the meadow from the railway, when I hearda strange sound at a distance, and before I knew whence it came--witha rush and a clatter, and a puffing out of smoke--a long black train ofsomething flew by, and was gone almost before I could draw my breath. Iturned and galloped to the further side of the meadow as fast as I couldgo, and there I stood snorting with astonishment and fear. In the courseof the day many other trains went by, some more slowly; these drew upat the station close by, and sometimes made an awful shriek and groanbefore they stopped. I thought it very dreadful, but the cows wenton eating very quietly, and hardly raised their heads as the blackfrightful thing came puffing and grinding past. 

For the first few days I could not feed in peace; but as I found thatthis terrible creature never came into the field, or did me any harm, Ibegan to disregard it, and very soon I cared as little about the passingof a train as the cows and sheep did. 

Since then I have seen many horses much alarmed and restive at the sightor sound of a steam engine; but thanks to my good master's care, I am asfearless at railway stations as in my own stable. 

Now if any one wants to break in a young horse well, that is the way. 

My master often drove me in double harness with my mother, because shewas steady and could teach me how to go better than a strange horse. Shetold me the better I behaved the better I should be treated, and thatit was wisest always to do my best to please my master; "but, " said she, "there are a great many kinds of men; there are good thoughtful men likeour master, that any horse may be proud to serve; and there are bad, cruel men, who never ought to have a horse or dog to call their own. Besides, there are a great many foolish men, vain, ignorant, andcareless, who never trouble themselves to think; these spoil more horsesthan all, just for want of sense; they don't mean it, but they do it forall that. I hope you will fall into good hands; but a horse never knowswho may buy him, or who may drive him; it is all a chance for us; butstill I say, do your best wherever it is, and keep up your good name. "

04 Birtwick Park

At this time I used to stand in the stable and my coat was brushed everyday till it shone like a rook's wing. It was early in May, when therecame a man from Squire Gordon's, who took me away to the hall. My mastersaid, "Good-by, Darkie; be a good horse, and always do your best. " Icould not say "good-by", so I put my nose into his hand; he patted mekindly, and I left my first home. As I lived some years with SquireGordon, I may as well tell something about the place. 

Squire Gordon's park skirted the village of Birtwick. It was entered bya large iron gate, at which stood the first lodge, and then you trottedalong on a smooth road between clumps of large old trees; then anotherlodge and another gate, which brought you to the house and the gardens. Beyond this lay the home paddock, the old orchard, and the stables. There was accommodation for many horses and carriages; but I need onlydescribe the stable into which I was taken; this was very roomy, withfour good stalls; a large swinging window opened into the yard, whichmade it pleasant and airy. 

The first stall was a large square one, shut in behind with a woodengate; the others were common stalls, good stalls, but not nearly solarge; it had a low rack for hay and a low manger for corn; it wascalled a loose box, because the horse that was put into it was not tiedup, but left loose, to do as he liked. It is a great thing to have aloose box. 

Into this fine box the groom put me; it was clean, sweet, and airy. Inever was in a better box than that, and the sides were not so high butthat I could see all that went on through the iron rails that were atthe top. 

He gave me some very nice oats, he patted me, spoke kindly, and thenwent away. 

When I had eaten my corn I looked round. In the stall next to mine stooda little fat gray pony, with a thick mane and tail, a very pretty head, and a pert little nose. 

I put my head up to the iron rails at the top of my box, and said, "Howdo you do? What is your name?"

He turned round as far as his halter would allow, held up his head, and said, "My name is Merrylegs. I am very handsome; I carry the youngladies on my back, and sometimes I take our mistress out in the lowchair. They think a great deal of me, and so does James. Are you goingto live next door to me in the box?"

I said, "Yes. "

"Well, then, " he said, "I hope you are good-tempered; I do not like anyone next door who bites. "

Just then a horse's head looked over from the stall beyond; the earswere laid back, and the eye looked rather ill-tempered. This was a tallchestnut mare, with a long handsome neck. She looked across to me andsaid:

"So it is you who have turned me out of my box; it is a very strangething for a colt like you to come and turn a lady out of her own home. "

"I beg your pardon, " I said, "I have turned no one out; the man whobrought me put me here, and I had nothing to do with it; and as to mybeing a colt, I am turned four years old and am a grown-up horse. Inever had words yet with horse or mare, and it is my wish to live atpeace. "

"Well, " she said, "we shall see. Of course, I do not want to have wordswith a young thing like you. " I said no more. 

In the afternoon, when she went out, Merrylegs told me all about it. 

"The thing is this, " said Merrylegs. "Ginger has a bad habit of bitingand snapping; that is why they call her Ginger, and when she was in theloose box she used to snap very much. One day she bit James in the armand made it bleed, and so Miss Flora and Miss Jessie, who are very fondof me, were afraid to come into the stable. They used to bring me nicethings to eat, an apple or a carrot, or a piece of bread, but afterGinger stood in that box they dared not come, and I missed them verymuch. I hope they will now come again, if you do not bite or snap. "

I told him I never bit anything but grass, hay, and corn, and could notthink what pleasure Ginger found it. 

"Well, I don't think she does find pleasure, " says Merrylegs; "it isjust a bad habit; she says no one was ever kind to her, and why shouldshe not bite? Of course, it is a very bad habit; but I am sure, if allshe says be true, she must have been very ill-used before she came here. John does all he can to please her, and James does all he can, and ourmaster never uses a whip if a horse acts right; so I think she might begood-tempered here. You see, " he said, with a wise look, "I am twelveyears old; I know a great deal, and I can tell you there is not a betterplace for a horse all round the country than this. John is the bestgroom that ever was; he has been here fourteen years; and you never sawsuch a kind boy as James is; so that it is all Ginger's own fault thatshe did not stay in that box. "

05 A Fair Start

The name of the coachman was John Manly; he had a wife and one littlechild, and they lived in the coachman's cottage, very near the stables. 

The next morning he took me into the yard and gave me a good grooming, and just as I was going into my box, with my coat soft and bright, thesquire came in to look at me, and seemed pleased. "John, " he said, "I meant to have tried the new horse this morning, but I have otherbusiness. You may as well take him around after breakfast; go by thecommon and the Highwood, and back by the watermill and the river; thatwill show his paces. "

"I will, sir, " said John. After breakfast he came and fitted me with abridle. He was very particular in letting out and taking in the straps, to fit my head comfortably; then he brought a saddle, but it was notbroad enough for my back; he saw it in a minute and went for another, which fitted nicely. He rode me first slowly, then a trot, then acanter, and when we were on the common he gave me a light touch with hiswhip, and we had a splendid gallop. 

"Ho, ho! my boy, " he said, as he pulled me up, "you would like to followthe hounds, I think. "

As we came back through the park we met the Squire and Mrs. Gordonwalking; they stopped, and John jumped off. 

"Well, John, how does he go?"

"First-rate, sir, " answered John; "he is as fleet as a deer, and has afine spirit too; but the lightest touch of the rein will guide him. Downat the end of the common we met one of those traveling carts hung allover with baskets, rugs, and such like; you know, sir, many horses willnot pass those carts quietly; he just took a good look at it, and thenwent on as quiet and pleasant as could be. They were shooting rabbitsnear the Highwood, and a gun went off close by; he pulled up a littleand looked, but did not stir a step to right or left. I just held therein steady and did not hurry him, and it's my opinion he has not beenfrightened or ill-used while he was young. "

"That's well, " said the squire, "I will try him myself to-morrow. "

The next day I was brought up for my master. I remembered my mother'scounsel and my good old master's, and I tried to do exactly what hewanted me to do. I found he was a very good rider, and thoughtful forhis horse too. When he came home the lady was at the hall door as herode up. 

"Well, my dear, " she said, "how do you like him?"

"He is exactly what John said, " he replied; "a pleasanter creature Inever wish to mount. What shall we call him?"

"Would you like Ebony?" said she; "he is as black as ebony. "

"No, not Ebony. "

"Will you call him Blackbird, like your uncle's old horse?"

"No, he is far handsomer than old Blackbird ever was. "

"Yes, " she said, "he is really quite a beauty, and he has such a sweet, good-tempered face, and such a fine, intelligent eye--what do you say tocalling him Black Beauty?"

"Black Beauty--why, yes, I think that is a very good name. If you likeit shall be his name;" and so it was. 

When John went into the stable he told James that master and mistresshad chosen a good, sensible English name for me, that meant something;not like Marengo, or Pegasus, or Abdallah. They both laughed, and Jamessaid, "If it was not for bringing back the past, I should have named himRob Roy, for I never saw two horses more alike. "

"That's no wonder, " said John; "didn't you know that Farmer Grey's oldDuchess was the mother of them both?"

I had never heard that before; and so poor Rob Roy who was killedat that hunt was my brother! I did not wonder that my mother was sotroubled. It seems that horses have no relations; at least they neverknow each other after they are sold. 

John seemed very proud of me; he used to make my mane and tail almost assmooth as a lady's hair, and he would talk to me a great deal; of courseI did not understand all he said, but I learned more and more to knowwhat he meant, and what he wanted me to do. I grew very fond of him, hewas so gentle and kind; he seemed to know just how a horse feels, andwhen he cleaned me he knew the tender places and the ticklish places;when he brushed my head he went as carefully over my eyes as if theywere his own, and never stirred up any ill-temper. 

James Howard, the stable boy, was just as gentle and pleasant in hisway, so I thought myself well off. There was another man who helped inthe yard, but he had very little to do with Ginger and me. 

A few days after this I had to go out with Ginger in the carriage. Iwondered how we should get on together; but except laying her earsback when I was led up to her, she behaved very well. She did her workhonestly, and did her full share, and I never wish to have a betterpartner in double harness. When we came to a hill, instead of slackeningher pace, she would throw her weight right into the collar, and pullaway straight up. We had both the same sort of courage at our work, andJohn had oftener to hold us in than to urge us forward; he never had touse the whip with either of us; then our paces were much the same, andI found it very easy to keep step with her when trotting, which made itpleasant, and master always liked it when we kept step well, and so didJohn. After we had been out two or three times together we grew quitefriendly and sociable, which made me feel very much at home. 

As for Merrylegs, he and I soon became great friends; he was such acheerful, plucky, good-tempered little fellow that he was a favoritewith every one, and especially with Miss Jessie and Flora, who used toride him about in the orchard, and have fine games with him and theirlittle dog Frisky. 

Our master had two other horses that stood in another stable. One wasJustice, a roan cob, used for riding or for the luggage cart; the otherwas an old brown hunter, named Sir Oliver; he was past work now, but wasa great favorite with the master, who gave him the run of the park; hesometimes did a little light carting on the estate, or carried one ofthe young ladies when they rode out with their father, for he was verygentle and could be trusted with a child as well as Merrylegs. The cobwas a strong, well-made, good-tempered horse, and we sometimes had alittle chat in the paddock, but of course I could not be so intimatewith him as with Ginger, who stood in the same stable. 

06 Liberty

I was quite happy in my new place, and if there was one thing that Imissed it must not be thought I was discontented; all who had to do withme were good and I had a light airy stable and the best of food. Whatmore could I want? Why, liberty! For three years and a half of my lifeI had had all the liberty I could wish for; but now, week after week, month after month, and no doubt year after year, I must stand up in astable night and day except when I am wanted, and then I must be justas steady and quiet as any old horse who has worked twenty years. Strapshere and straps there, a bit in my mouth, and blinkers over my eyes. Now, I am not complaining, for I know it must be so. I only mean to saythat for a young horse full of strength and spirits, who has been usedto some large field or plain where he can fling up his head and toss uphis tail and gallop away at full speed, then round and back again witha snort to his companions--I say it is hard never to have a bit moreliberty to do as you like. Sometimes, when I have had less exercise thanusual, I have felt so full of life and spring that when John has takenme out to exercise I really could not keep quiet; do what I would, itseemed as if I must jump, or dance, or prance, and many a good shake Iknow I must have given him, especially at the first; but he was alwaysgood and patient. 

"Steady, steady, my boy, " he would say; "wait a bit, and we will have agood swing, and soon get the tickle out of your feet. " Then as soon aswe were out of the village, he would give me a few miles at a spankingtrot, and then bring me back as fresh as before, only clear of thefidgets, as he called them. Spirited horses, when not enough exercised, are often called skittish, when it is only play; and some grooms willpunish them, but our John did not; he knew it was only high spirits. Still, he had his own ways of making me understand by the tone ofhis voice or the touch of the rein. If he was very serious and quitedetermined, I always knew it by his voice, and that had more power withme than anything else, for I was very fond of him. 

I ought to say that sometimes we had our liberty for a few hours; thisused to be on fine Sundays in the summer-time. The carriage never wentout on Sundays, because the church was not far off. 

It was a great treat to us to be turned out into the home paddock orthe old orchard; the grass was so cool and soft to our feet, the air sosweet, and the freedom to do as we liked was so pleasant--to gallop, tolie down, and roll over on our backs, or to nibble the sweet grass. Then it was a very good time for talking, as we stood together under theshade of the large chestnut tree. 

07 Ginger

One day when Ginger and I were standing alone in the shade, we had agreat deal of talk; she wanted to know all about my bringing up andbreaking in, and I told her. 

"Well, " said she, "if I had had your bringing up I might have had asgood a temper as you, but now I don't believe I ever shall. "

"Why not?" I said. 

"Because it has been all so different with me, " she replied. "I neverhad any one, horse or man, that was kind to me, or that I cared toplease, for in the first place I was taken from my mother as soon as Iwas weaned, and put with a lot of other young colts; none of them caredfor me, and I cared for none of them. There was no kind master likeyours to look after me, and talk to me, and bring me nice things to eat. The man that had the care of us never gave me a kind word in my life. I do not mean that he ill-used me, but he did not care for us onebit further than to see that we had plenty to eat, and shelter in thewinter. A footpath ran through our field, and very often the great boyspassing through would fling stones to make us gallop. I was never hit, but one fine young colt was badly cut in the face, and I should thinkit would be a scar for life. We did not care for them, but of courseit made us more wild, and we settled it in our minds that boys were ourenemies. We had very good fun in the free meadows, galloping up and downand chasing each other round and round the field; then standing stillunder the shade of the trees. But when it came to breaking in, that wasa bad time for me; several men came to catch me, and when at last theyclosed me in at one corner of the field, one caught me by the forelock, another caught me by the nose and held it so tight I could hardly drawmy breath; then another took my under jaw in his hard hand and wrenchedmy mouth open, and so by force they got on the halter and the bar intomy mouth; then one dragged me along by the halter, another floggingbehind, and this was the first experience I had of men's kindness; itwas all force. They did not give me a chance to know what they wanted. I was high bred and had a great deal of spirit, and was very wild, nodoubt, and gave them, I dare say, plenty of trouble, but then it wasdreadful to be shut up in a stall day after day instead of having myliberty, and I fretted and pined and wanted to get loose. You knowyourself it's bad enough when you have a kind master and plenty ofcoaxing, but there was nothing of that sort for me. 

"There was one--the old master, Mr. Ryder--who, I think, could soon havebrought me round, and could have done anything with me; but he had givenup all the hard part of the trade to his son and to another experiencedman, and he only came at times to oversee. His son was a strong, tall, bold man; they called him Samson, and he used to boast that he had neverfound a horse that could throw him. There was no gentleness in him, asthere was in his father, but only hardness, a hard voice, a hard eye, ahard hand; and I felt from the first that what he wanted was to wear allthe spirit out of me, and just make me into a quiet, humble, obedientpiece of horseflesh. 'Horseflesh'! Yes, that is all that he thoughtabout, " and Ginger stamped her foot as if the very thought of him madeher angry. Then she went on:

"If I did not do exactly what he wanted he would get put out, and makeme run round with that long rein in the training field till he hadtired me out. I think he drank a good deal, and I am quite sure that theoftener he drank the worse it was for me. One day he had worked me hardin every way he could, and when I lay down I was tired, and miserable, and angry; it all seemed so hard. The next morning he came for me early, and ran me round again for a long time. I had scarcely had an hour'srest, when he came again for me with a saddle and bridle and a new kindof bit. I could never quite tell how it came about; he had only justmounted me on the training ground, when something I did put him outof temper, and he chucked me hard with the rein. The new bit was verypainful, and I reared up suddenly, which angered him still more, and hebegan to flog me. I felt my whole spirit set against him, and I beganto kick, and plunge, and rear as I had never done before, and we had aregular fight; for a long time he stuck to the saddle and punished mecruelly with his whip and spurs, but my blood was thoroughly up, and Icared for nothing he could do if only I could get him off. At last aftera terrible struggle I threw him off backward. I heard him fall heavilyon the turf, and without looking behind me, I galloped off to the otherend of the field; there I turned round and saw my persecutor slowlyrising from the ground and going into the stable. I stood under an oaktree and watched, but no one came to catch me. The time went on, and thesun was very hot; the flies swarmed round me and settled on my bleedingflanks where the spurs had dug in. I felt hungry, for I had not eatensince the early morning, but there was not enough grass in that meadowfor a goose to live on. I wanted to lie down and rest, but with thesaddle strapped tightly on there was no comfort, and there was not adrop of water to drink. The afternoon wore on, and the sun got low. Isaw the other colts led in, and I knew they were having a good feed. 

"At last, just as the sun went down, I saw the old master come out witha sieve in his hand. He was a very fine old gentleman with quite whitehair, but his voice was what I should know him by among a thousand. Itwas not high, nor yet low, but full, and clear, and kind, and whenhe gave orders it was so steady and decided that every one knew, bothhorses and men, that he expected to be obeyed. He came quietly along, now and then shaking the oats about that he had in the sieve, andspeaking cheerfully and gently to me: 'Come along, lassie, come along, lassie; come along, come along. ' I stood still and let him come up; heheld the oats to me, and I began to eat without fear; his voice took allmy fear away. He stood by, patting and stroking me while I was eating, and seeing the clots of blood on my side he seemed very vexed. 'Poorlassie! it was a bad business, a bad business;' then he quietly took therein and led me to the stable; just at the door stood Samson. I laid myears back and snapped at him. 'Stand back, ' said the master, 'and keepout of her way; you've done a bad day's work for this filly. ' He growledout something about a vicious brute. 'Hark ye, ' said the father, 'abad-tempered man will never make a good-tempered horse. You've notlearned your trade yet, Samson. ' Then he led me into my box, took offthe saddle and bridle with his own hands, and tied me up; then he calledfor a pail of warm water and a sponge, took off his coat, and while thestable-man held the pail, he sponged my sides a good while, so tenderlythat I was sure he knew how sore and bruised they were. 'Whoa! my prettyone, ' he said, 'stand still, stand still. ' His very voice did me good, and the bathing was very comfortable. The skin was so broken at thecorners of my mouth that I could not eat the hay, the stalks hurt me. Helooked closely at it, shook his head, and told the man to fetch a goodbran mash and put some meal into it. How good that mash was! and so softand healing to my mouth. He stood by all the time I was eating, strokingme and talking to the man. 'If a high-mettled creature like this, 'said he, 'can't be broken by fair means, she will never be good foranything. '

"After that he often came to see me, and when my mouth was healed theother breaker, Job, they called him, went on training me; he was steadyand thoughtful, and I soon learned what he wanted. "

08 Ginger's Story Continued

The next time that Ginger and I were together in the paddock she told meabout her first place. 

"After my breaking in, " she said, "I was bought by a dealer to matchanother chestnut horse. For some weeks he drove us together, and then wewere sold to a fashionable gentleman, and were sent up to London. I hadbeen driven with a check-rein by the dealer, and I hated it worsethan anything else; but in this place we were reined far tighter, thecoachman and his master thinking we looked more stylish so. We wereoften driven about in the park and other fashionable places. You whonever had a check-rein on don't know what it is, but I can tell you itis dreadful. 

"I like to toss my head about and hold it as high as any horse; butfancy now yourself, if you tossed your head up high and were obliged tohold it there, and that for hours together, not able to move it at all, except with a jerk still higher, your neck aching till you did not knowhow to bear it. Besides that, to have two bits instead of one--and minewas a sharp one, it hurt my tongue and my jaw, and the blood from mytongue colored the froth that kept flying from my lips as I chafed andfretted at the bits and rein. It was worst when we had to stand by thehour waiting for our mistress at some grand party or entertainment, andif I fretted or stamped with impatience the whip was laid on. It wasenough to drive one mad. "

"Did not your master take any thought for you?" I said. 

"No, " said she, "he only cared to have a stylish turnout, as theycall it; I think he knew very little about horses; he left that to hiscoachman, who told him I had an irritable temper! that I had not beenwell broken to the check-rein, but I should soon get used to it; but hewas not the man to do it, for when I was in the stable, miserable andangry, instead of being smoothed and quieted by kindness, I got only asurly word or a blow. If he had been civil I would have tried tobear it. I was willing to work, and ready to work hard too; but to betormented for nothing but their fancies angered me. What right had theyto make me suffer like that? Besides the soreness in my mouth, andthe pain in my neck, it always made my windpipe feel bad, and if I hadstopped there long I know it would have spoiled my breathing; but I grewmore and more restless and irritable, I could not help it; and I beganto snap and kick when any one came to harness me; for this the groombeat me, and one day, as they had just buckled us into the carriage, and were straining my head up with that rein, I began to plunge andkick with all my might. I soon broke a lot of harness, and kicked myselfclear; so that was an end of that place. 

"After this I was sent to Tattersall's to be sold; of course I could notbe warranted free from vice, so nothing was said about that. My handsomeappearance and good paces soon brought a gentleman to bid for me, and Iwas bought by another dealer; he tried me in all kinds of ways and withdifferent bits, and he soon found out what I could not bear. At lasthe drove me quite without a check-rein, and then sold me as a perfectlyquiet horse to a gentleman in the country; he was a good master, and Iwas getting on very well, but his old groom left him and a new one came. This man was as hard-tempered and hard-handed as Samson; he always spokein a rough, impatient voice, and if I did not move in the stall themoment he wanted me, he would hit me above the hocks with his stablebroom or the fork, whichever he might have in his hand. Everything hedid was rough, and I began to hate him; he wanted to make me afraidof him, but I was too high-mettled for that, and one day when he hadaggravated me more than usual I bit him, which of course put him in agreat rage, and he began to hit me about the head with a riding whip. After that he never dared to come into my stall again; either my heelsor my teeth were ready for him, and he knew it. I was quite quiet withmy master, but of course he listened to what the man said, and so I wassold again. 

"The same dealer heard of me, and said he thought he knew one placewhere I should do well. ''Twas a pity, ' he said, 'that such a fine horseshould go to the bad, for want of a real good chance, ' and the end of itwas that I came here not long before you did; but I had then made up mymind that men were my natural enemies and that I must defend myself. Ofcourse it is very different here, but who knows how long it will last? Iwish I could think about things as you do; but I can't, after all I havegone through. "

"Well, " I said, "I think it would be a real shame if you were to bite orkick John or James. "

"I don't mean to, " she said, "while they are good to me. I did biteJames once pretty sharp, but John said, 'Try her with kindness, ' andinstead of punishing me as I expected, James came to me with his armbound up, and brought me a bran mash and stroked me; and I have neversnapped at him since, and I won't either. "

I was sorry for Ginger, but of course I knew very little then, and Ithought most likely she made the worst of it; however, I found that asthe weeks went on she grew much more gentle and cheerful, and had lostthe watchful, defiant look that she used to turn on any strange personwho came near her; and one day James said, "I do believe that mare isgetting fond of me, she quite whinnied after me this morning when I hadbeen rubbing her forehead. "

"Ay, ay, Jim, 'tis 'the Birtwick balls', " said John, "she'll be as goodas Black Beauty by and by; kindness is all the physic she wants, poorthing!" Master noticed the change, too, and one day when he got out ofthe carriage and came to speak to us, as he often did, he stroked herbeautiful neck. "Well, my pretty one, well, how do things go with younow? You are a good bit happier than when you came to us, I think. "

She put her nose up to him in a friendly, trustful way, while he rubbedit gently. 

"We shall make a cure of her, John, " he said. 

"Yes, sir, she's wonderfully improved; she's not the same creature thatshe was; it's 'the Birtwick balls', sir, " said John, laughing. 

This was a little joke of John's; he used to say that a regular courseof "the Birtwick horseballs" would cure almost any vicious horse; theseballs, he said, were made up of patience and gentleness, firmness andpetting, one pound of each to be mixed up with half a pint of commonsense, and given to the horse every day. 

09 Merrylegs

Mr. Blomefield, the vicar, had a large family of boys and girls;sometimes they used to come and play with Miss Jessie and Flora. Oneof the girls was as old as Miss Jessie; two of the boys were older, andthere were several little ones. When they came there was plenty of workfor Merrylegs, for nothing pleased them so much as getting on him byturns and riding him all about the orchard and the home paddock, andthis they would do by the hour together. 

One afternoon he had been out with them a long time, and when Jamesbrought him in and put on his halter he said:

"There, you rogue, mind how you behave yourself, or we shall get intotrouble. "

"What have you been doing, Merrylegs?" I asked. 

"Oh!" said he, tossing his little head, "I have only been giving thoseyoung people a lesson; they did not know when they had had enough, norwhen I had had enough, so I just pitched them off backward; that was theonly thing they could understand. "

"What!" said I, "you threw the children off? I thought you did knowbetter than that! Did you throw Miss Jessie or Miss Flora?"

He looked very much offended, and said:

"Of course not; I would not do such a thing for the best oats that evercame into the stable; why, I am as careful of our young ladies as themaster could be, and as for the little ones it is I who teach them toride. When they seem frightened or a little unsteady on my back I go assmooth and as quiet as old pussy when she is after a bird; and when theyare all right I go on again faster, you see, just to use them to it; sodon't you trouble yourself preaching to me; I am the best friend and thebest riding-master those children have. It is not them, it is the boys;boys, " said he, shaking his mane, "are quite different; they must bebroken in as we were broken in when we were colts, and just be taughtwhat's what. The other children had ridden me about for nearly twohours, and then the boys thought it was their turn, and so it was, andI was quite agreeable. They rode me by turns, and I galloped them about, up and down the fields and all about the orchard, for a good hour. Theyhad each cut a great hazel stick for a riding-whip, and laid it on alittle too hard; but I took it in good part, till at last I thought wehad had enough, so I stopped two or three times by way of a hint. Boys, you see, think a horse or pony is like a steam-engine or athrashing-machine, and can go on as long and as fast as they please;they never think that a pony can get tired, or have any feelings; so asthe one who was whipping me could not understand I just rose up onmy hind legs and let him slip off behind--that was all. He mounted meagain, and I did the same. Then the other boy got up, and as soon ashe began to use his stick I laid him on the grass, and so on, till theywere able to understand--that was all. They are not bad boys; they don'twish to be cruel. I like them very well; but you see I had to give thema lesson. When they brought me to James and told him I think he was veryangry to see such big sticks. He said they were only fit for drovers orgypsies, and not for young gentlemen. "

"If I had been you, " said Ginger, "I would have given those boys a goodkick, and that would have given them a lesson. "

"No doubt you would, " said Merrylegs; "but then I am not quite such afool (begging your pardon) as to anger our master or make James ashamedof me. Besides, those children are under my charge when they are riding;I tell you they are intrusted to me. Why, only the other day I heard ourmaster say to Mrs. Blomefield, 'My dear madam, you need not be anxiousabout the children; my old Merrylegs will take as much care of them asyou or I could; I assure you I would not sell that pony for any money, he is so perfectly good-tempered and trustworthy;' and do you think I amsuch an ungrateful brute as to forget all the kind treatment I havehad here for five years, and all the trust they place in me, and turnvicious because a couple of ignorant boys used me badly? No, no! younever had a good place where they were kind to you, and so you don'tknow, and I'm sorry for you; but I can tell you good places make goodhorses. I wouldn't vex our people for anything; I love them, I do, " saidMerrylegs, and he gave a low "ho, ho, ho!" through his nose, as he usedto do in the morning when he heard James' footstep at the door. 

"Besides, " he went on, "if I took to kicking where should I be? Why, sold off in a jiffy, and no character, and I might find myself slavedabout under a butcher's boy, or worked to death at some seaside placewhere no one cared for me, except to find out how fast I could go, or beflogged along in some cart with three or four great men in it going outfor a Sunday spree, as I have often seen in the place I lived in beforeI came here; no, " said he, shaking his head, "I hope I shall never cometo that. "

10 A Talk in the Orchard

Ginger and I were not of the regular tall carriage horse breed, we hadmore of the racing blood in us. We stood about fifteen and a half handshigh; we were therefore just as good for riding as we were for driving, and our master used to say that he disliked either horse or man thatcould do but one thing; and as he did not want to show off in Londonparks, he preferred a more active and useful kind of horse. As for us, our greatest pleasure was when we were saddled for a riding party; themaster on Ginger, the mistress on me, and the young ladies on Sir Oliverand Merrylegs. It was so cheerful to be trotting and cantering alltogether that it always put us in high spirits. I had the best of it, for I always carried the mistress; her weight was little, her voice wassweet, and her hand was so light on the rein that I was guided almostwithout feeling it. 

Oh! if people knew what a comfort to horses a light hand is, and how itkeeps a good mouth and a good temper, they surely would not chuck, anddrag, and pull at the rein as they often do. Our mouths are so tenderthat where they have not been spoiled or hardened with bad or ignoranttreatment, they feel the slightest movement of the driver's hand, andwe know in an instant what is required of us. My mouth has never beenspoiled, and I believe that was why the mistress preferred me to Ginger, although her paces were certainly quite as good. She used often to envyme, and said it was all the fault of breaking in, and the gag bit inLondon, that her mouth was not so perfect as mine; and then old SirOliver would say, "There, there! don't vex yourself; you have thegreatest honor; a mare that can carry a tall man of our master's weight, with all your spring and sprightly action, does not need to hold herhead down because she does not carry the lady; we horses must takethings as they come, and always be contented and willing so long as weare kindly used. "

I had often wondered how it was that Sir Oliver had such a very shorttail; it really was only six or seven inches long, with a tassel of hairhanging from it; and on one of our holidays in the orchard I ventured toask him by what accident it was that he had lost his tail. "Accident!"he snorted with a fierce look, "it was no accident! it was a cruel, shameful, cold-blooded act! When I was young I was taken to a placewhere these cruel things were done; I was tied up, and made fast so thatI could not stir, and then they came and cut off my long and beautifultail, through the flesh and through the bone, and took it away. 

"How dreadful!" I exclaimed. 

"Dreadful, ah! it was dreadful; but it was not only the pain, thoughthat was terrible and lasted a long time; it was not only the indignityof having my best ornament taken from me, though that was bad; but itwas this, how could I ever brush the flies off my sides and my hind legsany more? You who have tails just whisk the flies off without thinkingabout it, and you can't tell what a torment it is to have them settleupon you and sting and sting, and have nothing in the world to lash themoff with. I tell you it is a lifelong wrong, and a lifelong loss; butthank heaven, they don't do it now. "

"What did they do it for then?" said Ginger. 

"For fashion!" said the old horse with a stamp of his foot; "forfashion! if you know what that means; there was not a well-bred younghorse in my time that had not his tail docked in that shameful way, justas if the good God that made us did not know what we wanted and whatlooked best. "

"I suppose it is fashion that makes them strap our heads up with thosehorrid bits that I was tortured with in London, " said Ginger. 

"Of course it is, " said he; "to my mind, fashion is one of the wickedestthings in the world. Now look, for instance, at the way they serve dogs, cutting off their tails to make them look plucky, and shearing up theirpretty little ears to a point to make them both look sharp, forsooth. Ihad a dear friend once, a brown terrier; 'Skye' they called her. She wasso fond of me that she never would sleep out of my stall; she madeher bed under the manger, and there she had a litter of five as prettylittle puppies as need be; none were drowned, for they were a valuablekind, and how pleased she was with them! and when they got their eyesopen and crawled about, it was a real pretty sight; but one day the mancame and took them all away; I thought he might be afraid I should treadupon them. But it was not so; in the evening poor Skye brought them backagain, one by one in her mouth; not the happy little things that theywere, but bleeding and crying pitifully; they had all had a piece oftheir tails cut off, and the soft flap of their pretty little ears wascut quite off. How their mother licked them, and how troubled she was, poor thing! I never forgot it. They healed in time, and they forgot thepain, but the nice soft flap, that of course was intended to protect thedelicate part of their ears from dust and injury, was gone forever. Whydon't they cut their own children's ears into points to make them looksharp? Why don't they cut the end off their noses to make them lookplucky? One would be just as sensible as the other. What right have theyto torment and disfigure God's creatures?"

Sir Oliver, though he was so gentle, was a fiery old fellow, and whathe said was all so new to me, and so dreadful, that I found a bitterfeeling toward men rise up in my mind that I never had before. Of courseGinger was very much excited; she flung up her head with flashingeyes and distended nostrils, declaring that men were both brutes andblockheads. 

"Who talks about blockheads?" said Merrylegs, who just came up fromthe old apple-tree, where he had been rubbing himself against the lowbranch. "Who talks about blockheads? I believe that is a bad word. "

"Bad words were made for bad things, " said Ginger, and she told him whatSir Oliver had said. 

"It is all true, " said Merrylegs sadly, "and I've seen that about thedogs over and over again where I lived first; but we won't talk aboutit here. You know that master, and John and James are always good tous, and talking against men in such a place as this doesn't seem fairor grateful, and you know there are good masters and good grooms besideours, though of course ours are the best. "

This wise speech of good little Merrylegs, which we knew was quite true, cooled us all down, especially Sir Oliver, who was dearly fond of hismaster; and to turn the subject I said, "Can any one tell me the use ofblinkers?"

"No!" said Sir Oliver shortly, "because they are no use. "

"They are supposed, " said Justice, the roan cob, in his calm way, "toprevent horses from shying and starting, and getting so frightened as tocause accidents. "

"Then what is the reason they do not put them on riding horses;especially on ladies' horses?" said I. 

"There is no reason at all, " said he quietly, "except the fashion; theysay that a horse would be so frightened to see the wheels of his owncart or carriage coming behind him that he would be sure to run away, although of course when he is ridden he sees them all about him if thestreets are crowded. I admit they do sometimes come too close to bepleasant, but we don't run away; we are used to it, and understand it, and if we never had blinkers put on we should never want them; we shouldsee what was there, and know what was what, and be much less frightenedthan by only seeing bits of things that we can't understand. Of coursethere may be some nervous horses who have been hurt or frightened whenthey were young, who may be the better for them; but as I never wasnervous, I can't judge. "

"I consider, " said Sir Oliver, "that blinkers are dangerous things inthe night; we horses can see much better in the dark than men can, andmany an accident would never have happened if horses might have had thefull use of their eyes. Some years ago, I remember, there was a hearsewith two horses returning one dark night, and just by Farmer Sparrow'shouse, where the pond is close to the road, the wheels went too near theedge, and the hearse was overturned into the water; both the horses weredrowned, and the driver hardly escaped. Of course after this accidenta stout white rail was put up that might be easily seen, but if thosehorses had not been partly blinded, they would of themselves have keptfurther from the edge, and no accident would have happened. When ourmaster's carriage was overturned, before you came here, it was said thatif the lamp on the left side had not gone out, John would have seen thegreat hole that the road-makers had left; and so he might, but if oldColin had not had blinkers on he would have seen it, lamp or no lamp, for he was far too knowing an old horse to run into danger. As it was, he was very much hurt, the carriage was broken, and how John escapednobody knew. "

"I should say, " said Ginger, curling her nostril, "that these men, whoare so wise, had better give orders that in the future all foals shouldbe born with their eyes set just in the middle of their foreheads, instead of on the side; they always think they can improve upon natureand mend what God has made. "

Things were getting rather sore again, when Merrylegs held up hisknowing little face and said, "I'll tell you a secret: I believe Johndoes not approve of blinkers; I heard him talking with master about itone day. The master said that 'if horses had been used to them, it mightbe dangerous in some cases to leave them off'; and John said he thoughtit would be a good thing if all colts were broken in without blinkers, as was the case in some foreign countries. So let us cheer up, and havea run to the other end of the orchard; I believe the wind has blown downsome apples, and we might just as well eat them as the slugs. "

Merrylegs could not be resisted, so we broke off our long conversation, and got up our spirits by munching some very sweet apples which layscattered on the grass. 

11 Plain Speaking

The longer I lived at Birtwick the more proud and happy I felt at havingsuch a place. Our master and mistress were respected and beloved by allwho knew them; they were good and kind to everybody and everything; notonly men and women, but horses and donkeys, dogs and cats, cattle andbirds; there was no oppressed or ill-used creature that had not a friendin them, and their servants took the same tone. If any of the villagechildren were known to treat any creature cruelly they soon heard aboutit from the Hall. 

The squire and Farmer Grey had worked together, as they said, for morethan twenty years to get check-reins on the cart-horses done away with, and in our parts you seldom saw them; and sometimes, if mistress meta heavily laden horse with his head strained up she would stop thecarriage and get out, and reason with the driver in her sweet seriousvoice, and try to show him how foolish and cruel it was. 

I don't think any man could withstand our mistress. I wish all ladieswere like her. Our master, too, used to come down very heavy sometimes. I remember he was riding me toward home one morning when we saw apowerful man driving toward us in a light pony chaise, with a beautifullittle bay pony, with slender legs and a high-bred sensitive head andface. Just as he came to the park gates the little thing turned towardthem; the man, without word or warning, wrenched the creature's headround with such a force and suddenness that he nearly threw it on itshaunches. Recovering itself it was going on, when he began to lash itfuriously. The pony plunged forward, but the strong, heavy hand held thepretty creature back with force almost enough to break its jaw, whilethe whip still cut into him. It was a dreadful sight to me, for I knewwhat fearful pain it gave that delicate little mouth; but master gave methe word, and we were up with him in a second. 

"Sawyer, " he cried in a stern voice, "is that pony made of flesh andblood?"

"Flesh and blood and temper, " he said; "he's too fond of his own will, and that won't suit me. " He spoke as if he was in a strong passion. Hewas a builder who had often been to the park on business. 

"And do you think, " said master sternly, "that treatment like this willmake him fond of your will?"

"He had no business to make that turn; his road was straight on!" saidthe man roughly. 

"You have often driven that pony up to my place, " said master; "it onlyshows the creature's memory and intelligence; how did he know that youwere not going there again? But that has little to do with it. I mustsay, Mr. Sawyer, that a more unmanly, brutal treatment of a littlepony it was never my painful lot to witness, and by giving way to suchpassion you injure your own character as much, nay more, than you injureyour horse; and remember, we shall all have to be judged according toour works, whether they be toward man or toward beast. "

Master rode me home slowly, and I could tell by his voice how the thinghad grieved him. He was just as free to speak to gentlemen of his ownrank as to those below him; for another day, when we were out, we meta Captain Langley, a friend of our master's; he was driving a splendidpair of grays in a kind of break. After a little conversation thecaptain said:

"What do you think of my new team, Mr. Douglas? You know, you are thejudge of horses in these parts, and I should like your opinion. "

The master backed me a little, so as to get a good view of them. "Theyare an uncommonly handsome pair, " he said, "and if they are as good asthey look I am sure you need not wish for anything better; but I seeyou still hold that pet scheme of yours for worrying your horses andlessening their power. "

"What do you mean, " said the other, "the check-reins? Oh, ah! I knowthat's a hobby of yours; well, the fact is, I like to see my horses holdtheir heads up. "

"So do I, " said master, "as well as any man, but I don't like tosee them held up; that takes all the shine out of it. Now, you are amilitary man, Langley, and no doubt like to see your regiment look wellon parade, 'heads up', and all that; but you would not take much creditfor your drill if all your men had their heads tied to a backboard! Itmight not be much harm on parade, except to worry and fatigue them; buthow would it be in a bayonet charge against the enemy, when they wantthe free use of every muscle, and all their strength thrown forward? Iwould not give much for their chance of victory. And it is just the samewith horses: you fret and worry their tempers, and decrease their power;you will not let them throw their weight against their work, and sothey have to do too much with their joints and muscles, and of courseit wears them up faster. You may depend upon it, horses were intendedto have their heads free, as free as men's are; and if we could act alittle more according to common sense, and a good deal less accordingto fashion, we should find many things work easier; besides, you know aswell as I that if a horse makes a false step, he has much less chanceof recovering himself if his head and neck are fastened back. And now, "said the master, laughing, "I have given my hobby a good trot out, can'tyou make up your mind to mount him, too, captain? Your example would goa long way. "

"I believe you are right in theory, " said the other, "and that's rathera hard hit about the soldiers; but--well--I'll think about it, " and sothey parted. 

12 A Stormy Day

One day late in the autumn my master had a long journey to go onbusiness. I was put into the dog-cart, and John went with his master. Ialways liked to go in the dog-cart, it was so light and the high wheelsran along so pleasantly. There had been a great deal of rain, and nowthe wind was very high and blew the dry leaves across the road in ashower. We went along merrily till we came to the toll-bar and the lowwooden bridge. The river banks were rather high, and the bridge, insteadof rising, went across just level, so that in the middle, if the riverwas full, the water would be nearly up to the woodwork and planks; butas there were good substantial rails on each side, people did not mindit. 

The man at the gate said the river was rising fast, and he feared itwould be a bad night. Many of the meadows were under water, and in onelow part of the road the water was halfway up to my knees; the bottomwas good, and master drove gently, so it was no matter. 

When we got to the town of course I had a good bait, but as the master'sbusiness engaged him a long time we did not start for home till ratherlate in the afternoon. The wind was then much higher, and I heard themaster say to John that he had never been out in such a storm; and so Ithought, as we went along the skirts of a wood, where the great brancheswere swaying about like twigs, and the rushing sound was terrible. 

"I wish we were well out of this wood, " said my master. 

"Yes, sir, " said John, "it would be rather awkward if one of thesebranches came down upon us. "

The words were scarcely out of his mouth when there was a groan, and acrack, and a splitting sound, and tearing, crashing down among the othertrees came an oak, torn up by the roots, and it fell right across theroad just before us. I will never say I was not frightened, for I was. Istopped still, and I believe I trembled; of course I did not turn roundor run away; I was not brought up to that. John jumped out and was in amoment at my head. 

"That was a very near touch, " said my master. "What's to be done now?"

"Well, sir, we can't drive over that tree, nor yet get round it; therewill be nothing for it, but to go back to the four crossways, and thatwill be a good six miles before we get round to the wooden bridge again;it will make us late, but the horse is fresh. "

So back we went and round by the crossroads, but by the time we got tothe bridge it was very nearly dark; we could just see that the water wasover the middle of it; but as that happened sometimes when the floodswere out, master did not stop. We were going along at a good pace, butthe moment my feet touched the first part of the bridge I felt surethere was something wrong. I dare not go forward, and I made a deadstop. "Go on, Beauty, " said my master, and he gave me a touch with thewhip, but I dare not stir; he gave me a sharp cut; I jumped, but I darenot go forward. 

"There's something wrong, sir, " said John, and he sprang out of thedog-cart and came to my head and looked all about. He tried to lead meforward. "Come on, Beauty, what's the matter?" Of course I could nottell him, but I knew very well that the bridge was not safe. 

Just then the man at the toll-gate on the other side ran out of thehouse, tossing a torch about like one mad. 

"Hoy, hoy, hoy! halloo! stop!" he cried. 

"What's the matter?" shouted my master. 

"The bridge is broken in the middle, and part of it is carried away; ifyou come on you'll be into the river. "

"Thank God!" said my master. "You Beauty!" said John, and took thebridle and gently turned me round to the right-hand road by the riverside. The sun had set some time; the wind seemed to have lulled offafter that furious blast which tore up the tree. It grew darker anddarker, stiller and stiller. I trotted quietly along, the wheels hardlymaking a sound on the soft road. For a good while neither master norJohn spoke, and then master began in a serious voice. I could notunderstand much of what they said, but I found they thought, if I hadgone on as the master wanted me, most likely the bridge would have givenway under us, and horse, chaise, master, and man would have fallen intothe river; and as the current was flowing very strongly, and there wasno light and no help at hand, it was more than likely we should all havebeen drowned. Master said, God had given men reason, by which they couldfind out things for themselves; but he had given animals knowledge whichdid not depend on reason, and which was much more prompt and perfect inits way, and by which they had often saved the lives of men. John hadmany stories to tell of dogs and horses, and the wonderful things theyhad done; he thought people did not value their animals half enough normake friends of them as they ought to do. I am sure he makes friends ofthem if ever a man did. 

At last we came to the park gates and found the gardener looking out forus. He said that mistress had been in a dreadful way ever since dark, fearing some accident had happened, and that she had sent James off onJustice, the roan cob, toward the wooden bridge to make inquiry afterus. 

We saw a light at the hall-door and at the upper windows, and as we cameup mistress ran out, saying, "Are you really safe, my dear? Oh! Ihave been so anxious, fancying all sorts of things. Have you had noaccident?"

"No, my dear; but if your Black Beauty had not been wiser than we werewe should all have been carried down the river at the wooden bridge. "I heard no more, as they went into the house, and John took me to thestable. Oh, what a good supper he gave me that night, a good bran mashand some crushed beans with my oats, and such a thick bed of straw! andI was glad of it, for I was tired. 

13 The Devil's Trade Mark

One day when John and I had been out on some business of our master's, and were returning gently on a long, straight road, at some distance wesaw a boy trying to leap a pony over a gate; the pony would not take theleap, and the boy cut him with the whip, but he only turned off on oneside. He whipped him again, but the pony turned off on the other side. Then the boy got off and gave him a hard thrashing, and knocked himabout the head; then he got up again and tried to make him leap thegate, kicking him all the time shamefully, but still the pony refused. When we were nearly at the spot the pony put down his head and threw uphis heels, and sent the boy neatly over into a broad quickset hedge, andwith the rein dangling from his head he set off home at a full gallop. John laughed out quite loud. "Served him right, " he said. 

"Oh, oh, oh!" cried the boy as he struggled about among the thorns; "Isay, come and help me out. "

"Thank ye, " said John, "I think you are quite in the right place, andmaybe a little scratching will teach you not to leap a pony over a gatethat is too high for him, " and so with that John rode off. "It may be, "said he to himself, "that young fellow is a liar as well as a cruel one;we'll just go home by Farmer Bushby's, Beauty, and then if anybody wantsto know you and I can tell 'em, ye see. " So we turned off to the right, and soon came up to the stack-yard, and within sight of the house. Thefarmer was hurrying out into the road, and his wife was standing at thegate, looking very frightened. 

"Have you seen my boy?" said Mr. Bushby as we came up; "he went out anhour ago on my black pony, and the creature is just come back without arider. "

"I should think, sir, " said John, "he had better be without a rider, unless he can be ridden properly. "

"What do you mean?" said the farmer. 

"Well, sir, I saw your son whipping, and kicking, and knocking that goodlittle pony about shamefully because he would not leap a gate that wastoo high for him. The pony behaved well, sir, and showed no vice; but atlast he just threw up his heels and tipped the young gentleman into thethorn hedge. He wanted me to help him out, but I hope you will excuseme, sir, I did not feel inclined to do so. There's no bones broken, sir;he'll only get a few scratches. I love horses, and it riles me to seethem badly used; it is a bad plan to aggravate an animal till he useshis heels; the first time is not always the last. "

During this time the mother began to cry, "Oh, my poor Bill, I must goand meet him; he must be hurt. "

"You had better go into the house, wife, " said the farmer; "Bill wants alesson about this, and I must see that he gets it; this is not the firsttime, nor the second, that he has ill-used that pony, and I shall stopit. I am much obliged to you, Manly. Good-evening. "

So we went on, John chuckling all the way home; then he told James aboutit, who laughed and said, "Serve him right. I knew that boy at school;he took great airs on himself because he was a farmer's son; he used toswagger about and bully the little boys. Of course, we elder ones wouldnot have any of that nonsense, and let him know that in the school andthe playground farmers' sons and laborers' sons were all alike. I wellremember one day, just before afternoon school, I found him at the largewindow catching flies and pulling off their wings. He did not see me andI gave him a box on the ears that laid him sprawling on the floor. Well, angry as I was, I was almost frightened, he roared and bellowed in sucha style. The boys rushed in from the playground, and the master ran infrom the road to see who was being murdered. Of course I said fair andsquare at once what I had done, and why; then I showed the master theflies, some crushed and some crawling about helpless, and I showed himthe wings on the window sill. I never saw him so angry before; but asBill was still howling and whining, like the coward that he was, he didnot give him any more punishment of that kind, but set him up on a stoolfor the rest of the afternoon, and said that he should not go out toplay for that week. Then he talked to all the boys very seriously aboutcruelty, and said how hard-hearted and cowardly it was to hurt theweak and the helpless; but what stuck in my mind was this, he said thatcruelty was the devil's own trade-mark, and if we saw any one who tookpleasure in cruelty we might know who he belonged to, for the devil wasa murderer from the beginning, and a tormentor to the end. On the otherhand, where we saw people who loved their neighbors, and were kind toman and beast, we might know that was God's mark. "

"Your master never taught you a truer thing, " said John; "there is noreligion without love, and people may talk as much as they like abouttheir religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to manand beast it is all a sham--all a sham, James, and it won't stand whenthings come to be turned inside out. "

14 James Howard

Early one morning in December John had just led me into my box after mydaily exercise, and was strapping my cloth on and James was coming infrom the corn chamber with some oats, when the master came into thestable. He looked rather serious, and held an open letter in his hand. John fastened the door of my box, touched his cap, and waited fororders. 

"Good-morning, John, " said the master. "I want to know if you have anycomplaint to make of James. "

"Complaint, sir? No, sir. "

"Is he industrious at his work and respectful to you?"

"Yes, sir, always. "

"You never find he slights his work when your back is turned?"

"Never, sir. "

"That's well; but I must put another question. Have you no reason tosuspect, when he goes out with the horses to exercise them or to take amessage, that he stops about talking to his acquaintances, or goes intohouses where he has no business, leaving the horses outside?"

"No, sir, certainly not; and if anybody has been saying that aboutJames, I don't believe it, and I don't mean to believe it unless I haveit fairly proved before witnesses; it's not for me to say who has beentrying to take away James' character, but I will say this, sir, that asteadier, pleasanter, honester, smarter young fellow I never had in thisstable. I can trust his word and I can trust his work; he is gentle andclever with the horses, and I would rather have them in charge with himthan with half the young fellows I know of in laced hats and liveries;and whoever wants a character of James Howard, " said John, with adecided jerk of his head, "let them come to John Manly. "

The master stood all this time grave and attentive, but as John finishedhis speech a broad smile spread over his face, and looking kindlyacross at James, who all this time had stood still at the door, he said, "James, my lad, set down the oats and come here; I am very glad to findthat John's opinion of your character agrees so exactly with my own. John is a cautious man, " he said, with a droll smile, "and it is notalways easy to get his opinion about people, so I thought if I beat thebush on this side the birds would fly out, and I should learn what Iwanted to know quickly; so now we will come to business. I have a letterfrom my brother-in-law, Sir Clifford Williams, of Clifford Hall. He wants me to find him a trustworthy young groom, about twenty ortwenty-one, who knows his business. His old coachman, who has lived withhim thirty years, is getting feeble, and he wants a man to work with himand get into his ways, who would be able, when the old man was pensionedoff, to step into his place. He would have eighteen shillings a week atfirst, a stable suit, a driving suit, a bedroom over the coachhouse, anda boy under him. Sir Clifford is a good master, and if you could get theplace it would be a good start for you. I don't want to part with you, and if you left us I know John would lose his right hand. "

"That I should, sir, " said John, "but I would not stand in his light forthe world. "

"How old are you, James?" said master. 

"Nineteen next May, sir. "

"That's young; what do you think, John?"

"Well, sir, it is young; but he is as steady as a man, and is strong, and well grown, and though he has not had much experience in driving, hehas a light firm hand and a quick eye, and he is very careful, and I amquite sure no horse of his will be ruined for want of having his feetand shoes looked after. "

"Your word will go the furthest, John, " said the master, "for SirClifford adds in a postscript, 'If I could find a man trained by yourJohn I should like him better than any other;' so, James, lad, think itover, talk to your mother at dinner-time, and then let me know what youwish. "

In a few days after this conversation it was fully settled that Jamesshould go to Clifford Hall, in a month or six weeks, as it suited hismaster, and in the meantime he was to get all the practice in drivingthat could be given to him. I never knew the carriage to go out so oftenbefore; when the mistress did not go out the master drove himself in thetwo-wheeled chaise; but now, whether it was master or the young ladies, or only an errand, Ginger and I were put in the carriage and James droveus. At the first John rode with him on the box, telling him this andthat, and after that James drove alone. 

Then it was wonderful what a number of places the master would go to inthe city on Saturday, and what queer streets we were driven through. Hewas sure to go to the railway station just as the train was coming in, and cabs and carriages, carts and omnibuses were all trying to get overthe bridge together; that bridge wanted good horses and good driverswhen the railway bell was ringing, for it was narrow, and there was avery sharp turn up to the station, where it would not have been at alldifficult for people to run into each other, if they did not look sharpand keep their wits about them. 

15 The Old Hostler

After this it was decided by my master and mistress to pay a visit tosome friends who lived about forty-six miles from our home, and Jameswas to drive them. The first day we traveled thirty-two miles. There were some long, heavy hills, but James drove so carefully andthoughtfully that we were not at all harassed. He never forgot to put onthe brake as we went downhill, nor to take it off at the right place. Hekept our feet on the smoothest part of the road, and if the uphill wasvery long, he set the carriage wheels a little across the road, so asnot to run back, and gave us a breathing. All these little things help ahorse very much, particularly if he gets kind words into the bargain. 

We stopped once or twice on the road, and just as the sun was going downwe reached the town where we were to spend the night. We stopped at theprincipal hotel, which was in the market-place; it was a very large one;we drove under an archway into a long yard, at the further end of whichwere the stables and coachhouses. Two hostlers came to take us out. Thehead hostler was a pleasant, active little man, with a crooked leg, and a yellow striped waistcoat. I never saw a man unbuckle harness soquickly as he did, and with a pat and a good word he led me to a longstable, with six or eight stalls in it, and two or three horses. Theother man brought Ginger; James stood by while we were rubbed down andcleaned. 

I never was cleaned so lightly and quickly as by that little old man. When he had done James stepped up and felt me over, as if he thought Icould not be thoroughly done, but he found my coat as clean and smoothas silk. 

"Well, " he said, "I thought I was pretty quick, and our John quickerstill, but you do beat all I ever saw for being quick and thorough atthe same time. "

"Practice makes perfect, " said the crooked little hostler, "and 'twouldbe a pity if it didn't; forty years' practice, and not perfect! ha, ha!that would be a pity; and as to being quick, why, bless you! that isonly a matter of habit; if you get into the habit of being quick it isjust as easy as being slow; easier, I should say; in fact it don't agreewith my health to be hulking about over a job twice as long as it needtake. Bless you! I couldn't whistle if I crawled over my work as somefolks do! You see, I have been about horses ever since I was twelveyears old, in hunting stables, and racing stables; and being small, yesee, I was jockey for several years; but at the Goodwood, ye see, theturf was very slippery and my poor Larkspur got a fall, and I broke myknee, and so of course I was of no more use there. But I could not livewithout horses, of course I couldn't, so I took to the hotels. And Ican tell ye it is a downright pleasure to handle an animal like this, well-bred, well-mannered, well-cared-for; bless ye! I can tell how ahorse is treated. Give me the handling of a horse for twenty minutes, and I'll tell you what sort of a groom he has had. Look at this one, pleasant, quiet, turns about just as you want him, holds up his feet tobe cleaned out, or anything else you please to wish; then you'll findanother fidgety, fretty, won't move the right way, or starts across thestall, tosses up his head as soon as you come near him, lays his ears, and seems afraid of you; or else squares about at you with his heels. Poor things! I know what sort of treatment they have had. If they aretimid it makes them start or shy; if they are high-mettled it makes themvicious or dangerous; their tempers are mostly made when they are young. Bless you! they are like children, train 'em up in the way they shouldgo, as the good book says, and when they are old they will not departfrom it, if they have a chance. "

"I like to hear you talk, " said James, "that's the way we lay it down athome, at our master's. "

"Who is your master, young man? if it be a proper question. I shouldjudge he is a good one, from what I see. "

"He is Squire Gordon, of Birtwick Park, the other side the BeaconHills, " said James. 

"Ah! so, so, I have heard tell of him; fine judge of horses, ain't he?the best rider in the county. "

"I believe he is, " said James, "but he rides very little now, since thepoor young master was killed. "

"Ah! poor gentleman; I read all about it in the paper at the time. Afine horse killed, too, wasn't there?"

"Yes, " said James; "he was a splendid creature, brother to this one, andjust like him. "

"Pity! pity!" said the old man; "'twas a bad place to leap, if Iremember; a thin fence at top, a steep bank down to the stream, wasn'tit? No chance for a horse to see where he is going. Now, I am for boldriding as much as any man, but still there are some leaps that onlya very knowing old huntsman has any right to take. A man's life and ahorse's life are worth more than a fox's tail; at least, I should saythey ought to be. "

During this time the other man had finished Ginger and had brought ourcorn, and James and the old man left the stable together. 

16 The Fire

Later on in the evening a traveler's horse was brought in by the secondhostler, and while he was cleaning him a young man with a pipe in hismouth lounged into the stable to gossip. 

"I say, Towler, " said the hostler, "just run up the ladder into the loftand put some hay down into this horse's rack, will you? only lay downyour pipe. "

"All right, " said the other, and went up through the trapdoor; and Iheard him step across the floor overhead and put down the hay. Jamescame in to look at us the last thing, and then the door was locked. 

I cannot say how long I had slept, nor what time in the night it was, but I woke up very uncomfortable, though I hardly knew why. I got up;the air seemed all thick and choking. I heard Ginger coughing and oneof the other horses seemed very restless; it was quite dark, and I couldsee nothing, but the stable seemed full of smoke, and I hardly knew howto breathe. 

The trapdoor had been left open, and I thought that was the place itcame through. I listened, and heard a soft rushing sort of noise and alow crackling and snapping. I did not know what it was, but there wassomething in the sound so strange that it made me tremble all over. Theother horses were all awake; some were pulling at their halters, othersstamping. 

At last I heard steps outside, and the hostler who had put up thetraveler's horse burst into the stable with a lantern, and began tountie the horses, and try to lead them out; but he seemed in such ahurry and so frightened himself that he frightened me still more. Thefirst horse would not go with him; he tried the second and third, andthey too would not stir. He came to me next and tried to drag me out ofthe stall by force; of course that was no use. He tried us all by turnsand then left the stable. 

No doubt we were very foolish, but danger seemed to be all round, andthere was nobody we knew to trust in, and all was strange and uncertain. The fresh air that had come in through the open door made it easier tobreathe, but the rushing sound overhead grew louder, and as I lookedupward through the bars of my empty rack I saw a red light flickeringon the wall. Then I heard a cry of "Fire!" outside, and the old hostlerquietly and quickly came in; he got one horse out, and went to another, but the flames were playing round the trapdoor, and the roaring overheadwas dreadful. 

The next thing I heard was James' voice, quiet and cheery, as it alwayswas. 

"Come, my beauties, it is time for us to be off, so wake up and comealong. " I stood nearest the door, so he came to me first, patting me ashe came in. 

"Come, Beauty, on with your bridle, my boy, we'll soon be out of thissmother. " It was on in no time; then he took the scarf off his neck, andtied it lightly over my eyes, and patting and coaxing he led me outof the stable. Safe in the yard, he slipped the scarf off my eyes, andshouted, "Here somebody! take this horse while I go back for the other. "

A tall, broad man stepped forward and took me, and James darted backinto the stable. I set up a shrill whinny as I saw him go. Ginger toldme afterward that whinny was the best thing I could have done for her, for had she not heard me outside she would never have had courage tocome out. 

There was much confusion in the yard; the horses being got out of otherstables, and the carriages and gigs being pulled out of houses andsheds, lest the flames should spread further. On the other side the yardwindows were thrown up, and people were shouting all sorts of things;but I kept my eye fixed on the stable door, where the smoke poured outthicker than ever, and I could see flashes of red light; presently Iheard above all the stir and din a loud, clear voice, which I knew wasmaster's:

"James Howard! James Howard! Are you there?" There was no answer, but Iheard a crash of something falling in the stable, and the next momentI gave a loud, joyful neigh, for I saw James coming through the smokeleading Ginger with him; she was coughing violently, and he was not ableto speak. 

"My brave lad!" said master, laying his hand on his shoulder, "are youhurt?"

James shook his head, for he could not yet speak. 

"Ay, " said the big man who held me; "he is a brave lad, and no mistake. "

"And now, " said master, "when you have got your breath, James, we'll getout of this place as quickly as we can, " and we were moving toward theentry, when from the market-place there came a sound of galloping feetand loud rumbling wheels. 

"'Tis the fire-engine! the fire-engine!" shouted two or three voices, "stand back, make way!" and clattering and thundering over the stonestwo horses dashed into the yard with a heavy engine behind them. Thefiremen leaped to the ground; there was no need to ask where the firewas--it was rolling up in a great blaze from the roof. 

We got out as fast as we could into the broad quiet market-place; thestars were shining, and except the noise behind us, all was still. Master led the way to a large hotel on the other side, and as soon asthe hostler came, he said, "James, I must now hasten to your mistress;I trust the horses entirely to you, order whatever you think is needed, "and with that he was gone. The master did not run, but I never sawmortal man walk so fast as he did that night. 

There was a dreadful sound before we got into our stalls--the shrieks ofthose poor horses that were left burning to death in the stable--it wasvery terrible! and made both Ginger and me feel very bad. We, however, were taken in and well done by. 

The next morning the master came to see how we were and to speak toJames. I did not hear much, for the hostler was rubbing me down, butI could see that James looked very happy, and I thought the master wasproud of him. Our mistress had been so much alarmed in the night thatthe journey was put off till the afternoon, so James had the morningon hand, and went first to the inn to see about our harness and thecarriage, and then to hear more about the fire. When he came back weheard him tell the hostler about it. At first no one could guess how thefire had been caused, but at last a man said he saw Dick Towler go intothe stable with a pipe in his mouth, and when he came out he had notone, and went to the tap for another. Then the under hostler said he hadasked Dick to go up the ladder to put down some hay, but told him to laydown his pipe first. Dick denied taking the pipe with him, but no onebelieved him. I remember our John Manly's rule, never to allow a pipe inthe stable, and thought it ought to be the rule everywhere. 

James said the roof and floor had all fallen in, and that only the blackwalls were standing; the two poor horses that could not be got out wereburied under the burnt rafters and tiles. 

17 John Manly's Talk

The rest of our journey was very easy, and a little after sunset wereached the house of my master's friend. We were taken into a clean, snug stable; there was a kind coachman, who made us very comfortable, and who seemed to think a good deal of James when he heard about thefire. 

"There is one thing quite clear, young man, " he said, "your horses knowwho they can trust; it is one of the hardest things in the world to gethorses out of a stable when there is either fire or flood. I don't knowwhy they won't come out, but they won't--not one in twenty. "

We stopped two or three days at this place and then returned home. Allwent well on the journey; we were glad to be in our own stable again, and John was equally glad to see us. 

Before he and James left us for the night James said, "I wonder who iscoming in my place. "

"Little Joe Green at the lodge, " said John. 

"Little Joe Green! why, he's a child!"

"He is fourteen and a half, " said John. 

"But he is such a little chap!"

"Yes, he is small, but he is quick and willing, and kind-hearted, too, and then he wishes very much to come, and his father would like it;and I know the master would like to give him the chance. He said if Ithought he would not do he would look out for a bigger boy; but I said Iwas quite agreeable to try him for six weeks. "

"Six weeks!" said James; "why, it will be six months before he can be ofmuch use! It will make you a deal of work, John. "

"Well, " said John with a laugh, "work and I are very good friends; Inever was afraid of work yet. "

"You are a very good man, " said James. "I wish I may ever be like you. "

"I don't often speak of myself, " said John, "but as you are going awayfrom us out into the world to shift for yourself I'll just tell you howI look on these things. I was just as old as Joseph when my father andmother died of the fever within ten days of each other, and left me andmy cripple sister Nelly alone in the world, without a relation that wecould look to for help. I was a farmer's boy, not earning enough to keepmyself, much less both of us, and she must have gone to the workhousebut for our mistress (Nelly calls her her angel, and she has good rightto do so). She went and hired a room for her with old Widow Mallet, andshe gave her knitting and needlework when she was able to do it; andwhen she was ill she sent her dinners and many nice, comfortable things, and was like a mother to her. Then the master he took me into the stableunder old Norman, the coachman that was then. I had my food at the houseand my bed in the loft, and a suit of clothes, and three shillings aweek, so that I could help Nelly. Then there was Norman; he might haveturned round and said at his age he could not be troubled with a raw boyfrom the plow-tail, but he was like a father to me, and took no end ofpains with me. When the old man died some years after I stepped into hisplace, and now of course I have top wages, and can lay by for a rainyday or a sunny day, as it may happen, and Nelly is as happy as a bird. So you see, James, I am not the man that should turn up his nose at alittle boy and vex a good, kind master. No, no! I shall miss you verymuch, James, but we shall pull through, and there's nothing like doing akindness when 'tis put in your way, and I am glad I can do it. "

"Then, " said James, "you don't hold with that saying, 'Everybody lookafter himself, and take care of number one'?"

"No, indeed, " said John, "where should I and Nelly have been if masterand mistress and old Norman had only taken care of number one? Why, she in the workhouse and I hoeing turnips! Where would Black Beauty andGinger have been if you had only thought of number one? why, roasted todeath! No, Jim, no! that is a selfish, heathenish saying, whoever usesit; and any man who thinks he has nothing to do but take care of numberone, why, it's a pity but what he had been drowned like a puppy or akitten, before he got his eyes open; that's what I think, " said John, with a very decided jerk of his head. 

James laughed at this; but there was a thickness in his voice when hesaid, "You have been my best friend except my mother; I hope you won'tforget me. "

"No, lad, no!" said John, "and if ever I can do you a good turn I hopeyou won't forget me. "

The next day Joe came to the stables to learn all he could before Jamesleft. He learned to sweep the stable, to bring in the straw and hay; hebegan to clean the harness, and helped to wash the carriage. As he wasquite too short to do anything in the way of grooming Ginger and me, James taught him upon Merrylegs, for he was to have full charge ofhim, under John. He was a nice little bright fellow, and always camewhistling to his work. 

Merrylegs was a good deal put out at being "mauled about, " as he said, "by a boy who knew nothing;" but toward the end of the second week hetold me confidentially that he thought the boy would turn out well. 

At last the day came when James had to leave us; cheerful as he alwayswas, he looked quite down-hearted that morning. 

"You see, " he said to John, "I am leaving a great deal behind; my motherand Betsy, and you, and a good master and mistress, and then the horses, and my old Merrylegs. At the new place there will not be a soul that Ishall know. If it were not that I shall get a higher place, and be ableto help my mother better, I don't think I should have made up my mind toit; it is a real pinch, John. "

"Ay, James, lad, so it is; but I should not think much of you if youcould leave your home for the first time and not feel it. Cheer up, you'll make friends there; and if you get on well, as I am sure youwill, it will be a fine thing for your mother, and she will be proudenough that you have got into such a good place as that. "

So John cheered him up, but every one was sorry to lose James; as forMerrylegs, he pined after him for several days, and went quite off hisappetite. So John took him out several mornings with a leading rein, when he exercised me, and, trotting and galloping by my side, got up thelittle fellow's spirits again, and he was soon all right. 

Joe's father would often come in and give a little help, as heunderstood the work; and Joe took a great deal of pains to learn, andJohn was quite encouraged about him. 

18 Going for the Doctor

One night, a few days after James had left, I had eaten my hay and waslying down in my straw fast asleep, when I was suddenly roused by thestable bell ringing very loud. I heard the door of John's house open, and his feet running up to the hall. He was back again in no time; heunlocked the stable door, and came in, calling out, "Wake up, Beauty!You must go well now, if ever you did;" and almost before I could thinkhe had got the saddle on my back and the bridle on my head. He justran round for his coat, and then took me at a quick trot up to the halldoor. The squire stood there, with a lamp in his hand. 

"Now, John, " he said, "ride for your life--that is, for your mistress'life; there is not a moment to lose. Give this note to Dr. White; giveyour horse a rest at the inn, and be back as soon as you can. "

John said, "Yes, sir, " and was on my back in a minute. The gardener wholived at the lodge had heard the bell ring, and was ready with the gateopen, and away we went through the park, and through the village, anddown the hill till we came to the toll-gate. John called very loud andthumped upon the door; the man was soon out and flung open the gate. 

"Now, " said John, "do you keep the gate open for the doctor; here's themoney, " and off he went again. 

There was before us a long piece of level road by the river side; Johnsaid to me, "Now, Beauty, do your best, " and so I did; I wanted no whipnor spur, and for two miles I galloped as fast as I could lay my feet tothe ground; I don't believe that my old grandfather, who won the raceat Newmarket, could have gone faster. When we came to the bridge Johnpulled me up a little and patted my neck. "Well done, Beauty! good oldfellow, " he said. He would have let me go slower, but my spirit was up, and I was off again as fast as before. The air was frosty, the moon wasbright; it was very pleasant. We came through a village, then througha dark wood, then uphill, then downhill, till after eight miles' run wecame to the town, through the streets and into the market-place. It wasall quite still except the clatter of my feet on the stones--everybodywas asleep. The church clock struck three as we drew up at Dr. White'sdoor. John rang the bell twice, and then knocked at the door likethunder. A window was thrown up, and Dr. White, in his nightcap, put hishead out and said, "What do you want?"

"Mrs. Gordon is very ill, sir; master wants you to go at once; he thinksshe will die if you cannot get there. Here is a note. "

"Wait, " he said, "I will come. "

He shut the window, and was soon at the door. 

"The worst of it is, " he said, "that my horse has been out all day andis quite done up; my son has just been sent for, and he has taken theother. What is to be done? Can I have your horse?"

"He has come at a gallop nearly all the way, sir, and I was to give hima rest here; but I think my master would not be against it, if you thinkfit, sir. "

"All right, " he said; "I will soon be ready. "

John stood by me and stroked my neck; I was very hot. The doctor cameout with his riding-whip. 

"You need not take that, sir, " said John; "Black Beauty will go till hedrops. Take care of him, sir, if you can; I should not like any harm tocome to him. "

"No, no, John, " said the doctor, "I hope not, " and in a minute we hadleft John far behind. 

I will not tell about our way back. The doctor was a heavier man thanJohn, and not so good a rider; however, I did my very best. The man atthe toll-gate had it open. When we came to the hill the doctor drew meup. "Now, my good fellow, " he said, "take some breath. " I was glad hedid, for I was nearly spent, but that breathing helped me on, and soonwe were in the park. Joe was at the lodge gate; my master was at thehall door, for he had heard us coming. He spoke not a word; the doctorwent into the house with him, and Joe led me to the stable. I was gladto get home; my legs shook under me, and I could only stand and pant. Ihad not a dry hair on my body, the water ran down my legs, and I steamedall over, Joe used to say, like a pot on the fire. Poor Joe! he wasyoung and small, and as yet he knew very little, and his father, whowould have helped him, had been sent to the next village; but I am surehe did the very best he knew. He rubbed my legs and my chest, but he didnot put my warm cloth on me; he thought I was so hot I should not likeit. Then he gave me a pailful of water to drink; it was cold and verygood, and I drank it all; then he gave me some hay and some corn, andthinking he had done right, he went away. Soon I began to shake andtremble, and turned deadly cold; my legs ached, my loins ached, and mychest ached, and I felt sore all over. Oh! how I wished for my warm, thick cloth, as I stood and trembled. I wished for John, but he hadeight miles to walk, so I lay down in my straw and tried to go to sleep. After a long while I heard John at the door; I gave a low moan, for Iwas in great pain. He was at my side in a moment, stooping down by me. Icould not tell him how I felt, but he seemed to know it all; he coveredme up with two or three warm cloths, and then ran to the house for somehot water; he made me some warm gruel, which I drank, and then I think Iwent to sleep. 

John seemed to be very much put out. I heard him say to himself over andover again, "Stupid boy! stupid boy! no cloth put on, and I dare say thewater was cold, too; boys are no good;" but Joe was a good boy, afterall. 

I was now very ill; a strong inflammation had attacked my lungs, and Icould not draw my breath without pain. John nursed me night and day; hewould get up two or three times in the night to come to me. My master, too, often came to see me. "My poor Beauty, " he said one day, "my goodhorse, you saved your mistress' life, Beauty; yes, you saved her life. "I was very glad to hear that, for it seems the doctor had said if we hadbeen a little longer it would have been too late. John told my master henever saw a horse go so fast in his life. It seemed as if the horse knewwhat was the matter. Of course I did, though John thought not; at leastI knew as much as this--that John and I must go at the top of our speed, and that it was for the sake of the mistress. 

19 Only Ignorance

I do not know how long I was ill. Mr. Bond, the horse-doctor, came everyday. One day he bled me; John held a pail for the blood. I felt veryfaint after it and thought I should die, and I believe they all thoughtso too. 

Ginger and Merrylegs had been moved into the other stable, so that Imight be quiet, for the fever made me very quick of hearing; any littlenoise seemed quite loud, and I could tell every one's footstep going toand from the house. I knew all that was going on. One night John had togive me a draught; Thomas Green came in to help him. After I had takenit and John had made me as comfortable as he could, he said he shouldstay half an hour to see how the medicine settled. Thomas said hewould stay with him, so they went and sat down on a bench that had beenbrought into Merrylegs' stall, and put down the lantern at their feet, that I might not be disturbed with the light. 

For awhile both men sat silent, and then Tom Green said in a low voice:

"I wish, John, you'd say a bit of a kind word to Joe. The boy is quitebroken-hearted; he can't eat his meals, and he can't smile. He says heknows it was all his fault, though he is sure he did the best he knew, and he says if Beauty dies no one will ever speak to him again. It goesto my heart to hear him. I think you might give him just a word; he isnot a bad boy. "

After a short pause John said slowly, "You must not be too hard upon me, Tom. I know he meant no harm, I never said he did; I know he is not abad boy. But you see, I am sore myself; that horse is the pride of myheart, to say nothing of his being such a favorite with the master andmistress; and to think that his life may be flung away in this manner ismore than I can bear. But if you think I am hard on the boy I will tryto give him a good word to-morrow--that is, I mean if Beauty is better. "

"Well, John, thank you. I knew you did not wish to be too hard, and I amglad you see it was only ignorance. "

John's voice almost startled me as he answered:

"Only ignorance! only ignorance! how can you talk about only ignorance?Don't you know that it is the worst thing in the world, next towickedness?--and which does the most mischief heaven only knows. Ifpeople can say, 'Oh! I did not know, I did not mean any harm, ' theythink it is all right. I suppose Martha Mulwash did not mean to killthat baby when she dosed it with Dalby and soothing syrups; but she didkill it, and was tried for manslaughter. "

"And serve her right, too, " said Tom. "A woman should not undertake tonurse a tender little child without knowing what is good and what is badfor it. "

"Bill Starkey, " continued John, "did not mean to frighten his brotherinto fits when he dressed up like a ghost and ran after him in themoonlight; but he did; and that bright, handsome little fellow, thatmight have been the pride of any mother's heart is just no better thanan idiot, and never will be, if he lives to be eighty years old. Youwere a good deal cut up yourself, Tom, two weeks ago, when those youngladies left your hothouse door open, with a frosty east wind blowingright in; you said it killed a good many of your plants. "

"A good many!" said Tom; "there was not one of the tender cuttings thatwas not nipped off. I shall have to strike all over again, and the worstof it is that I don't know where to go to get fresh ones. I was nearlymad when I came in and saw what was done. "

"And yet, " said John, "I am sure the young ladies did not mean it; itwas only ignorance. "

I heard no more of this conversation, for the medicine did well and sentme to sleep, and in the morning I felt much better; but I often thoughtof John's words when I came to know more of the world. 

20 Joe Green

Joe Green went on very well; he learned quickly, and was so attentiveand careful that John began to trust him in many things; but as I havesaid, he was small of his age, and it was seldom that he was allowed toexercise either Ginger or me; but it so happened one morning that Johnwas out with Justice in the luggage cart, and the master wanted anote to be taken immediately to a gentleman's house, about three milesdistant, and sent his orders for Joe to saddle me and take it, addingthe caution that he was to ride steadily. 

The note was delivered, and we were quietly returning when we cameto the brick-field. Here we saw a cart heavily laden with bricks; thewheels had stuck fast in the stiff mud of some deep ruts, and the carterwas shouting and flogging the two horses unmercifully. Joe pulled up. Itwas a sad sight. There were the two horses straining and struggling withall their might to drag the cart out, but they could not move it; thesweat streamed from their legs and flanks, their sides heaved, and everymuscle was strained, while the man, fiercely pulling at the head of thefore horse, swore and lashed most brutally. 

"Hold hard, " said Joe; "don't go on flogging the horses like that; thewheels are so stuck that they cannot move the cart. "

The man took no heed, but went on lashing. 

"Stop! pray stop!" said Joe. "I'll help you to lighten the cart; theycan't move it now. "

"Mind your own business, you impudent young rascal, and I'll mind mine!"The man was in a towering passion and the worse for drink, and laid onthe whip again. Joe turned my head, and the next moment we were going ata round gallop toward the house of the master brick-maker. I cannot sayif John would have approved of our pace, but Joe and I were both of onemind, and so angry that we could not have gone slower. 

The house stood close by the roadside. Joe knocked at the door, andshouted, "Halloo! Is Mr. Clay at home?" The door was opened, and Mr. Clay himself came out. 

"Halloo, young man! You seem in a hurry; any orders from the squire thismorning?"

"No, Mr. Clay, but there's a fellow in your brick-yard flogging twohorses to death. I told him to stop, and he wouldn't; I said I'd helphim to lighten the cart, and he wouldn't; so I have come to tell you. Pray, sir, go. " Joe's voice shook with excitement. 

"Thank ye, my lad, " said the man, running in for his hat; then pausingfor a moment, "Will you give evidence of what you saw if I should bringthe fellow up before a magistrate?"

"That I will, " said Joe, "and glad too. " The man was gone, and we wereon our way home at a smart trot. 

"Why, what's the matter with you, Joe? You look angry all over, " saidJohn, as the boy flung himself from the saddle. 

"I am angry all over, I can tell you, " said the boy, and then inhurried, excited words he told all that had happened. Joe was usuallysuch a quiet, gentle little fellow that it was wonderful to see him soroused. 

"Right, Joe! you did right, my boy, whether the fellow gets a summons ornot. Many folks would have ridden by and said it was not theirbusiness to interfere. Now I say that with cruelty and oppression it iseverybody's business to interfere when they see it; you did right, myboy. "

Joe was quite calm by this time, and proud that John approved of him, and cleaned out my feet and rubbed me down with a firmer hand thanusual. 

They were just going home to dinner when the footman came down to thestable to say that Joe was wanted directly in master's private room;there was a man brought up for ill-using horses, and Joe's evidence waswanted. The boy flushed up to his forehead, and his eyes sparkled. "Theyshall have it, " said he. 

"Put yourself a bit straight, " said John. Joe gave a pull at his necktieand a twitch at his jacket, and was off in a moment. Our master beingone of the county magistrates, cases were often brought to him tosettle, or say what should be done. In the stable we heard no more forsome time, as it was the men's dinner hour, but when Joe came next intothe stable I saw he was in high spirits; he gave me a good-natured slap, and said, "We won't see such things done, will we, old fellow?" We heardafterward that he had given his evidence so clearly, and the horses werein such an exhausted state, bearing marks of such brutal usage, that thecarter was committed to take his trial, and might possibly be sentencedto two or three months in prison. 

It was wonderful what a change had come over Joe. John laughed, and saidhe had grown an inch taller in that week, and I believe he had. Hewas just as kind and gentle as before, but there was more purpose anddetermination in all that he did--as if he had jumped at once from a boyinto a man. 

21 The Parting

Now I had lived in this happy place three years, but sad changes wereabout to come over us. We heard from time to time that our mistress wasill. The doctor was often at the house, and the master looked grave andanxious. Then we heard that she must leave her home at once, and go toa warm country for two or three years. The news fell upon the householdlike the tolling of a deathbell. Everybody was sorry; but the masterbegan directly to make arrangements for breaking up his establishmentand leaving England. We used to hear it talked about in our stable;indeed, nothing else was talked about. 

John went about his work silent and sad, and Joe scarcely whistled. There was a great deal of coming and going; Ginger and I had full work. 

The first of the party who went were Miss Jessie and Flora, with theirgoverness. They came to bid us good-by. They hugged poor Merrylegslike an old friend, and so indeed he was. Then we heard what had beenarranged for us. Master had sold Ginger and me to his old friend, the Earl of W----, for he thought we should have a good place there. Merrylegs he had given to the vicar, who was wanting a pony for Mrs. Blomefield, but it was on the condition that he should never be sold, and that when he was past work he should be shot and buried. 

Joe was engaged to take care of him and to help in the house, so Ithought that Merrylegs was well off. John had the offer of several goodplaces, but he said he should wait a little and look round. 

The evening before they left the master came into the stable to givesome directions, and to give his horses the last pat. He seemed verylow-spirited; I knew that by his voice. I believe we horses can tellmore by the voice than many men can. 

"Have you decided what to do, John?" he said. "I find you have notaccepted either of those offers. "

"No, sir; I have made up my mind that if I could get a situation withsome first-rate colt-breaker and horse-trainer, it would be the rightthing for me. Many young animals are frightened and spoiled by wrongtreatment, which need not be if the right man took them in hand. Ialways get on well with horses, and if I could help some of them to afair start I should feel as if I was doing some good. What do you thinkof it, sir?"

"I don't know a man anywhere, " said master, "that I should think sosuitable for it as yourself. You understand horses, and somehow theyunderstand you, and in time you might set up for yourself; I think youcould not do better. If in any way I can help you, write to me. I shallspeak to my agent in London, and leave your character with him. "

Master gave John the name and address, and then he thanked him for hislong and faithful service; but that was too much for John. "Pray, don't, sir, I can't bear it; you and my dear mistress have done so much forme that I could never repay it. But we shall never forget you, sir, andplease God, we may some day see mistress back again like herself; wemust keep up hope, sir. " Master gave John his hand, but he did notspeak, and they both left the stable. 

The last sad day had come; the footman and the heavy luggage had goneoff the day before, and there were only master and mistress and hermaid. Ginger and I brought the carriage up to the hall door for the lasttime. The servants brought out cushions and rugs and many other things;and when all were arranged master came down the steps carrying themistress in his arms (I was on the side next to the house, and could seeall that went on); he placed her carefully in the carriage, while thehouse servants stood round crying. 

"Good-by, again, " he said; "we shall not forget any of you, " and he gotin. "Drive on, John. "

Joe jumped up, and we trotted slowly through the park and through thevillage, where the people were standing at their doors to have a lastlook and to say, "God bless them. "

When we reached the railway station I think mistress walked from thecarriage to the waiting-room. I heard her say in her own sweet voice, "Good-by, John. God bless you. " I felt the rein twitch, but John made noanswer; perhaps he could not speak. As soon as Joe had taken the thingsout of the carriage John called him to stand by the horses, while hewent on the platform. Poor Joe! he stood close up to our heads to hidehis tears. Very soon the train came puffing up into the station; thentwo or three minutes, and the doors were slammed to, the guard whistled, and the train glided away, leaving behind it only clouds of white smokeand some very heavy hearts. 

When it was quite out of sight John came back. 

"We shall never see her again, " he said--"never. " He took the reins, mounted the box, and with Joe drove slowly home; but it was not our homenow. 

Part II

22 Earlshall

The next morning after breakfast Joe put Merrylegs into the mistress'low chaise to take him to the vicarage; he came first and said good-byto us, and Merrylegs neighed to us from the yard. Then John put thesaddle on Ginger and the leading rein on me, and rode us across thecountry about fifteen miles to Earlshall Park, where the Earl of W----lived. There was a very fine house and a great deal of stabling. We wentinto the yard through a stone gateway, and John asked for Mr. York. Itwas some time before he came. He was a fine-looking, middle-aged man, and his voice said at once that he expected to be obeyed. He was veryfriendly and polite to John, and after giving us a slight look hecalled a groom to take us to our boxes, and invited John to take somerefreshment. 

We were taken to a light, airy stable, and placed in boxes adjoiningeach other, where we were rubbed down and fed. In about half an hourJohn and Mr. York, who was to be our new coachman, came in to see us. 

"Now, Mr. Manly, " he said, after carefully looking at us both, "I cansee no fault in these horses; but we all know that horses have theirpeculiarities as well as men, and that sometimes they need differenttreatment. I should like to know if there is anything particular ineither of these that you would like to mention. "

"Well, " said John, "I don't believe there is a better pair of horses inthe country, and right grieved I am to part with them, but they are notalike. The black one is the most perfect temper I ever knew; I supposehe has never known a hard word or a blow since he was foaled, and allhis pleasure seems to be to do what you wish; but the chestnut, I fancy, must have had bad treatment; we heard as much from the dealer. She cameto us snappish and suspicious, but when she found what sort of placeours was, it all went off by degrees; for three years I have never seenthe smallest sign of temper, and if she is well treated there is nota better, more willing animal than she is. But she is naturally a moreirritable constitution than the black horse; flies tease her more;anything wrong in the harness frets her more; and if she were ill-usedor unfairly treated she would not be unlikely to give tit for tat. Youknow that many high-mettled horses will do so. "

"Of course, " said York, "I quite understand; but you know it is not easyin stables like these to have all the grooms just what they should be. Ido my best, and there I must leave it. I'll remember what you have saidabout the mare. "

They were going out of the stable, when John stopped and said, "I hadbetter mention that we have never used the check-rein with either ofthem; the black horse never had one on, and the dealer said it was thegag-bit that spoiled the other's temper. "

"Well, " said York, "if they come here they must wear the check-rein. Iprefer a loose rein myself, and his lordship is always very reasonableabout horses; but my lady--that's another thing; she will have style, and if her carriage horses are not reined up tight she wouldn't look atthem. I always stand out against the gag-bit, and shall do so, but itmust be tight up when my lady rides!"

"I am sorry for it, very sorry, " said John; "but I must go now, or Ishall lose the train. "

He came round to each of us to pat and speak to us for the last time;his voice sounded very sad. 

I held my face close to him; that was all I could do to say good-by; andthen he was gone, and I have never seen him since. 

The next day Lord W---- came to look at us; he seemed pleased with ourappearance. 

"I have great confidence in these horses, " he said, "from the charactermy friend Mr. Gordon has given me of them. Of course they are not amatch in color, but my idea is that they will do very well for thecarriage while we are in the country. Before we go to London I must tryto match Baron; the black horse, I believe, is perfect for riding. "

York then told him what John had said about us. 

"Well, " said he, "you must keep an eye to the mare, and put thecheck-rein easy; I dare say they will do very well with a littlehumoring at first. I'll mention it to your lady. "

In the afternoon we were harnessed and put in the carriage, and as thestable clock struck three we were led round to the front of the house. It was all very grand, and three or four times as large as the old houseat Birtwick, but not half so pleasant, if a horse may have an opinion. Two footmen were standing ready, dressed in drab livery, with scarletbreeches and white stockings. Presently we heard the rustling sound ofsilk as my lady came down the flight of stone steps. She stepped roundto look at us; she was a tall, proud-looking woman, and did notseem pleased about something, but she said nothing, and got into thecarriage. This was the first time of wearing a check-rein, and I mustsay, though it certainly was a nuisance not to be able to get my headdown now and then, it did not pull my head higher than I was accustomedto carry it. I felt anxious about Ginger, but she seemed to be quiet andcontent. 

The next day at three o'clock we were again at the door, and the footmenas before; we heard the silk dress rustle and the lady came down thesteps, and in an imperious voice she said, "York, you must put thosehorses' heads higher; they are not fit to be seen. "

York got down, and said very respectfully, "I beg your pardon, my lady, but these horses have not been reined up for three years, and my lordsaid it would be safer to bring them to it by degrees; but if yourladyship pleases I can take them up a little more. "

"Do so, " she said. 

York came round to our heads and shortened the rein himself--one hole, I think; every little makes a difference, be it for better or worse, andthat day we had a steep hill to go up. Then I began to understand whatI had heard of. Of course, I wanted to put my head forward and take thecarriage up with a will, as we had been used to do; but no, I had topull with my head up now, and that took all the spirit out of me, andthe strain came on my back and legs. When we came in Ginger said, "Nowyou see what it is like; but this is not bad, and if it does not getmuch worse than this I shall say nothing about it, for we are very welltreated here; but if they strain me up tight, why, let 'em look out! Ican't bear it, and I won't. "

Day by day, hole by hole, our bearing reins were shortened, and insteadof looking forward with pleasure to having my harness put on, as I usedto do, I began to dread it. Ginger, too, seemed restless, though shesaid very little. At last I thought the worst was over; for several daysthere was no more shortening, and I determined to make the best ofit and do my duty, though it was now a constant harass instead of apleasure; but the worst was not come. 

23 A Strike for Liberty

One day my lady came down later than usual, and the silk rustled morethan ever. 

"Drive to the Duchess of B----'s, " she said, and then after a pause, "Are you never going to get those horses' heads up, York? Raise them atonce and let us have no more of this humoring and nonsense. "

York came to me first, while the groom stood at Ginger's head. He drewmy head back and fixed the rein so tight that it was almost intolerable;then he went to Ginger, who was impatiently jerking her head up and downagainst the bit, as was her way now. She had a good idea of what wascoming, and the moment York took the rein off the terret in order toshorten it she took her opportunity and reared up so suddenly that Yorkhad his nose roughly hit and his hat knocked off; the groom was nearlythrown off his legs. At once they both flew to her head; but she wasa match for them, and went on plunging, rearing, and kicking in a mostdesperate manner. At last she kicked right over the carriage pole andfell down, after giving me a severe blow on my near quarter. There is noknowing what further mischief she might have done had not York promptlysat himself down flat on her head to prevent her struggling, at thesame time calling out, "Unbuckle the black horse! Run for the winch andunscrew the carriage pole! Cut the trace here, somebody, if you can'tunhitch it!" One of the footmen ran for the winch, and another broughta knife from the house. The groom soon set me free from Ginger and thecarriage, and led me to my box. He just turned me in as I was and ranback to York. I was much excited by what had happened, and if I had everbeen used to kick or rear I am sure I should have done it then; butI never had, and there I stood, angry, sore in my leg, my head stillstrained up to the terret on the saddle, and no power to get it down. Iwas very miserable and felt much inclined to kick the first person whocame near me. 

Before long, however, Ginger was led in by two grooms, a good dealknocked about and bruised. York came with her and gave his orders, andthen came to look at me. In a moment he let down my head. 

"Confound these check-reins!" he said to himself; "I thought we shouldhave some mischief soon. Master will be sorely vexed. But there, if awoman's husband can't rule her of course a servant can't; so I wash myhands of it, and if she can't get to the duchess' garden party I can'thelp it. "

York did not say this before the men; he always spoke respectfully whenthey were by. Now he felt me all over, and soon found the place above myhock where I had been kicked. It was swelled and painful; he ordered itto be sponged with hot water, and then some lotion was put on. 

Lord W---- was much put out when he learned what had happened; he blamedYork for giving way to his mistress, to which he replied that in futurehe would much prefer to receive his orders only from his lordship; butI think nothing came of it, for things went on the same as before. Ithought York might have stood up better for his horses, but perhaps I amno judge. 

Ginger was never put into the carriage again, but when she was well ofher bruises one of the Lord W----'s younger sons said he should liketo have her; he was sure she would make a good hunter. As for me, I wasobliged still to go in the carriage, and had a fresh partner called Max;he had always been used to the tight rein. I asked him how it was hebore it. 

"Well, " he said, "I bear it because I must; but it is shortening mylife, and it will shorten yours too if you have to stick to it. "

"Do you think, " I said, "that our masters know how bad it is for us?"

"I can't say, " he replied, "but the dealers and the horse-doctors knowit very well. I was at a dealer's once, who was training me and anotherhorse to go as a pair; he was getting our heads up, as he said, a littlehigher and a little higher every day. A gentleman who was there askedhim why he did so. 'Because, ' said he, 'people won't buy them unless wedo. The London people always want their horses to carry their heads highand to step high. Of course it is very bad for the horses, but then itis good for trade. The horses soon wear up, or get diseased, and theycome for another pair. ' That, " said Max, "is what he said in my hearing, and you can judge for yourself. "

What I suffered with that rein for four long months in my lady'scarriage it would be hard to describe; but I am quite sure that, had itlasted much longer, either my health or my temper would have given way. Before that, I never knew what it was to foam at the mouth, but nowthe action of the sharp bit on my tongue and jaw, and the constrainedposition of my head and throat, always caused me to froth at the mouthmore or less. Some people think it very fine to see this, and say, "Whatfine spirited creatures!" But it is just as unnatural for horses asfor men to foam at the mouth; it is a sure sign of some discomfort, and should be attended to. Besides this, there was a pressure on mywindpipe, which often made my breathing very uncomfortable; when Ireturned from my work my neck and chest were strained and painful, mymouth and tongue tender, and I felt worn and depressed. 

In my old home I always knew that John and my master were my friends;but here, although in many ways I was well treated, I had no friend. York might have known, and very likely did know, how that rein harassedme; but I suppose he took it as a matter of course that it could not behelped; at any rate, nothing was done to relieve me. 

24 The Lady Anne, or a Runaway Horse

Early in the spring, Lord W---- and part of his family went up toLondon, and took York with them. I and Ginger and some other horses wereleft at home for use, and the head groom was left in charge. 

The Lady Harriet, who remained at the hall, was a great invalid, andnever went out in the carriage, and the Lady Anne preferred riding onhorseback with her brother or cousins. She was a perfect horsewoman, andas gay and gentle as she was beautiful. She chose me for her horse, andnamed me "Black Auster". I enjoyed these rides very much in the clearcold air, sometimes with Ginger, sometimes with Lizzie. This Lizzie wasa bright bay mare, almost thoroughbred, and a great favorite with thegentlemen, on account of her fine action and lively spirit; but Ginger, who knew more of her than I did, told me she was rather nervous. 

There was a gentleman of the name of Blantyre staying at the hall;he always rode Lizzie, and praised her so much that one day Lady Anneordered the side-saddle to be put on her, and the other saddle on me. When we came to the door the gentleman seemed very uneasy. 

"How is this?" he said. "Are you tired of your good Black Auster?"

"Oh, no, not at all, " she replied, "but I am amiable enough to let youride him for once, and I will try your charming Lizzie. You must confessthat in size and appearance she is far more like a lady's horse than myown favorite. "

"Do let me advise you not to mount her, " he said; "she is a charmingcreature, but she is too nervous for a lady. I assure you, she is notperfectly safe; let me beg you to have the saddles changed. "

"My dear cousin, " said Lady Anne, laughing, "pray do not trouble yourgood careful head about me. I have been a horsewoman ever since I was ababy, and I have followed the hounds a great many times, though I knowyou do not approve of ladies hunting; but still that is the fact, andI intend to try this Lizzie that you gentlemen are all so fond of; soplease help me to mount, like a good friend as you are. "

There was no more to be said; he placed her carefully on the saddle, looked to the bit and curb, gave the reins gently into her hand, andthen mounted me. Just as we were moving off a footman came out with aslip of paper and message from the Lady Harriet. "Would they ask thisquestion for her at Dr. Ashley's, and bring the answer?"

The village was about a mile off, and the doctor's house was the lastin it. We went along gayly enough till we came to his gate. There was ashort drive up to the house between tall evergreens. 

Blantyre alighted at the gate, and was going to open it for Lady Anne, but she said, "I will wait for you here, and you can hang Auster's reinon the gate. "

He looked at her doubtfully. "I will not be five minutes, " he said. 

"Oh, do not hurry yourself; Lizzie and I shall not run away from you. "

He hung my rein on one of the iron spikes, and was soon hidden among thetrees. Lizzie was standing quietly by the side of the road a few pacesoff, with her back to me. My young mistress was sitting easily with aloose rein, humming a little song. I listened to my rider's footstepsuntil they reached the house, and heard him knock at the door. There wasa meadow on the opposite side of the road, the gate of which stood open;just then some cart horses and several young colts came trotting out ina very disorderly manner, while a boy behind was cracking a great whip. The colts were wild and frolicsome, and one of them bolted across theroad and blundered up against Lizzie's hind legs, and whether it wasthe stupid colt, or the loud cracking of the whip, or both together, Icannot say, but she gave a violent kick, and dashed off into a headlonggallop. It was so sudden that Lady Anne was nearly unseated, but shesoon recovered herself. I gave a loud, shrill neigh for help; again andagain I neighed, pawing the ground impatiently, and tossing my head toget the rein loose. I had not long to wait. Blantyre came running tothe gate; he looked anxiously about, and just caught sight of the flyingfigure, now far away on the road. In an instant he sprang to the saddle. I needed no whip, no spur, for I was as eager as my rider; he saw it, and giving me a free rein, and leaning a little forward, we dashed afterthem. 

For about a mile and a half the road ran straight, and then bent to theright, after which it divided into two roads. Long before we came tothe bend she was out of sight. Which way had she turned? A woman wasstanding at her garden gate, shading her eyes with her hand, and lookingeagerly up the road. Scarcely drawing the rein, Blantyre shouted, "Whichway?" "To the right!" cried the woman, pointing with her hand, and awaywe went up the right-hand road; then for a moment we caught sight ofher; another bend and she was hidden again. Several times we caughtglimpses, and then lost them. We scarcely seemed to gain ground uponthem at all. An old road-mender was standing near a heap of stones, hisshovel dropped and his hands raised. As we came near he made a sign tospeak. Blantyre drew the rein a little. "To the common, to the common, sir; she has turned off there. " I knew this common very well; it was forthe most part very uneven ground, covered with heather and dark-greenfurze bushes, with here and there a scrubby old thorn-tree; there werealso open spaces of fine short grass, with ant-hills and mole-turnseverywhere; the worst place I ever knew for a headlong gallop. 

We had hardly turned on the common, when we caught sight again of thegreen habit flying on before us. My lady's hat was gone, and her longbrown hair was streaming behind her. Her head and body were thrown back, as if she were pulling with all her remaining strength, and as if thatstrength were nearly exhausted. It was clear that the roughness of theground had very much lessened Lizzie's speed, and there seemed a chancethat we might overtake her. 

While we were on the highroad, Blantyre had given me my head; but now, with a light hand and a practiced eye, he guided me over the ground insuch a masterly manner that my pace was scarcely slackened, and we weredecidedly gaining on them. 

About halfway across the heath there had been a wide dike recently cut, and the earth from the cutting was cast up roughly on the other side. Surely this would stop them! But no; with scarcely a pause Lizzie tookthe leap, stumbled among the rough clods and fell. Blantyre groaned, "Now, Auster, do your best!" He gave me a steady rein. I gathered myselfwell together and with one determined leap cleared both dike and bank. 

Motionless among the heather, with her face to the earth, lay my pooryoung mistress. Blantyre kneeled down and called her name: there was nosound. Gently he turned her face upward: it was ghastly white andthe eyes were closed. "Annie, dear Annie, do speak!" But there was noanswer. He unbuttoned her habit, loosened her collar, felt her hands andwrist, then started up and looked wildly round him for help. 

At no great distance there were two men cutting turf, who, seeing Lizzierunning wild without a rider, had left their work to catch her. 

Blantyre's halloo soon brought them to the spot. The foremost man seemedmuch troubled at the sight, and asked what he could do. 

"Can you ride?"

"Well, sir, I bean't much of a horseman, but I'd risk my neck for theLady Anne; she was uncommon good to my wife in the winter. "

"Then mount this horse, my friend--your neck will be quite safe--andride to the doctor's and ask him to come instantly; then on to the hall;tell them all that you know, and bid them send me the carriage, withLady Anne's maid and help. I shall stay here. "

"All right, sir, I'll do my best, and I pray God the dear young lady mayopen her eyes soon. " Then, seeing the other man, he called out, "Here, Joe, run for some water, and tell my missis to come as quick as she canto the Lady Anne. "

He then somehow scrambled into the saddle, and with a "Gee up" and aclap on my sides with both his legs, he started on his journey, makinga little circuit to avoid the dike. He had no whip, which seemed totrouble him; but my pace soon cured that difficulty, and he found thebest thing he could do was to stick to the saddle and hold me in, whichhe did manfully. I shook him as little as I could help, but once ortwice on the rough ground he called out, "Steady! Woah! Steady!" On thehighroad we were all right; and at the doctor's and the hall he did hiserrand like a good man and true. They asked him in to take a drop ofsomething. "No, no, " he said; "I'll be back to 'em again by a short cutthrough the fields, and be there afore the carriage. "

There was a great deal of hurry and excitement after the news becameknown. I was just turned into my box; the saddle and bridle were takenoff, and a cloth thrown over me. 

Ginger was saddled and sent off in great haste for Lord George, and Isoon heard the carriage roll out of the yard. 

It seemed a long time before Ginger came back, and before we were leftalone; and then she told me all that she had seen. 

"I can't tell much, " she said. "We went a gallop nearly all the way, andgot there just as the doctor rode up. There was a woman sitting on theground with the lady's head in her lap. The doctor poured something intoher mouth, but all that I heard was, 'She is not dead. ' Then I was ledoff by a man to a little distance. After awhile she was taken tothe carriage, and we came home together. I heard my master say toa gentleman who stopped him to inquire, that he hoped no bones werebroken, but that she had not spoken yet. "

When Lord George took Ginger for hunting, York shook his head; he saidit ought to be a steady hand to train a horse for the first season, andnot a random rider like Lord George. 

Ginger used to like it very much, but sometimes when she came back Icould see that she had been very much strained, and now and then shegave a short cough. She had too much spirit to complain, but I could nothelp feeling anxious about her. 

Two days after the accident Blantyre paid me a visit; he patted me andpraised me very much; he told Lord George that he was sure the horseknew of Annie's danger as well as he did. "I could not have held him inif I would, " said he, "she ought never to ride any other horse. " I foundby their conversation that my young mistress was now out of danger, andwould soon be able to ride again. This was good news to me and I lookedforward to a happy life. 

25 Reuben Smith

Now I must say a little about Reuben Smith, who was left in charge ofthe stables when York went to London. No one more thoroughly understoodhis business than he did, and when he was all right there could not bea more faithful or valuable man. He was gentle and very clever in hismanagement of horses, and could doctor them almost as well as afarrier, for he had lived two years with a veterinary surgeon. He was afirst-rate driver; he could take a four-in-hand or a tandem as easilyas a pair. He was a handsome man, a good scholar, and had very pleasantmanners. I believe everybody liked him; certainly the horses did. Theonly wonder was that he should be in an under situation and not in theplace of a head coachman like York; but he had one great fault and thatwas the love of drink. He was not like some men, always at it; he usedto keep steady for weeks or months together, and then he would breakout and have a "bout" of it, as York called it, and be a disgrace tohimself, a terror to his wife, and a nuisance to all that had to do withhim. He was, however, so useful that two or three times York had hushedthe matter up and kept it from the earl's knowledge; but one night, whenReuben had to drive a party home from a ball he was so drunk that hecould not hold the reins, and a gentleman of the party had to mount thebox and drive the ladies home. Of course, this could not be hidden, andReuben was at once dismissed; his poor wife and little children had toturn out of the pretty cottage by the park gate and go where they could. Old Max told me all this, for it happened a good while ago; but shortlybefore Ginger and I came Smith had been taken back again. York hadinterceded for him with the earl, who is very kind-hearted, and the manhad promised faithfully that he would never taste another drop as longas he lived there. He had kept his promise so well that York thought hemight be safely trusted to fill his place while he was away, and he wasso clever and honest that no one else seemed so well fitted for it. 

It was now early in April, and the family was expected home some time inMay. The light brougham was to be fresh done up, and as Colonel Blantyrewas obliged to return to his regiment it was arranged that Smith shoulddrive him to the town in it, and ride back; for this purpose he took thesaddle with him, and I was chosen for the journey. At the station thecolonel put some money into Smith's hand and bid him good-by, saying, "Take care of your young mistress, Reuben, and don't let Black Auster behacked about by any random young prig that wants to ride him--keep himfor the lady. "

We left the carriage at the maker's, and Smith rode me to the WhiteLion, and ordered the hostler to feed me well, and have me ready for himat four o'clock. A nail in one of my front shoes had started as I camealong, but the hostler did not notice it till just about four o'clock. Smith did not come into the yard till five, and then he said he shouldnot leave till six, as he had met with some old friends. The man thentold him of the nail, and asked if he should have the shoe looked to. 

"No, " said Smith, "that will be all right till we get home. "

He spoke in a very loud, offhand way, and I thought it very unlike himnot to see about the shoe, as he was generally wonderfully particularabout loose nails in our shoes. He did not come at six nor seven, noreight, and it was nearly nine o'clock before he called for me, and thenit was with a loud, rough voice. He seemed in a very bad temper, andabused the hostler, though I could not tell what for. 

The landlord stood at the door and said, "Have a care, Mr. Smith!" buthe answered angrily with an oath; and almost before he was out of thetown he began to gallop, frequently giving me a sharp cut with his whip, though I was going at full speed. The moon had not yet risen, and it wasvery dark. The roads were stony, having been recently mended; going overthem at this pace, my shoe became looser, and as we neared the turnpikegate it came off. 

If Smith had been in his right senses he would have been sensible ofsomething wrong in my pace, but he was too drunk to notice. 

Beyond the turnpike was a long piece of road, upon which fresh stoneshad just been laid--large sharp stones, over which no horse could bedriven quickly without risk of danger. Over this road, with one shoegone, I was forced to gallop at my utmost speed, my rider meanwhilecutting into me with his whip, and with wild curses urging me to gostill faster. Of course my shoeless foot suffered dreadfully; the hoofwas broken and split down to the very quick, and the inside was terriblycut by the sharpness of the stones. 

This could not go on; no horse could keep his footing under suchcircumstances; the pain was too great. I stumbled, and fell withviolence on both my knees. Smith was flung off by my fall, and, owing tothe speed I was going at, he must have fallen with great force. I soonrecovered my feet and limped to the side of the road, where it was freefrom stones. The moon had just risen above the hedge, and by its lightI could see Smith lying a few yards beyond me. He did not rise; he madeone slight effort to do so, and then there was a heavy groan. I couldhave groaned, too, for I was suffering intense pain both from my footand knees; but horses are used to bear their pain in silence. I utteredno sound, but I stood there and listened. One more heavy groan fromSmith; but though he now lay in the full moonlight I could see nomotion. I could do nothing for him nor myself, but, oh! how I listenedfor the sound of horse, or wheels, or footsteps! The road was not muchfrequented, and at this time of the night we might stay for hours beforehelp came to us. I stood watching and listening. It was a calm, sweetApril night; there were no sounds but a few low notes of a nightingale, and nothing moved but the white clouds near the moon and a brown owlthat flitted over the hedge. It made me think of the summer nights longago, when I used to lie beside my mother in the green pleasant meadow atFarmer Grey's. 

26 How it Ended

It must have been nearly midnight when I heard at a great distance thesound of a horse's feet. Sometimes the sound died away, then it grewclearer again and nearer. The road to Earlshall led through woods thatbelonged to the earl; the sound came in that direction, and I hoped itmight be some one coming in search of us. As the sound came nearer andnearer I was almost sure I could distinguish Ginger's step; a littlenearer still, and I could tell she was in the dog-cart. I neighedloudly, and was overjoyed to hear an answering neigh from Ginger, andmen's voices. They came slowly over the stones, and stopped at the darkfigure that lay upon the ground. 

One of the men jumped out, and stooped down over it. "It is Reuben, " hesaid, "and he does not stir!"

The other man followed, and bent over him. "He's dead, " he said; "feelhow cold his hands are. "

They raised him up, but there was no life, and his hair was soaked withblood. They laid him down again, and came and looked at me. They soonsaw my cut knees. 

"Why, the horse has been down and thrown him! Who would have thought theblack horse would have done that? Nobody thought he could fall. Reubenmust have been lying here for hours! Odd, too, that the horse has notmoved from the place. "

Robert then attempted to lead me forward. I made a step, but almost fellagain. 

"Halloo! he's bad in his foot as well as his knees. Look here--his hoofis cut all to pieces; he might well come down, poor fellow! I tell youwhat, Ned, I'm afraid it hasn't been all right with Reuben. Just thinkof his riding a horse over these stones without a shoe! Why, if he hadbeen in his right senses he would just as soon have tried to ride himover the moon. I'm afraid it has been the old thing over again. PoorSusan! she looked awfully pale when she came to my house to ask ifhe had not come home. She made believe she was not a bit anxious, andtalked of a lot of things that might have kept him. But for all that shebegged me to go and meet him. But what must we do? There's the horse toget home as well as the body, and that will be no easy matter. "

Then followed a conversation between them, till it was agreed thatRobert, as the groom, should lead me, and that Ned must take the body. It was a hard job to get it into the dog-cart, for there was no one tohold Ginger; but she knew as well as I did what was going on, and stoodas still as a stone. I noticed that, because, if she had a fault, it wasthat she was impatient in standing. 

Ned started off very slowly with his sad load, and Robert came andlooked at my foot again; then he took his handkerchief and bound itclosely round, and so he led me home. I shall never forget that nightwalk; it was more than three miles. Robert led me on very slowly, and Ilimped and hobbled on as well as I could with great pain. I am sure hewas sorry for me, for he often patted and encouraged me, talking to mein a pleasant voice. 

At last I reached my own box, and had some corn; and after Roberthad wrapped up my knees in wet cloths, he tied up my foot in a branpoultice, to draw out the heat and cleanse it before the horse-doctorsaw it in the morning, and I managed to get myself down on the straw, and slept in spite of the pain. 

The next day after the farrier had examined my wounds, he said he hopedthe joint was not injured; and if so, I should not be spoiled for work, but I should never lose the blemish. I believe they did the best to makea good cure, but it was a long and painful one. Proud flesh, as theycalled it, came up in my knees, and was burned out with caustic; andwhen at last it was healed, they put a blistering fluid over the frontof both knees to bring all the hair off; they had some reason for this, and I suppose it was all right. 

As Smith's death had been so sudden, and no one was there to see it, there was an inquest held. The landlord and hostler at the White Lion, with several other people, gave evidence that he was intoxicated when hestarted from the inn. The keeper of the toll-gate said he rode at a hardgallop through the gate; and my shoe was picked up among the stones, sothat the case was quite plain to them, and I was cleared of all blame. 

Everybody pitied Susan. She was nearly out of her mind; she kept sayingover and over again, "Oh! he was so good--so good! It was all thatcursed drink; why will they sell that cursed drink? Oh Reuben, Reuben!"So she went on till after he was buried; and then, as she had no home orrelations, she, with her six little children, was obliged once more toleave the pleasant home by the tall oak-trees, and go into that greatgloomy Union House. 

27 Ruined and Going Downhill

As soon as my knees were sufficiently healed I was turned into a smallmeadow for a month or two; no other creature was there; and though Ienjoyed the liberty and the sweet grass, yet I had been so long used tosociety that I felt very lonely. Ginger and I had become fast friends, and now I missed her company extremely. I often neighed when I heardhorses' feet passing in the road, but I seldom got an answer; till onemorning the gate was opened, and who should come in but dear old Ginger. The man slipped off her halter, and left her there. With a joyful whinnyI trotted up to her; we were both glad to meet, but I soon found that itwas not for our pleasure that she was brought to be with me. Her storywould be too long to tell, but the end of it was that she had beenruined by hard riding, and was now turned off to see what rest would do. 

Lord George was young and would take no warning; he was a hard rider, and would hunt whenever he could get the chance, quite careless of hishorse. Soon after I left the stable there was a steeplechase, and hedetermined to ride. Though the groom told him she was a little strained, and was not fit for the race, he did not believe it, and on the day ofthe race urged Ginger to keep up with the foremost riders. With her highspirit, she strained herself to the utmost; she came in with the firstthree horses, but her wind was touched, besides which he was too heavyfor her, and her back was strained. "And so, " she said, "here we are, ruined in the prime of our youth and strength, you by a drunkard, and Iby a fool; it is very hard. " We both felt in ourselves that we were notwhat we had been. However, that did not spoil the pleasure we had ineach other's company; we did not gallop about as we once did, but weused to feed, and lie down together, and stand for hours under oneof the shady lime-trees with our heads close to each other; and so wepassed our time till the family returned from town. 

One day we saw the earl come into the meadow, and York was with him. Seeing who it was, we stood still under our lime-tree, and let them comeup to us. They examined us carefully. The earl seemed much annoyed. 

"There is three hundred pounds flung away for no earthly use, " said he;"but what I care most for is that these horses of my old friend, whothought they would find a good home with me, are ruined. The mare shallhave a twelve-month's run, and we shall see what that will do for her;but the black one, he must be sold; 'tis a great pity, but I could nothave knees like these in my stables. "

"No, my lord, of course not, " said York; "but he might get a place whereappearance is not of much consequence, and still be well treated. I knowa man in Bath, the master of some livery stables, who often wants agood horse at a low figure; I know he looks well after his horses. The inquest cleared the horse's character, and your lordship'srecommendation, or mine, would be sufficient warrant for him. "

"You had better write to him, York. I should be more particular aboutthe place than the money he would fetch. "

After this they left us. 

"They'll soon take you away, " said Ginger, "and I shall lose the onlyfriend I have, and most likely we shall never see each other again. 'Tisa hard world!"

About a week after this Robert came into the field with a halter, whichhe slipped over my head, and led me away. There was no leave-takingof Ginger; we neighed to each other as I was led off, and she trottedanxiously along by the hedge, calling to me as long as she could hearthe sound of my feet. 

Through the recommendation of York, I was bought by the master of thelivery stables. I had to go by train, which was new to me, and requireda good deal of courage the first time; but as I found the puffing, rushing, whistling, and, more than all, the trembling of the horse-boxin which I stood did me no real harm, I soon took it quietly. 

When I reached the end of my journey I found myself in a tolerablycomfortable stable, and well attended to. These stables were not soairy and pleasant as those I had been used to. The stalls were laid ona slope instead of being level, and as my head was kept tied to themanger, I was obliged always to stand on the slope, which was veryfatiguing. Men do not seem to know yet that horses can do more work ifthey can stand comfortably and can turn about; however, I was well fedand well cleaned, and, on the whole, I think our master took as muchcare of us as he could. He kept a good many horses and carriages ofdifferent kinds for hire. Sometimes his own men drove them; atothers, the horse and chaise were let to gentlemen or ladies who drovethemselves. 

28 A Job Horse and His Drivers

Hitherto I had always been driven by people who at least knew how todrive; but in this place I was to get my experience of all the differentkinds of bad and ignorant driving to which we horses are subjected; forI was a "job horse", and was let out to all sorts of people who wishedto hire me; and as I was good-tempered and gentle, I think I was oftenerlet out to the ignorant drivers than some of the other horses, becauseI could be depended upon. It would take a long time to tell of all thedifferent styles in which I was driven, but I will mention a few ofthem. 

First, there were the tight-rein drivers--men who seemed to think thatall depended on holding the reins as hard as they could, never relaxingthe pull on the horse's mouth, or giving him the least liberty ofmovement. They are always talking about "keeping the horse well inhand", and "holding a horse up", just as if a horse was not made to holdhimself up. 

Some poor, broken-down horses, whose mouths have been made hard andinsensible by just such drivers as these, may, perhaps, find somesupport in it; but for a horse who can depend upon his own legs, and whohas a tender mouth and is easily guided, it is not only tormenting, butit is stupid. 

Then there are the loose-rein drivers, who let the reins lie easily onour backs, and their own hand rest lazily on their knees. Of course, such gentlemen have no control over a horse, if anything happenssuddenly. If a horse shies, or starts, or stumbles, they are nowhere, and cannot help the horse or themselves till the mischief is done. Ofcourse, for myself I had no objection to it, as I was not in the habiteither of starting or stumbling, and had only been used to depend on mydriver for guidance and encouragement. Still, one likes to feel the reina little in going downhill, and likes to know that one's driver is notgone to sleep. 

Besides, a slovenly way of driving gets a horse into bad and often lazyhabits, and when he changes hands he has to be whipped out of them withmore or less pain and trouble. Squire Gordon always kept us to our bestpaces and our best manners. He said that spoiling a horse and lettinghim get into bad habits was just as cruel as spoiling a child, and bothhad to suffer for it afterward. 

Besides, these drivers are often careless altogether, and will attend toanything else more than their horses. I went out in the phaeton one daywith one of them; he had a lady and two children behind. He flopped thereins about as we started, and of course gave me several unmeaning cutswith the whip, though I was fairly off. There had been a good deal ofroad-mending going on, and even where the stones were not freshly laiddown there were a great many loose ones about. My driver was laughingand joking with the lady and the children, and talking about the countryto the right and the left; but he never thought it worth while to keepan eye on his horse or to drive on the smoothest parts of the road; andso it easily happened that I got a stone in one of my fore feet. 

Now, if Mr. Gordon or John, or in fact any good driver, had been there, he would have seen that something was wrong before I had gone threepaces. Or even if it had been dark a practiced hand would have felt bythe rein that there was something wrong in the step, and they would havegot down and picked out the stone. But this man went on laughing andtalking, while at every step the stone became more firmly wedged betweenmy shoe and the frog of my foot. The stone was sharp on the inside andround on the outside, which, as every one knows, is the most dangerouskind that a horse can pick up, at the same time cutting his foot andmaking him most liable to stumble and fall. 

Whether the man was partly blind or only very careless I can't say, buthe drove me with that stone in my foot for a good half-mile before hesaw anything. By that time I was going so lame with the pain that atlast he saw it, and called out, "Well, here's a go! Why, they have sentus out with a lame horse! What a shame!"

He then chucked the reins and flipped about with the whip, saying, "Now, then, it's no use playing the old soldier with me; there's the journeyto go, and it's no use turning lame and lazy. "

Just at this time a farmer came riding up on a brown cob. He lifted hishat and pulled up. 

"I beg your pardon, sir, " he said, "but I think there is something thematter with your horse; he goes very much as if he had a stone inhis shoe. If you will allow me I will look at his feet; these loosescattered stones are confounded dangerous things for the horses. "

"He's a hired horse, " said my driver. "I don't know what's the matterwith him, but it is a great shame to send out a lame beast like this. "

The farmer dismounted, and slipping his rein over his arm at once tookup my near foot. 

"Bless me, there's a stone! Lame! I should think so!"

At first he tried to dislodge it with his hand, but as it was nowvery tightly wedged he drew a stone-pick out of his pocket, and verycarefully and with some trouble got it out. Then holding it up he said, "There, that's the stone your horse had picked up. It is a wonder he didnot fall down and break his knees into the bargain!"

"Well, to be sure!" said my driver; "that is a queer thing! I never knewthat horses picked up stones before. "

"Didn't you?" said the farmer rather contemptuously; "but they do, though, and the best of them will do it, and can't help it sometimes onsuch roads as these. And if you don't want to lame your horse you mustlook sharp and get them out quickly. This foot is very much bruised, "he said, setting it gently down and patting me. "If I might advise, sir, you had better drive him gently for awhile; the foot is a good dealhurt, and the lameness will not go off directly. "

Then mounting his cob and raising his hat to the lady he trotted off. 

When he was gone my driver began to flop the reins about and whip theharness, by which I understood that I was to go on, which of course Idid, glad that the stone was gone, but still in a good deal of pain. 

This was the sort of experience we job horses often came in for. 

29 Cockneys

Then there is the steam-engine style of driving; these drivers weremostly people from towns, who never had a horse of their own andgenerally traveled by rail. 

They always seemed to think that a horse was something like asteam-engine, only smaller. At any rate, they think that if only theypay for it a horse is bound to go just as far and just as fast and withjust as heavy a load as they please. And be the roads heavy and muddy, or dry and good; be they stony or smooth, uphill or downhill, it is allthe same--on, on, on, one must go, at the same pace, with no relief andno consideration. 

These people never think of getting out to walk up a steep hill. Oh, no, they have paid to ride, and ride they will! The horse? Oh, he's usedto it! What were horses made for, if not to drag people uphill? Walk! Agood joke indeed! And so the whip is plied and the rein is chucked andoften a rough, scolding voice cries out, "Go along, you lazy beast!" Andthen another slash of the whip, when all the time we are doing ourvery best to get along, uncomplaining and obedient, though often sorelyharassed and down-hearted. 

This steam-engine style of driving wears us up faster than any otherkind. I would far rather go twenty miles with a good considerate driverthan I would go ten with some of these; it would take less out of me. 

Another thing, they scarcely ever put on the brake, however steep thedownhill may be, and thus bad accidents sometimes happen; or if they doput it on, they often forget to take it off at the bottom of the hill, and more than once I have had to pull halfway up the next hill, with oneof the wheels held by the brake, before my driver chose to think aboutit; and that is a terrible strain on a horse. 

Then these cockneys, instead of starting at an easy pace, as a gentlemanwould do, generally set off at full speed from the very stable-yard; andwhen they want to stop, they first whip us, and then pull up so suddenlythat we are nearly thrown on our haunches, and our mouths jagged withthe bit--they call that pulling up with a dash; and when they turn acorner they do it as sharply as if there were no right side or wrongside of the road. 

I well remember one spring evening I and Rory had been out for the day. (Rory was the horse that mostly went with me when a pair was ordered, and a good honest fellow he was. ) We had our own driver, and as he wasalways considerate and gentle with us, we had a very pleasant day. Wewere coming home at a good smart pace, about twilight. Our road turnedsharp to the left; but as we were close to the hedge on our own side, and there was plenty of room to pass, our driver did not pull us in. Aswe neared the corner I heard a horse and two wheels coming rapidly downthe hill toward us. The hedge was high, and I could see nothing, but thenext moment we were upon each other. Happily for me, I was on the sidenext the hedge. Rory was on the left side of the pole, and had not evena shaft to protect him. The man who was driving was making straight forthe corner, and when he came in sight of us he had no time to pull overto his own side. The whole shock came upon Rory. The gig shaft ran rightinto the chest, making him stagger back with a cry that I shall neverforget. The other horse was thrown upon his haunches and one shaftbroken. It turned out that it was a horse from our own stables, with thehigh-wheeled gig that the young men were so fond of. 

The driver was one of those random, ignorant fellows, who don't evenknow which is their own side of the road, or, if they know, don't care. And there was poor Rory with his flesh torn open and bleeding, and theblood streaming down. They said if it had been a little more to one sideit would have killed him; and a good thing for him, poor fellow, if ithad. 

As it was, it was a long time before the wound healed, and then he wassold for coal-carting; and what that is, up and down those steep hills, only horses know. Some of the sights I saw there, where a horse had tocome downhill with a heavily loaded two-wheel cart behind him, on whichno brake could be placed, make me sad even now to think of. 

After Rory was disabled I often went in the carriage with a mare namedPeggy, who stood in the next stall to mine. She was a strong, well-madeanimal, of a bright dun color, beautifully dappled, and with adark-brown mane and tail. There was no high breeding about her, but shewas very pretty and remarkably sweet-tempered and willing. Still, therewas an anxious look about her eye, by which I knew that she had sometrouble. The first time we went out together I thought she had a veryodd pace; she seemed to go partly a trot, partly a canter, three or fourpaces, and then a little jump forward. 

It was very unpleasant for any horse who pulled with her, and made mequite fidgety. When we got home I asked her what made her go in thatodd, awkward way. 

"Ah, " she said in a troubled manner, "I know my paces are very bad, butwhat can I do? It really is not my fault; it is just because my legs areso short. I stand nearly as high as you, but your legs are a good threeinches longer above your knee than mine, and of course you can take amuch longer step and go much faster. You see I did not make myself. I wish I could have done so; I would have had long legs then. All mytroubles come from my short legs, " said Peggy, in a desponding tone. 

"But how is it, " I said, "when you are so strong and good-tempered andwilling?"

"Why, you see, " said she, "men will go so fast, and if one can't keep upto other horses it is nothing but whip, whip, whip, all the time. And soI have had to keep up as I could, and have got into this ugly shufflingpace. It was not always so; when I lived with my first master I alwayswent a good regular trot, but then he was not in such a hurry. He was ayoung clergyman in the country, and a good, kind master he was. He hadtwo churches a good way apart, and a great deal of work, but he neverscolded or whipped me for not going faster. He was very fond of me. I only wish I was with him now; but he had to leave and go to a largetown, and then I was sold to a farmer. 

"Some farmers, you know, are capital masters; but I think this one was alow sort of man. He cared nothing about good horses or good driving; heonly cared for going fast. I went as fast as I could, but that wouldnot do, and he was always whipping; so I got into this way of making aspring forward to keep up. On market nights he used to stay very late atthe inn, and then drive home at a gallop. 

"One dark night he was galloping home as usual, when all of a sudden thewheel came against some great heavy thing in the road, and turned thegig over in a minute. He was thrown out and his arm broken, and some ofhis ribs, I think. At any rate, it was the end of my living with him, and I was not sorry. But you see it will be the same everywhere for me, if men must go so fast. I wish my legs were longer!"

Poor Peggy! I was very sorry for her, and I could not comfort her, forI knew how hard it was upon slow-paced horses to be put with fast ones;all the whipping comes to their share, and they can't help it. 

She was often used in the phaeton, and was very much liked by some ofthe ladies, because she was so gentle; and some time after this she wassold to two ladies who drove themselves, and wanted a safe, good horse. 

I met her several times out in the country, going a good steady pace, and looking as gay and contented as a horse could be. I was very glad tosee her, for she deserved a good place. 

After she left us another horse came in her stead. He was young, and hada bad name for shying and starting, by which he had lost a good place. Iasked him what made him shy. 

"Well, I hardly know, " he said. "I was timid when I was young, and was agood deal frightened several times, and if I saw anything strange Iused to turn and look at it--you see, with our blinkers one can't seeor understand what a thing is unless one looks round--and then my masteralways gave me a whipping, which of course made me start on, and did notmake me less afraid. I think if he would have let me just look at thingsquietly, and see that there was nothing to hurt me, it would have beenall right, and I should have got used to them. One day an old gentlemanwas riding with him, and a large piece of white paper or rag blew acrossjust on one side of me. I shied and started forward. My master as usualwhipped me smartly, but the old man cried out, 'You're wrong! you'rewrong! You should never whip a horse for shying; he shies because he isfrightened, and you only frighten him more and make the habit worse. 'So I suppose all men don't do so. I am sure I don't want to shy for thesake of it; but how should one know what is dangerous and what is not, if one is never allowed to get used to anything? I am never afraid ofwhat I know. Now I was brought up in a park where there were deer; ofcourse I knew them as well as I did a sheep or a cow, but they are notcommon, and I know many sensible horses who are frightened at them, andwho kick up quite a shindy before they will pass a paddock where thereare deer. "

I knew what my companion said was true, and I wished that every younghorse had as good masters as Farmer Grey and Squire Gordon. 

Of course we sometimes came in for good driving here. I remember onemorning I was put into the light gig, and taken to a house in PulteneyStreet. Two gentlemen came out; the taller of them came round to myhead; he looked at the bit and bridle, and just shifted the collar withhis hand, to see if it fitted comfortably. 

"Do you consider this horse wants a curb?" he said to the hostler. 

"Well, " said the man, "I should say he would go just as well without;he has an uncommon good mouth, and though he has a fine spirit he has novice; but we generally find people like the curb. "

"I don't like it, " said the gentleman; "be so good as to take it off, and put the rein in at the cheek. An easy mouth is a great thing on along journey, is it not, old fellow?" he said, patting my neck. 

Then he took the reins, and they both got up. I can remember now howquietly he turned me round, and then with a light feel of the rein, anddrawing the whip gently across my back, we were off. 

I arched my neck and set off at my best pace. I found I had some onebehind me who knew how a good horse ought to be driven. It seemed likeold times again, and made me feel quite gay. 

This gentleman took a great liking to me, and after trying me severaltimes with the saddle he prevailed upon my master to sell me to a friendof his, who wanted a safe, pleasant horse for riding. And so it came topass that in the summer I was sold to Mr. Barry. 

30 A Thief

My new master was an unmarried man. He lived at Bath, and was muchengaged in business. His doctor advised him to take horse exercise, andfor this purpose he bought me. He hired a stable a short distance fromhis lodgings, and engaged a man named Filcher as groom. My master knewvery little about horses, but he treated me well, and I should have hada good and easy place but for circumstances of which he was ignorant. Heordered the best hay with plenty of oats, crushed beans, and bran, with vetches, or rye grass, as the man might think needful. I heard themaster give the order, so I knew there was plenty of good food, and Ithought I was well off. 

For a few days all went on well. I found that my groom understoodhis business. He kept the stable clean and airy, and he groomed methoroughly; and was never otherwise than gentle. He had been an hostlerin one of the great hotels in Bath. He had given that up, and nowcultivated fruit and vegetables for the market, and his wife bred andfattened poultry and rabbits for sale. After awhile it seemed to me thatmy oats came very short; I had the beans, but bran was mixed with theminstead of oats, of which there were very few; certainly not more than aquarter of what there should have been. In two or three weeks this beganto tell upon my strength and spirits. The grass food, though very good, was not the thing to keep up my condition without corn. However, Icould not complain, nor make known my wants. So it went on for about twomonths; and I wondered that my master did not see that something wasthe matter. However, one afternoon he rode out into the country to see afriend of his, a gentleman farmer, who lived on the road to Wells. 

This gentleman had a very quick eye for horses; and after he hadwelcomed his friend he said, casting his eye over me:

"It seems to me, Barry, that your horse does not look so well as he didwhen you first had him; has he been well?"

"Yes, I believe so, " said my master; "but he is not nearly so lively ashe was; my groom tells me that horses are always dull and weak in theautumn, and that I must expect it. "

"Autumn, fiddlesticks!" said the farmer. "Why, this is only August; andwith your light work and good food he ought not to go down like this, even if it was autumn. How do you feed him?"

My master told him. The other shook his head slowly, and began to feelme over. 

"I can't say who eats your corn, my dear fellow, but I am much mistakenif your horse gets it. Have you ridden very fast?"

"No, very gently. "

"Then just put your hand here, " said he, passing his hand over my neckand shoulder; "he is as warm and damp as a horse just come up fromgrass. I advise you to look into your stable a little more. I hate to besuspicious, and, thank heaven, I have no cause to be, for I can trust mymen, present or absent; but there are mean scoundrels, wicked enough torob a dumb beast of his food. You must look into it. " And turning tohis man, who had come to take me, "Give this horse a right good feed ofbruised oats, and don't stint him. "

"Dumb beasts!" Yes, we are; but if I could have spoken I could have toldmy master where his oats went to. My groom used to come every morningabout six o'clock, and with him a little boy, who always had a coveredbasket with him. He used to go with his father into the harness-room, where the corn was kept, and I could see them, when the door stood ajar, fill a little bag with oats out of the bin, and then he used to be off. 

Five or six mornings after this, just as the boy had left the stable, the door was pushed open, and a policeman walked in, holding the childtight by the arm; another policeman followed, and locked the door on theinside, saying, "Show me the place where your father keeps his rabbits'food. "

The boy looked very frightened and began to cry; but there was noescape, and he led the way to the corn-bin. Here the policeman foundanother empty bag like that which was found full of oats in the boy'sbasket. 

Filcher was cleaning my feet at the time, but they soon saw him, andthough he blustered a good deal they walked him off to the "lock-up", and his boy with him. I heard afterward that the boy was not held to beguilty, but the man was sentenced to prison for two months. 

31 A Humbug

My master was not immediately suited, but in a few days my new groomcame. He was a tall, good-looking fellow enough; but if ever there wasa humbug in the shape of a groom Alfred Smirk was the man. He was verycivil to me, and never used me ill; in fact, he did a great deal ofstroking and patting when his master was there to see it. He alwaysbrushed my mane and tail with water and my hoofs with oil before hebrought me to the door, to make me look smart; but as to cleaning myfeet or looking to my shoes, or grooming me thoroughly, he thought nomore of that than if I had been a cow. He left my bit rusty, my saddledamp, and my crupper stiff. 

Alfred Smirk considered himself very handsome; he spent a great deal oftime about his hair, whiskers and necktie, before a little looking-glassin the harness-room. When his master was speaking to him it was always, "Yes, sir; yes, sir"--touching his hat at every word; and every onethought he was a very nice young man and that Mr. Barry was veryfortunate to meet with him. I should say he was the laziest, mostconceited fellow I ever came near. Of course, it was a great thing notto be ill-used, but then a horse wants more than that. I had a loosebox, and might have been very comfortable if he had not been tooindolent to clean it out. He never took all the straw away, and thesmell from what lay underneath was very bad; while the strong vaporsthat rose made my eyes smart and inflame, and I did not feel the sameappetite for my food. 

One day his master came in and said, "Alfred, the stable smells ratherstrong; should not you give that stall a good scrub and throw downplenty of water?"

"Well, sir, " he said, touching his cap, "I'll do so if you please, sir;but it is rather dangerous, sir, throwing down water in a horse's box;they are very apt to take cold, sir. I should not like to do him aninjury, but I'll do it if you please, sir. "

"Well, " said his master, "I should not like him to take cold; but Idon't like the smell of this stable. Do you think the drains are allright?"

"Well, sir, now you mention it, I think the drain does sometimes sendback a smell; there may be something wrong, sir. "

"Then send for the bricklayer and have it seen to, " said his master. 

"Yes, sir, I will. "

The bricklayer came and pulled up a great many bricks, but found nothingamiss; so he put down some lime and charged the master five shillings, and the smell in my box was as bad as ever. But that was not all:standing as I did on a quantity of moist straw my feet grew unhealthyand tender, and the master used to say:

"I don't know what is the matter with this horse; he goes veryfumble-footed. I am sometimes afraid he will stumble. "

"Yes, sir, " said Alfred, "I have noticed the same myself, when I haveexercised him. "

Now the fact was that he hardly ever did exercise me, and when themaster was busy I often stood for days together without stretching mylegs at all, and yet being fed just as high as if I were at hard work. This often disordered my health, and made me sometimes heavy and dull, but more often restless and feverish. He never even gave me a mealof green food or a bran mash, which would have cooled me, for hewas altogether as ignorant as he was conceited; and then, instead ofexercise or change of food, I had to take horse balls and draughts;which, beside the nuisance of having them poured down my throat, used tomake me feel ill and uncomfortable. 

One day my feet were so tender that, trotting over some fresh stoneswith my master on my back, I made two such serious stumbles that, as hecame down Lansdown into the city, he stopped at the farrier's, and askedhim to see what was the matter with me. The man took up my feet oneby one and examined them; then standing up and dusting his hands oneagainst the other, he said:

"Your horse has got the 'thrush', and badly, too; his feet are verytender; it is fortunate that he has not been down. I wonder your groomhas not seen to it before. This is the sort of thing we find in foulstables, where the litter is never properly cleaned out. If you willsend him here to-morrow I will attend to the hoof, and I will directyour man how to apply the liniment which I will give him. "

The next day I had my feet thoroughly cleansed and stuffed with towsoaked in some strong lotion; and an unpleasant business it was. 

The farrier ordered all the litter to be taken out of my box day by day, and the floor kept very clean. Then I was to have bran mashes, a littlegreen food, and not so much corn, till my feet were well again. Withthis treatment I soon regained my spirits; but Mr. Barry was so muchdisgusted at being twice deceived by his grooms that he determined togive up keeping a horse, and to hire when he wanted one. I was thereforekept till my feet were quite sound, and was then sold again. 

Part III

32 A Horse Fair

No doubt a horse fair is a very amusing place to those who have nothingto lose; at any rate, there is plenty to see. 

Long strings of young horses out of the country, fresh from the marshes;and droves of shaggy little Welsh ponies, no higher than Merrylegs; andhundreds of cart horses of all sorts, some of them with their long tailsbraided up and tied with scarlet cord; and a good many like myself, handsome and high-bred, but fallen into the middle class, through someaccident or blemish, unsoundness of wind, or some other complaint. Therewere some splendid animals quite in their prime, and fit for anything;they were throwing out their legs and showing off their paces in highstyle, as they were trotted out with a leading rein, the groom runningby the side. But round in the background there were a number of poorthings, sadly broken down with hard work, with their knees knucklingover and their hind legs swinging out at every step, and there were somevery dejected-looking old horses, with the under lip hanging down andthe ears lying back heavily, as if there were no more pleasure in life, and no more hope; there were some so thin you might see all their ribs, and some with old sores on their backs and hips. These were sad sightsfor a horse to look upon, who knows not but he may come to the samestate. 

There was a great deal of bargaining, of running up and beating down;and if a horse may speak his mind so far as he understands, I should saythere were more lies told and more trickery at that horse fair than aclever man could give an account of. I was put with two or three otherstrong, useful-looking horses, and a good many people came to look atus. The gentlemen always turned from me when they saw my broken knees;though the man who had me swore it was only a slip in the stall. 

The first thing was to pull my mouth open, then to look at my eyes, thenfeel all the way down my legs, and give me a hard feel of the skin andflesh, and then try my paces. It was wonderful what a difference therewas in the way these things were done. Some did it in a rough, offhandway, as if one was only a piece of wood; while others would take theirhands gently over one's body, with a pat now and then, as much as tosay, "By your leave. " Of course I judged a good deal of the buyers bytheir manners to myself. 

There was one man, I thought, if he would buy me, I should be happy. He was not a gentleman, nor yet one of the loud, flashy sort that callthemselves so. He was rather a small man, but well made, and quick inall his motions. I knew in a moment by the way he handled me, that hewas used to horses; he spoke gently, and his gray eye had a kindly, cheery look in it. It may seem strange to say--but it is true all thesame--that the clean, fresh smell there was about him made me take tohim; no smell of old beer and tobacco, which I hated, but a fresh smellas if he had come out of a hayloft. He offered twenty-three pounds forme, but that was refused, and he walked away. I looked after him, buthe was gone, and a very hard-looking, loud-voiced man came. I wasdreadfully afraid he would have me; but he walked off. One or two morecame who did not mean business. Then the hard-faced man came back againand offered twenty-three pounds. A very close bargain was being driven, for my salesman began to think he should not get all he asked, and mustcome down; but just then the gray-eyed man came back again. I could nothelp reaching out my head toward him. He stroked my face kindly. 

"Well, old chap, " he said, "I think we should suit each other. I'll givetwenty-four for him. "

"Say twenty-five and you shall have him. "

"Twenty-four ten, " said my friend, in a very decided tone, "and notanother sixpence--yes or no?"

"Done, " said the salesman; "and you may depend upon it there's amonstrous deal of quality in that horse, and if you want him for cabwork he's a bargain. "

The money was paid on the spot, and my new master took my halter, andled me out of the fair to an inn, where he had a saddle and bridleready. He gave me a good feed of oats and stood by while I ate it, talking to himself and talking to me. Half an hour after we were on ourway to London, through pleasant lanes and country roads, until we cameinto the great London thoroughfare, on which we traveled steadily, tillin the twilight we reached the great city. The gas lamps were alreadylighted; there were streets to the right, and streets to the left, andstreets crossing each other, for mile upon mile. I thought we shouldnever come to the end of them. At last, in passing through one, wecame to a long cab stand, when my rider called out in a cheery voice, "Good-night, governor!"

"Halloo!" cried a voice. "Have you got a good one?"

"I think so, " replied my owner. 

"I wish you luck with him. "

"Thank you, governor, " and he rode on. We soon turned up one of the sidestreets, and about halfway up that we turned into a very narrow street, with rather poor-looking houses on one side, and what seemed to becoach-houses and stables on the other. 

My owner pulled up at one of the houses and whistled. The door flewopen, and a young woman, followed by a little girl and boy, ran out. There was a very lively greeting as my rider dismounted. 

"Now, then, Harry, my boy, open the gates, and mother will bring us thelantern. "

The next minute they were all standing round me in a small stable-yard. 

"Is he gentle, father?"

"Yes, Dolly, as gentle as your own kitten; come and pat him. "

At once the little hand was patting about all over my shoulder withoutfear. How good it felt!

"Let me get him a bran mash while you rub him down, " said the mother. 

"Do, Polly, it's just what he wants; and I know you've got a beautifulmash ready for me. "

"Sausage dumpling and apple turnover!" shouted the boy, which set themall laughing. I was led into a comfortable, clean-smelling stall, withplenty of dry straw, and after a capital supper I lay down, thinking Iwas going to be happy. 

33 A London Cab Horse

Jeremiah Barker was my new master's name, but as every one called himJerry, I shall do the same. Polly, his wife, was just as good a match asa man could have. She was a plump, trim, tidy little woman, with smooth, dark hair, dark eyes, and a merry little mouth. The boy was twelve yearsold, a tall, frank, good-tempered lad; and little Dorothy (Dolly theycalled her) was her mother over again, at eight years old. They were allwonderfully fond of each other; I never knew such a happy, merry familybefore or since. Jerry had a cab of his own, and two horses, which hedrove and attended to himself. His other horse was a tall, white, ratherlarge-boned animal called "Captain". He was old now, but when he wasyoung he must have been splendid; he had still a proud way ofholding his head and arching his neck; in fact, he was a high-bred, fine-mannered, noble old horse, every inch of him. He told me that inhis early youth he went to the Crimean War; he belonged to an officerin the cavalry, and used to lead the regiment. I will tell more of thathereafter. 

The next morning, when I was well-groomed, Polly and Dolly came into theyard to see me and make friends. Harry had been helping his father sincethe early morning, and had stated his opinion that I should turn out a"regular brick". Polly brought me a slice of apple, and Dolly a pieceof bread, and made as much of me as if I had been the "Black Beauty" ofolden time. It was a great treat to be petted again and talked to in agentle voice, and I let them see as well as I could that I wished to befriendly. Polly thought I was very handsome, and a great deal too goodfor a cab, if it was not for the broken knees. 

"Of course there's no one to tell us whose fault that was, " said Jerry, "and as long as I don't know I shall give him the benefit of the doubt;for a firmer, neater stepper I never rode. We'll call him 'Jack', afterthe old one--shall we, Polly?"

"Do, " she said, "for I like to keep a good name going. "

Captain went out in the cab all the morning. Harry came in after schoolto feed me and give me water. In the afternoon I was put into thecab. Jerry took as much pains to see if the collar and bridle fittedcomfortably as if he had been John Manly over again. When the crupperwas let out a hole or two it all fitted well. There was no check-rein, no curb, nothing but a plain ring snaffle. What a blessing that was!

After driving through the side street we came to the large cab standwhere Jerry had said "Good-night". On one side of this wide street werehigh houses with wonderful shop fronts, and on the other was an oldchurch and churchyard, surrounded by iron palisades. Alongside theseiron rails a number of cabs were drawn up, waiting for passengers; bitsof hay were lying about on the ground; some of the men were standingtogether talking; some were sitting on their boxes reading thenewspaper; and one or two were feeding their horses with bits of hay, and giving them a drink of water. We pulled up in the rank at the backof the last cab. Two or three men came round and began to look at me andpass their remarks. 

"Very good for a funeral, " said one. 

"Too smart-looking, " said another, shaking his head in a very wise way;"you'll find out something wrong one of these fine mornings, or my nameisn't Jones. "

"Well, " said Jerry pleasantly, "I suppose I need not find it out till itfinds me out, eh? And if so, I'll keep up my spirits a little longer. "

Then there came up a broad-faced man, dressed in a great gray coatwith great gray cape and great white buttons, a gray hat, and a bluecomforter loosely tied round his neck; his hair was gray, too; buthe was a jolly-looking fellow, and the other men made way for him. He looked me all over, as if he had been going to buy me; and thenstraightening himself up with a grunt, he said, "He's the right sort foryou, Jerry; I don't care what you gave for him, he'll be worth it. " Thusmy character was established on the stand. 

This man's name was Grant, but he was called "Gray Grant", or "GovernorGrant". He had been the longest on that stand of any of the men, andhe took it upon himself to settle matters and stop disputes. He wasgenerally a good-humored, sensible man; but if his temper was a littleout, as it was sometimes when he had drunk too much, nobody liked tocome too near his fist, for he could deal a very heavy blow. 

The first week of my life as a cab horse was very trying. I had neverbeen used to London, and the noise, the hurry, the crowds of horses, carts, and carriages that I had to make my way through made me feelanxious and harassed; but I soon found that I could perfectly trust mydriver, and then I made myself easy and got used to it. 

Jerry was as good a driver as I had ever known, and what was better, hetook as much thought for his horses as he did for himself. He soon foundout that I was willing to work and do my best, and he never laid thewhip on me unless it was gently drawing the end of it over my back whenI was to go on; but generally I knew this quite well by the way in whichhe took up the reins, and I believe his whip was more frequently stuckup by his side than in his hand. 

In a short time I and my master understood each other as well as horseand man can do. In the stable, too, he did all that he could for ourcomfort. The stalls were the old-fashioned style, too much on the slope;but he had two movable bars fixed across the back of our stalls, so thatat night, and when we were resting, he just took off our halters andput up the bars, and thus we could turn about and stand whichever way wepleased, which is a great comfort. 

Jerry kept us very clean, and gave us as much change of food as hecould, and always plenty of it; and not only that, but he always gave usplenty of clean fresh water, which he allowed to stand by us both nightand day, except of course when we came in warm. Some people say that ahorse ought not to drink all he likes; but I know if we are allowed todrink when we want it we drink only a little at a time, and it does usa great deal more good than swallowing down half a bucketful at a time, because we have been left without till we are thirsty and miserable. Some grooms will go home to their beer and leave us for hours with ourdry hay and oats and nothing to moisten them; then of course we gulpdown too much at once, which helps to spoil our breathing and sometimeschills our stomachs. But the best thing we had here was our Sundays forrest; we worked so hard in the week that I do not think we could havekept up to it but for that day; besides, we had then time to enjoy eachother's company. It was on these days that I learned my companion'shistory. 

34 An Old War Horse

Captain had been broken in and trained for an army horse; his firstowner was an officer of cavalry going out to the Crimean war. He said hequite enjoyed the training with all the other horses, trotting together, turning together, to the right hand or the left, halting at the word ofcommand, or dashing forward at full speed at the sound of the trumpetor signal of the officer. He was, when young, a dark, dappled iron-gray, and considered very handsome. His master, a young, high-spiritedgentleman, was very fond of him, and treated him from the first with thegreatest care and kindness. He told me he thought the life of an armyhorse was very pleasant; but when it came to being sent abroad over thesea in a great ship, he almost changed his mind. 

"That part of it, " said he, "was dreadful! Of course we could not walkoff the land into the ship; so they were obliged to put strong strapsunder our bodies, and then we were lifted off our legs in spite of ourstruggles, and were swung through the air over the water, to the deck ofthe great vessel. There we were placed in small close stalls, and neverfor a long time saw the sky, or were able to stretch our legs. The shipsometimes rolled about in high winds, and we were knocked about, andfelt bad enough. 

"However, at last it came to an end, and we were hauled up, and swungover again to the land; we were very glad, and snorted and neighed forjoy, when we once more felt firm ground under our feet. 

"We soon found that the country we had come to was very different fromour own and that we had many hardships to endure besides the fighting;but many of the men were so fond of their horses that they dideverything they could to make them comfortable in spite of snow, wet, and all things out of order. "

"But what about the fighting?" said I, "was not that worse than anythingelse?"

"Well, " said he, "I hardly know; we always liked to hear the trumpetsound, and to be called out, and were impatient to start off, thoughsometimes we had to stand for hours, waiting for the word of command;and when the word was given we used to spring forward as gayly andeagerly as if there were no cannon balls, bayonets, or bullets. Ibelieve so long as we felt our rider firm in the saddle, and his handsteady on the bridle, not one of us gave way to fear, not even when theterrible bomb-shells whirled through the air and burst into a thousandpieces. 

"I, with my noble master, went into many actions together without awound; and though I saw horses shot down with bullets, pierced throughwith lances, and gashed with fearful saber-cuts; though we left themdead on the field, or dying in the agony of their wounds, I don't thinkI feared for myself. My master's cheery voice, as he encouraged hismen, made me feel as if he and I could not be killed. I had such perfecttrust in him that while he was guiding me I was ready to charge upto the very cannon's mouth. I saw many brave men cut down, many fallmortally wounded from their saddles. I had heard the cries and groansof the dying, I had cantered over ground slippery with blood, andfrequently had to turn aside to avoid trampling on wounded man or horse, but, until one dreadful day, I had never felt terror; that day I shallnever forget. "

Here old Captain paused for awhile and drew a long breath; I waited, andhe went on. 

"It was one autumn morning, and as usual, an hour before daybreak ourcavalry had turned out, ready caparisoned for the day's work, whetherit might be fighting or waiting. The men stood by their horses waiting, ready for orders. As the light increased there seemed to be someexcitement among the officers; and before the day was well begun weheard the firing of the enemy's guns. 

"Then one of the officers rode up and gave the word for the men tomount, and in a second every man was in his saddle, and every horsestood expecting the touch of the rein, or the pressure of his rider'sheels, all animated, all eager; but still we had been trained so wellthat, except by the champing of our bits, and the restive tossing of ourheads from time to time, it could not be said that we stirred. 

"My dear master and I were at the head of the line, and as all satmotionless and watchful, he took a little stray lock of my mane whichhad turned over on the wrong side, laid it over on the right, andsmoothed it down with his hand; then patting my neck, he said, 'We shallhave a day of it to-day, Bayard, my beauty; but we'll do our duty as wehave done. ' He stroked my neck that morning more, I think, than he hadever done before; quietly on and on, as if he were thinking of somethingelse. I loved to feel his hand on my neck, and arched my crest proudlyand happily; but I stood very still, for I knew all his moods, and whenhe liked me to be quiet, and when gay. 

"I cannot tell all that happened on that day, but I will tell of thelast charge that we made together; it was across a valley right in frontof the enemy's cannon. By this time we were well used to the roar ofheavy guns, the rattle of musket fire, and the flying of shot near us;but never had I been under such a fire as we rode through on that day. From the right, from the left, and from the front, shot and shell pouredin upon us. Many a brave man went down, many a horse fell, flinging hisrider to the earth; many a horse without a rider ran wildly out of theranks; then terrified at being alone, with no hand to guide him, camepressing in among his old companions, to gallop with them to the charge. 

"Fearful as it was, no one stopped, no one turned back. Every moment theranks were thinned, but as our comrades fell, we closed in to keepthem together; and instead of being shaken or staggered in our pace ourgallop became faster and faster as we neared the cannon. 

"My master, my dear master was cheering on his comrades with his rightarm raised on high, when one of the balls whizzing close to my headstruck him. I felt him stagger with the shock, though he uttered no cry;I tried to check my speed, but the sword dropped from his right hand, the rein fell loose from the left, and sinking backward from the saddlehe fell to the earth; the other riders swept past us, and by the forceof their charge I was driven from the spot. 

"I wanted to keep my place by his side and not leave him under thatrush of horses' feet, but it was in vain; and now without a master or afriend I was alone on that great slaughter ground; then fear took holdon me, and I trembled as I had never trembled before; and I too, as Ihad seen other horses do, tried to join in the ranks and gallop withthem; but I was beaten off by the swords of the soldiers. Just then asoldier whose horse had been killed under him caught at my bridle andmounted me, and with this new master I was again going forward; but ourgallant company was cruelly overpowered, and those who remained aliveafter the fierce fight for the guns came galloping back over the sameground. Some of the horses had been so badly wounded that they couldscarcely move from the loss of blood; other noble creatures were tryingon three legs to drag themselves along, and others were struggling torise on their fore feet, when their hind legs had been shattered byshot. After the battle the wounded men were brought in and the dead wereburied. "

"And what about the wounded horses?" I said; "were they left to die?"

"No, the army farriers went over the field with their pistols and shotall that were ruined; some that had only slight wounds were brought backand attended to, but the greater part of the noble, willing creaturesthat went out that morning never came back! In our stables there wasonly about one in four that returned. 

"I never saw my dear master again. I believe he fell dead from thesaddle. I never loved any other master so well. I went into many otherengagements, but was only once wounded, and then not seriously; and whenthe war was over I came back again to England, as sound and strong aswhen I went out. "

I said, "I have heard people talk about war as if it was a very finething. "

"Ah!" said he, "I should think they never saw it. No doubt it is veryfine when there is no enemy, when it is just exercise and parade andsham fight. Yes, it is very fine then; but when thousands of good bravemen and horses are killed or crippled for life, it has a very differentlook. "

"Do you know what they fought about?" said I. 

"No, " he said, "that is more than a horse can understand, but the enemymust have been awfully wicked people, if it was right to go all that wayover the sea on purpose to kill them. "

35 Jerry Barker

I never knew a better man than my new master. He was kind and good, andas strong for the right as John Manly; and so good-tempered and merrythat very few people could pick a quarrel with him. He was very fond ofmaking little songs, and singing them to himself. One he was very fondof was this:

 "Come, father and mother, And sister and brother, Come, all of you, turn to And help one another. "

And so they did; Harry was as clever at stable-work as a much older boy, and always wanted to do what he could. Then Polly and Dolly used to comein the morning to help with the cab--to brush and beat the cushions, and rub the glass, while Jerry was giving us a cleaning in the yard, andHarry was rubbing the harness. There used to be a great deal of laughingand fun between them, and it put Captain and me in much better spiritsthan if we had heard scolding and hard words. They were always early inthe morning, for Jerry would say:

 "If you in the morning Throw minutes away, You can't pick them up In the course of a day. You may hurry and scurry, And flurry and worry, You've lost them forever, Forever and aye. "

He could not bear any careless loitering and waste of time; and nothingwas so near making him angry as to find people, who were always late, wanting a cab horse to be driven hard, to make up for their idleness. 

One day two wild-looking young men came out of a tavern close by thestand, and called Jerry. 

"Here, cabby! look sharp, we are rather late; put on the steam, willyou, and take us to the Victoria in time for the one o'clock train? Youshall have a shilling extra. "

"I will take you at the regular pace, gentlemen; shillings don't pay forputting on the steam like that. "

Larry's cab was standing next to ours; he flung open the door, and said, "I'm your man, gentlemen! take my cab, my horse will get you there allright;" and as he shut them in, with a wink toward Jerry, said, "It'sagainst his conscience to go beyond a jog-trot. " Then slashing his jadedhorse, he set off as hard as he could. Jerry patted me on the neck: "No, Jack, a shilling would not pay for that sort of thing, would it, oldboy?"

Although Jerry was determinedly set against hard driving, to pleasecareless people, he always went a good fair pace, and was not againstputting on the steam, as he said, if only he knew why. 

I well remember one morning, as we were on the stand waiting for afare, that a young man, carrying a heavy portmanteau, trod on a piece oforange peel which lay on the pavement, and fell down with great force. 

Jerry was the first to run and lift him up. He seemed much stunned, andas they led him into a shop he walked as if he were in great pain. Jerryof course came back to the stand, but in about ten minutes one of theshopmen called him, so we drew up to the pavement. 

"Can you take me to the South-Eastern Railway?" said the young man;"this unlucky fall has made me late, I fear; but it is of greatimportance that I should not lose the twelve o'clock train. I should bemost thankful if you could get me there in time, and will gladly pay youan extra fare. "

"I'll do my very best, " said Jerry heartily, "if you think you are wellenough, sir, " for he looked dreadfully white and ill. 

"I must go, " he said earnestly, "please to open the door, and let uslose no time. "

The next minute Jerry was on the box; with a cheery chirrup to me, and atwitch of the rein that I well understood. 

"Now then, Jack, my boy, " said he, "spin along, we'll show them how wecan get over the ground, if we only know why. "

It is always difficult to drive fast in the city in the middle of theday, when the streets are full of traffic, but we did what could bedone; and when a good driver and a good horse, who understand eachother, are of one mind, it is wonderful what they can do. I had a verygood mouth--that is I could be guided by the slightest touch of therein; and that is a great thing in London, among carriages, omnibuses, carts, vans, trucks, cabs, and great wagons creeping along at a walkingpace; some going one way, some another, some going slowly, otherswanting to pass them; omnibuses stopping short every few minutes to takeup a passenger, obliging the horse that is coming behind to pull up too, or to pass, and get before them; perhaps you try to pass, but just thensomething else comes dashing in through the narrow opening, and youhave to keep in behind the omnibus again; presently you think you see achance, and manage to get to the front, going so near the wheels on eachside that half an inch nearer and they would scrape. Well, you get alongfor a bit, but soon find yourself in a long train of carts and carriagesall obliged to go at a walk; perhaps you come to a regular block-up, andhave to stand still for minutes together, till something clears out intoa side street, or the policeman interferes; you have to be ready forany chance--to dash forward if there be an opening, and be quick as arat-dog to see if there be room and if there be time, lest you get yourown wheels locked or smashed, or the shaft of some other vehicle runinto your chest or shoulder. All this is what you have to be ready for. If you want to get through London fast in the middle of the day it wantsa deal of practice. 

Jerry and I were used to it, and no one could beat us at getting throughwhen we were set upon it. I was quick and bold and could always trustmy driver; Jerry was quick and patient at the same time, and could trusthis horse, which was a great thing too. He very seldom used the whip; Iknew by his voice, and his click, click, when he wanted to get on fast, and by the rein where I was to go; so there was no need for whipping;but I must go back to my story. 

The streets were very full that day, but we got on pretty well as faras the bottom of Cheapside, where there was a block for three or fourminutes. The young man put his head out and said anxiously, "I think Ihad better get out and walk; I shall never get there if this goes on. "

"I'll do all that can be done, sir, " said Jerry; "I think we shall bein time. This block-up cannot last much longer, and your luggage is veryheavy for you to carry, sir. "

Just then the cart in front of us began to move on, and then we had agood turn. In and out, in and out we went, as fast as horseflesh coulddo it, and for a wonder had a good clear time on London Bridge, forthere was a whole train of cabs and carriages all going our way at aquick trot, perhaps wanting to catch that very train. At any rate, wewhirled into the station with many more, just as the great clock pointedto eight minutes to twelve o'clock. 

"Thank God! we are in time, " said the young man, "and thank you, too, myfriend, and your good horse. You have saved me more than money can everpay for. Take this extra half-crown. "

"No, sir, no, thank you all the same; so glad we hit the time, sir;but don't stay now, sir, the bell is ringing. Here, porter! take thisgentleman's luggage--Dover line twelve o'clock train--that's it, " andwithout waiting for another word Jerry wheeled me round to make room forother cabs that were dashing up at the last minute, and drew up on oneside till the crush was past. 

"'So glad!' he said, 'so glad!' Poor young fellow! I wonder what it wasthat made him so anxious!"

Jerry often talked to himself quite loud enough for me to hear when wewere not moving. 

On Jerry's return to the rank there was a good deal of laughing andchaffing at him for driving hard to the train for an extra fare, as theysaid, all against his principles, and they wanted to know how much hehad pocketed. 

"A good deal more than I generally get, " said he, nodding slyly; "whathe gave me will keep me in little comforts for several days. "

"Gammon!" said one. 

"He's a humbug, " said another; "preaching to us and then doing the samehimself. "

"Look here, mates, " said Jerry; "the gentleman offered me half a crownextra, but I didn't take it; 'twas quite pay enough for me to see howglad he was to catch that train; and if Jack and I choose to have aquick run now and then to please ourselves, that's our business and notyours. "

"Well, " said Larry, "you'll never be a rich man. "

"Most likely not, " said Jerry; "but I don't know that I shall be theless happy for that. I have heard the commandments read a great manytimes and I never noticed that any of them said, 'Thou shalt be rich';and there are a good many curious things said in the New Testament aboutrich men that I think would make me feel rather queer if I was one ofthem. "

"If you ever do get rich, " said Governor Gray, looking over his shoulderacross the top of his cab, "you'll deserve it, Jerry, and you won't finda curse come with your wealth. As for you, Larry, you'll die poor; youspend too much in whipcord. "

"Well, " said Larry, "what is a fellow to do if his horse won't gowithout it?"

"You never take the trouble to see if he will go without it; your whipis always going as if you had the St. Vitus' dance in your arm, andif it does not wear you out it wears your horse out; you know you arealways changing your horses; and why? Because you never give them anypeace or encouragement. "

"Well, I have not had good luck, " said Larry, "that's where it is. "

"And you never will, " said the governor. "Good Luck is rather particularwho she rides with, and mostly prefers those who have got common senseand a good heart; at least that is my experience. "

Governor Gray turned round again to his newspaper, and the other menwent to their cabs. 

36 The Sunday Cab

One morning, as Jerry had just put me into the shafts and was fasteningthe traces, a gentleman walked into the yard. "Your servant, sir, " saidJerry. 

"Good-morning, Mr. Barker, " said the gentleman. "I should be glad tomake some arrangements with you for taking Mrs. Briggs regularly tochurch on Sunday mornings. We go to the New Church now, and that israther further than she can walk. "

"Thank you, sir, " said Jerry, "but I have only taken out a six-days'license, * and therefore I could not take a fare on a Sunday; it wouldnot be legal. "

* A few years since the annual charge for a cab license was very muchreduced, and the difference between the six and seven days' cabs wasabolished. 

"Oh!" said the other, "I did not know yours was a six-days' cab; but ofcourse it would be very easy to alter your license. I would see that youdid not lose by it; the fact is, Mrs. Briggs very much prefers you todrive her. "

"I should be glad to oblige the lady, sir, but I had a seven-days'license once, and the work was too hard for me, and too hard for myhorses. Year in and year out, not a day's rest, and never a Sunday withmy wife and children; and never able to go to a place of worship, whichI had always been used to do before I took to the driving box. So forthe last five years I have only taken a six-days' license, and I find itbetter all the way round. "

"Well, of course, " replied Mr. Briggs, "it is very proper that everyperson should have rest, and be able to go to church on Sundays, but Ishould have thought you would not have minded such a short distance forthe horse, and only once a day; you would have all the afternoon andevening for yourself, and we are very good customers, you know. "

"Yes, sir, that is true, and I am grateful for all favors, I am sure;and anything that I could do to oblige you, or the lady, I should beproud and happy to do; but I can't give up my Sundays, sir, indeed Ican't. I read that God made man, and he made horses and all the otherbeasts, and as soon as He had made them He made a day of rest, and badethat all should rest one day in seven; and I think, sir, He must haveknown what was good for them, and I am sure it is good for me; I amstronger and healthier altogether, now that I have a day of rest; thehorses are fresh too, and do not wear up nearly so fast. The six-daydrivers all tell me the same, and I have laid by more money in thesavings bank than ever I did before; and as for the wife and children, sir, why, heart alive! they would not go back to the seven days for allthey could see. "

"Oh, very well, " said the gentleman. "Don't trouble yourself, Mr. Barker, any further. I will inquire somewhere else, " and he walked away. 

"Well, " says Jerry to me, "we can't help it, Jack, old boy; we must haveour Sundays. "

"Polly!" he shouted, "Polly! come here. "

She was there in a minute. 

"What is it all about, Jerry?"

"Why, my dear, Mr. Briggs wants me to take Mrs. Briggs to church everySunday morning. I say I have only a six-days' license. He says, 'Get aseven-days' license, and I'll make it worth your while;' and you know, Polly, they are very good customers to us. Mrs. Briggs often goes outshopping for hours, or making calls, and then she pays down fair andhonorable like a lady; there's no beating down or making three hoursinto two hours and a half, as some folks do; and it is easy work forthe horses; not like tearing along to catch trains for people that arealways a quarter of an hour too late; and if I don't oblige her in thismatter it is very likely we shall lose them altogether. What do you say, little woman?"

"I say, Jerry, " says she, speaking very slowly, "I say, if Mrs. Briggswould give you a sovereign every Sunday morning, I would not have you aseven-days' cabman again. We have known what it was to have no Sundays, and now we know what it is to call them our own. Thank God, you earnenough to keep us, though it is sometimes close work to pay for all theoats and hay, the license, and the rent besides; but Harry will soon beearning something, and I would rather struggle on harder than we do thango back to those horrid times when you hardly had a minute to look atyour own children, and we never could go to a place of worship together, or have a happy, quiet day. God forbid that we should ever turn back tothose times; that's what I say, Jerry. "

"And that is just what I told Mr. Briggs, my dear, " said Jerry, "andwhat I mean to stick to. So don't go and fret yourself, Polly" (for shehad begun to cry); "I would not go back to the old times if I earnedtwice as much, so that is settled, little woman. Now, cheer up, and I'llbe off to the stand. "

Three weeks had passed away after this conversation, and no order hadcome from Mrs. Briggs; so there was nothing but taking jobs from thestand. Jerry took it to heart a good deal, for of course the work washarder for horse and man. But Polly would always cheer him up, and say, "Never mind, father, never, mind. 

 "'Do your best, And leave the rest, 'Twill all come right Some day or night. '"

It soon became known that Jerry had lost his best customer, and for whatreason. Most of the men said he was a fool, but two or three took hispart. 

"If workingmen don't stick to their Sunday, " said Truman, "they'll soonhave none left; it is every man's right and every beast's right. ByGod's law we have a day of rest, and by the law of England we have a dayof rest; and I say we ought to hold to the rights these laws give us andkeep them for our children. "

"All very well for you religious chaps to talk so, " said Larry; "butI'll turn a shilling when I can. I don't believe in religion, for Idon't see that your religious people are any better than the rest. "

"If they are not better, " put in Jerry, "it is because they are notreligious. You might as well say that our country's laws are not goodbecause some people break them. If a man gives way to his temper, andspeaks evil of his neighbor, and does not pay his debts, he is notreligious, I don't care how much he goes to church. If some men areshams and humbugs, that does not make religion untrue. Real religion isthe best and truest thing in the world, and the only thing that can makea man really happy or make the world we live in any better. "

"If religion was good for anything, " said Jones, "it would prevent yourreligious people from making us work on Sundays, as you know many ofthem do, and that's why I say religion is nothing but a sham; why, if itwas not for the church and chapel-goers it would be hardly worth whileour coming out on a Sunday. But they have their privileges, as they callthem, and I go without. I shall expect them to answer for my soul, if Ican't get a chance of saving it. "

Several of the men applauded this, till Jerry said:

"That may sound well enough, but it won't do; every man must lookafter his own soul; you can't lay it down at another man's door like afoundling and expect him to take care of it; and don't you see, if youare always sitting on your box waiting for a fare, they will say, 'If wedon't take him some one else will, and he does not look for any Sunday. 'Of course, they don't go to the bottom of it, or they would see if theynever came for a cab it would be no use your standing there; butpeople don't always like to go to the bottom of things; it may not beconvenient to do it; but if you Sunday drivers would all strike for aday of rest the thing would be done. "

"And what would all the good people do if they could not get to theirfavorite preachers?" said Larry. 

"'Tis not for me to lay down plans for other people, " said Jerry, "butif they can't walk so far they can go to what is nearer; and if itshould rain they can put on their mackintoshes as they do on a week-day. If a thing is right it can be done, and if it is wrong it can be donewithout; and a good man will find a way. And that is as true for uscabmen as it is for the church-goers. "

37 The Golden Rule

Two or three weeks after this, as we came into the yard rather late inthe evening, Polly came running across the road with the lantern (shealways brought it to him if it was not very wet). 

"It has all come right, Jerry; Mrs. Briggs sent her servant thisafternoon to ask you to take her out to-morrow at eleven o'clock. Isaid, 'Yes, I thought so, but we supposed she employed some one elsenow. '"

"'Well, ' said he, 'the real fact is, master was put out because Mr. Barker refused to come on Sundays, and he has been trying other cabs, but there's something wrong with them all; some drive too fast, and sometoo slow, and the mistress says there is not one of them so nice andclean as yours, and nothing will suit her but Mr. Barker's cab again. '"

Polly was almost out of breath, and Jerry broke out into a merry laugh. 

"''Twill all come right some day or night': you were right, my dear; yougenerally are. Run in and get the supper, and I'll have Jack's harnessoff and make him snug and happy in no time. "

After this Mrs. Briggs wanted Jerry's cab quite as often as before, never, however, on a Sunday; but there came a day when we had Sundaywork, and this was how it happened. We had all come home on the Saturdaynight very tired, and very glad to think that the next day would be allrest, but so it was not to be. 

On Sunday morning Jerry was cleaning me in the yard, when Polly steppedup to him, looking very full of something. 

"What is it?" said Jerry. 

"Well, my dear, " she said, "poor Dinah Brown has just had a letterbrought to say that her mother is dangerously ill, and that she mustgo directly if she wishes to see her alive. The place is more than tenmiles away from here, out in the country, and she says if she takes thetrain she should still have four miles to walk; and so weak as she is, and the baby only four weeks old, of course that would be impossible;and she wants to know if you would take her in your cab, and shepromises to pay you faithfully, as she can get the money. "

"Tut, tut! we'll see about that. It was not the money I was thinkingabout, but of losing our Sunday; the horses are tired, and I am tired, too--that's where it pinches. "

"It pinches all round, for that matter, " said Polly, "for it's onlyhalf Sunday without you, but you know we should do to other people aswe should like they should do to us; and I know very well what I shouldlike if my mother was dying; and Jerry, dear, I am sure it won't breakthe Sabbath; for if pulling a poor beast or donkey out of a pit wouldnot spoil it, I am quite sure taking poor Dinah would not do it. "

"Why, Polly, you are as good as the minister, and so, as I've had mySunday-morning sermon early to-day, you may go and tell Dinah that I'llbe ready for her as the clock strikes ten; but stop--just step round tobutcher Braydon's with my compliments, and ask him if he would lend mehis light trap; I know he never uses it on the Sunday, and it would makea wonderful difference to the horse. "

Away she went, and soon returned, saying that he could have the trap andwelcome. 

"All right, " said he; "now put me up a bit of bread and cheese, and I'llbe back in the afternoon as soon as I can. "

"And I'll have the meat pie ready for an early tea instead of fordinner, " said Polly; and away she went, while he made his preparationsto the tune of "Polly's the woman and no mistake", of which tune he wasvery fond. 

I was selected for the journey, and at ten o'clock we started, in alight, high-wheeled gig, which ran so easily that after the four-wheeledcab it seemed like nothing. 

It was a fine May day, and as soon as we were out of the town, the sweetair, the smell of the fresh grass, and the soft country roads were aspleasant as they used to be in the old times, and I soon began to feelquite fresh. 

Dinah's family lived in a small farmhouse, up a green lane, close by ameadow with some fine shady trees; there were two cows feeding in it. A young man asked Jerry to bring his trap into the meadow, and he wouldtie me up in the cowshed; he wished he had a better stable to offer. 

"If your cows would not be offended, " said Jerry, "there is nothing myhorse would like so well as to have an hour or two in your beautifulmeadow; he's quiet, and it would be a rare treat for him. "

"Do, and welcome, " said the young man; "the best we have is at yourservice for your kindness to my sister; we shall be having some dinnerin an hour, and I hope you'll come in, though with mother so ill we areall out of sorts in the house. "

Jerry thanked him kindly, but said as he had some dinner with him therewas nothing he should like so well as walking about in the meadow. 

When my harness was taken off I did not know what I should dofirst--whether to eat the grass, or roll over on my back, or lie downand rest, or have a gallop across the meadow out of sheer spirits atbeing free; and I did all by turns. Jerry seemed to be quite as happyas I was; he sat down by a bank under a shady tree, and listened to thebirds, then he sang himself, and read out of the little brown book he isso fond of, then wandered round the meadow, and down by a little brook, where he picked the flowers and the hawthorn, and tied them up withlong sprays of ivy; then he gave me a good feed of the oats which he hadbrought with him; but the time seemed all too short--I had not been in afield since I left poor Ginger at Earlshall. 

We came home gently, and Jerry's first words were, as we came into theyard, "Well, Polly, I have not lost my Sunday after all, for the birdswere singing hymns in every bush, and I joined in the service; and asfor Jack, he was like a young colt. "

When he handed Dolly the flowers she jumped about for joy. 

38 Dolly and a Real Gentleman

Winter came in early, with a great deal of cold and wet. There was snow, or sleet, or rain almost every day for weeks, changing only for keendriving winds or sharp frosts. The horses all felt it very much. Whenit is a dry cold a couple of good thick rugs will keep the warmth in us;but when it is soaking rain they soon get wet through and are no good. Some of the drivers had a waterproof cover to throw over, which was afine thing; but some of the men were so poor that they could not protecteither themselves or their horses, and many of them suffered very muchthat winter. When we horses had worked half the day we went to our drystables, and could rest, while they had to sit on their boxes, sometimesstaying out as late as one or two o'clock in the morning if they had aparty to wait for. 

When the streets were slippery with frost or snow that was the worst ofall for us horses. One mile of such traveling, with a weight to drawand no firm footing, would take more out of us than four on a goodroad; every nerve and muscle of our bodies is on the strain to keep ourbalance; and, added to this, the fear of falling is more exhausting thananything else. If the roads are very bad indeed our shoes are roughed, but that makes us feel nervous at first. 

When the weather was very bad many of the men would go and sit in thetavern close by, and get some one to watch for them; but they oftenlost a fare in that way, and could not, as Jerry said, be there withoutspending money. He never went to the Rising Sun; there was a coffee-shopnear, where he now and then went, or he bought of an old man, who cameto our rank with tins of hot coffee and pies. It was his opinion thatspirits and beer made a man colder afterward, and that dry clothes, goodfood, cheerfulness, and a comfortable wife at home, were the best thingsto keep a cabman warm. Polly always supplied him with something to eatwhen he could not get home, and sometimes he would see little Dollypeeping from the corner of the street, to make sure if "father" was onthe stand. If she saw him she would run off at full speed and soon comeback with something in a tin or basket, some hot soup or pudding Pollyhad ready. It was wonderful how such a little thing could get safelyacross the street, often thronged with horses and carriages; but she wasa brave little maid, and felt it quite an honor to bring "father's firstcourse", as he used to call it. She was a general favorite on the stand, and there was not a man who would not have seen her safely across thestreet, if Jerry had not been able to do it. 

One cold windy day Dolly had brought Jerry a basin of something hot, and was standing by him while he ate it. He had scarcely begun whena gentleman, walking toward us very fast, held up his umbrella. Jerrytouched his hat in return, gave the basin to Dolly, and was taking offmy cloth, when the gentleman, hastening up, cried out, "No, no, finishyour soup, my friend; I have not much time to spare, but I can waittill you have done, and set your little girl safe on the pavement. " Sosaying, he seated himself in the cab. Jerry thanked him kindly, and cameback to Dolly. 

"There, Dolly, that's a gentleman; that's a real gentleman, Dolly; hehas got time and thought for the comfort of a poor cabman and a littlegirl. "

Jerry finished his soup, set the child across, and then took his ordersto drive to Clapham Rise. Several times after that the same gentlemantook our cab. I think he was very fond of dogs and horses, for wheneverwe took him to his own door two or three dogs would come bounding outto meet him. Sometimes he came round and patted me, saying in his quiet, pleasant way, "This horse has got a good master, and he deserves it. "It was a very rare thing for any one to notice the horse that had beenworking for him. I have known ladies to do it now and then, and thisgentleman, and one or two others have given me a pat and a kind word;but ninety-nine persons out of a hundred would as soon think of pattingthe steam engine that drew the train. 

The gentleman was not young, and there was a forward stoop in hisshoulders as if he was always going at something. His lips were thin andclose shut, though they had a very pleasant smile; his eye was keen, andthere was something in his jaw and the motion of his head that made onethink he was very determined in anything he set about. His voice waspleasant and kind; any horse would trust that voice, though it was justas decided as everything else about him. 

One day he and another gentleman took our cab; they stopped at a shopin R---- Street, and while his friend went in he stood at the door. Alittle ahead of us on the other side of the street a cart with two veryfine horses was standing before some wine vaults; the carter was notwith them, and I cannot tell how long they had been standing, but theyseemed to think they had waited long enough, and began to move off. Before they had gone many paces the carter came running out and caughtthem. He seemed furious at their having moved, and with whip and reinpunished them brutally, even beating them about the head. Our gentlemansaw it all, and stepping quickly across the street, said in a decidedvoice:

"If you don't stop that directly, I'll have you arrested for leavingyour horses, and for brutal conduct. "

The man, who had clearly been drinking, poured forth some abusivelanguage, but he left off knocking the horses about, and taking thereins, got into his cart; meantime our friend had quietly taken anote-book from his pocket, and looking at the name and address paintedon the cart, he wrote something down. 

"What do you want with that?" growled the carter, as he cracked his whipand was moving on. A nod and a grim smile was the only answer he got. 

On returning to the cab our friend was joined by his companion, who saidlaughingly, "I should have thought, Wright, you had enough business ofyour own to look after, without troubling yourself about other people'shorses and servants. "

Our friend stood still for a moment, and throwing his head a littleback, "Do you know why this world is as bad as it is?"

"No, " said the other. 

"Then I'll tell you. It is because people think only about their ownbusiness, and won't trouble themselves to stand up for the oppressed, nor bring the wrongdoer to light. I never see a wicked thing like thiswithout doing what I can, and many a master has thanked me for lettinghim know how his horses have been used. "

"I wish there were more gentlemen like you, sir, " said Jerry, "for theyare wanted badly enough in this city. "

After this we continued our journey, and as they got out of the cab ourfriend was saying, "My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty orwrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselvessharers in the guilt. "

39 Seedy Sam

I should say that for a cab-horse I was very well off indeed; my driverwas my owner, and it was his interest to treat me well and not overworkme, even had he not been so good a man as he was; but there were a greatmany horses which belonged to the large cab-owners, who let them out totheir drivers for so much money a day. As the horses did not belong tothese men the only thing they thought of was how to get their money outof them, first, to pay the master, and then to provide for their ownliving; and a dreadful time some of these horses had of it. Of course, I understood but little, but it was often talked over on the stand, and the governor, who was a kind-hearted man and fond of horses, wouldsometimes speak up if one came in very much jaded or ill-used. 

One day a shabby, miserable-looking driver, who went by the name of"Seedy Sam", brought in his horse looking dreadfully beat, and thegovernor said:

"You and your horse look more fit for the police station than for thisrank. "

The man flung his tattered rug over the horse, turned full round uponthe Governor and said in a voice that sounded almost desperate:

"If the police have any business with the matter it ought to be with themasters who charge us so much, or with the fares that are fixed so low. If a man has to pay eighteen shillings a day for the use of a cab andtwo horses, as many of us have to do in the season, and must make thatup before we earn a penny for ourselves I say 'tis more than hard work;nine shillings a day to get out of each horse before you begin to getyour own living. You know that's true, and if the horses don't work wemust starve, and I and my children have known what that is before now. I've six of 'em, and only one earns anything; I am on the stand fourteenor sixteen hours a day, and I haven't had a Sunday these ten or twelveweeks; you know Skinner never gives a day if he can help it, and if Idon't work hard, tell me who does! I want a warm coat and a mackintosh, but with so many to feed how can a man get it? I had to pledge my clocka week ago to pay Skinner, and I shall never see it again. "

Some of the other drivers stood round nodding their heads and saying hewas right. The man went on:

"You that have your own horses and cabs, or drive for good masters, havea chance of getting on and a chance of doing right; I haven't. We can'tcharge more than sixpence a mile after the first, within the four-mileradius. This very morning I had to go a clear six miles and only tookthree shillings. I could not get a return fare, and had to come all theway back; there's twelve miles for the horse and three shillings for me. After that I had a three-mile fare, and there were bags and boxes enoughto have brought in a good many twopences if they had been put outside;but you know how people do; all that could be piled up inside on thefront seat were put in and three heavy boxes went on the top. Thatwas sixpence, and the fare one and sixpence; then I got a return for ashilling. Now that makes eighteen miles for the horse and six shillingsfor me; there's three shillings still for that horse to earn and nineshillings for the afternoon horse before I touch a penny. Of course, itis not always so bad as that, but you know it often is, and I say 'tisa mockery to tell a man that he must not overwork his horse, for when abeast is downright tired there's nothing but the whip that will keephis legs a-going; you can't help yourself--you must put your wife andchildren before the horse; the masters must look to that, we can't. Idon't ill-use my horse for the sake of it; none of you can say I do. There's wrong lays somewhere--never a day's rest, never a quiet hourwith the wife and children. I often feel like an old man, though I'monly forty-five. You know how quick some of the gentry are to suspect usof cheating and overcharging; why, they stand with their purses intheir hands counting it over to a penny and looking at us as if we werepickpockets. I wish some of 'em had got to sit on my box sixteen hoursa day and get a living out of it and eighteen shillings beside, and thatin all weathers; they would not be so uncommon particular never to giveus a sixpence over or to cram all the luggage inside. Of course, some of'em tip us pretty handsome now and then, or else we could not live; butyou can't depend upon that. "

The men who stood round much approved this speech, and one of them said, "It is desperate hard, and if a man sometimes does what is wrong it isno wonder, and if he gets a dram too much who's to blow him up?"

Jerry had taken no part in this conversation, but I never saw his facelook so sad before. The governor had stood with both his hands in hispockets; now he took his handkerchief out of his hat and wiped hisforehead. 

"You've beaten me, Sam, " he said, "for it's all true, and I won't castit up to you any more about the police; it was the look in that horse'seye that came over me. It is hard lines for man and it is hard lines forbeast, and who's to mend it I don't know: but anyway you might tellthe poor beast that you were sorry to take it out of him in that way. Sometimes a kind word is all we can give 'em, poor brutes, and 'tiswonderful what they do understand. "

A few mornings after this talk a new man came on the stand with Sam'scab. 

"Halloo!" said one, "what's up with Seedy Sam?"

"He's ill in bed, " said the man; "he was taken last night in the yard, and could scarcely crawl home. His wife sent a boy this morning tosay his father was in a high fever and could not get out, so I'm hereinstead. "

The next morning the same man came again. 

"How is Sam?" inquired the governor. 

"He's gone, " said the man. 

"What, gone? You don't mean to say he's dead?"

"Just snuffed out, " said the other; "he died at four o'clock thismorning; all yesterday he was raving--raving about Skinner, and havingno Sundays. 'I never had a Sunday's rest, ' these were his last words. "

No one spoke for a while, and then the governor said, "I'll tell youwhat, mates, this is a warning for us. "

40 Poor Ginger

One day, while our cab and many others were waiting outside one of theparks where music was playing, a shabby old cab drove up beside ours. The horse was an old worn-out chestnut, with an ill-kept coat, andbones that showed plainly through it, the knees knuckled over, and thefore-legs were very unsteady. I had been eating some hay, and the windrolled a little lock of it that way, and the poor creature put out herlong thin neck and picked it up, and then turned and looked about formore. There was a hopeless look in the dull eye that I could not helpnoticing, and then, as I was thinking where I had seen that horsebefore, she looked full at me and said, "Black Beauty, is that you?"

It was Ginger! but how changed! The beautifully arched and glossy neckwas now straight, and lank, and fallen in; the clean straight legs anddelicate fetlocks were swelled; the joints were grown out of shape withhard work; the face, that was once so full of spirit and life, was nowfull of suffering, and I could tell by the heaving of her sides, and herfrequent cough, how bad her breath was. 

Our drivers were standing together a little way off, so I sidled up toher a step or two, that we might have a little quiet talk. It was a sadtale that she had to tell. 

After a twelvemonth's run off at Earlshall, she was considered to be fitfor work again, and was sold to a gentleman. For a little while shegot on very well, but after a longer gallop than usual the old strainreturned, and after being rested and doctored she was again sold. Inthis way she changed hands several times, but always getting lower down. 

"And so at last, " said she, "I was bought by a man who keeps a number ofcabs and horses, and lets them out. You look well off, and I am glad ofit, but I could not tell you what my life has been. When they found outmy weakness they said I was not worth what they gave for me, and that Imust go into one of the low cabs, and just be used up; that is whatthey are doing, whipping and working with never one thought of what Isuffer--they paid for me, and must get it out of me, they say. The manwho hires me now pays a deal of money to the owner every day, and so hehas to get it out of me too; and so it's all the week round and round, with never a Sunday rest. "

I said, "You used to stand up for yourself if you were ill-used. "

"Ah!" she said, "I did once, but it's no use; men are strongest, and ifthey are cruel and have no feeling, there is nothing that we can do, butjust bear it--bear it on and on to the end. I wish the end was come, I wish I was dead. I have seen dead horses, and I am sure they do notsuffer pain; I wish I may drop down dead at my work, and not be sent offto the knackers. "

I was very much troubled, and I put my nose up to hers, but I could saynothing to comfort her. I think she was pleased to see me, for she said, "You are the only friend I ever had. "

Just then her driver came up, and with a tug at her mouth backed her outof the line and drove off, leaving me very sad indeed. 

A short time after this a cart with a dead horse in it passed ourcab-stand. The head hung out of the cart-tail, the lifeless tongue wasslowly dropping with blood; and the sunken eyes! but I can't speak ofthem, the sight was too dreadful. It was a chestnut horse with a long, thin neck. I saw a white streak down the forehead. I believe it wasGinger; I hoped it was, for then her troubles would be over. Oh! if menwere more merciful they would shoot us before we came to such misery. 

41 The Butcher

I saw a great deal of trouble among the horses in London, and much ofit might have been prevented by a little common sense. We horses do notmind hard work if we are treated reasonably, and I am sure there aremany driven by quite poor men who have a happier life than I had when Iused to go in the Countess of W----'s carriage, with my silver-mountedharness and high feeding. 

It often went to my heart to see how the little ponies were used, straining along with heavy loads or staggering under heavy blows fromsome low, cruel boy. Once I saw a little gray pony with a thick maneand a pretty head, and so much like Merrylegs that if I had not been inharness I should have neighed to him. He was doing his best to pull aheavy cart, while a strong rough boy was cutting him under the bellywith his whip and chucking cruelly at his little mouth. Could it beMerrylegs? It was just like him; but then Mr. Blomefield was never tosell him, and I think he would not do it; but this might have been quiteas good a little fellow, and had as happy a place when he was young. 

I often noticed the great speed at which butchers' horses were made togo, though I did not know why it was so till one day when we had to waitsome time in St. John's Wood. There was a butcher's shop next door, andas we were standing a butcher's cart came dashing up at a great pace. The horse was hot and much exhausted; he hung his head down, while hisheaving sides and trembling legs showed how hard he had been driven. Thelad jumped out of the cart and was getting the basket when the mastercame out of the shop much displeased. After looking at the horse heturned angrily to the lad. 

"How many times shall I tell you not to drive in this way? You ruinedthe last horse and broke his wind, and you are going to ruin this in thesame way. If you were not my own son I would dismiss you on the spot;it is a disgrace to have a horse brought to the shop in a condition likethat; you are liable to be taken up by the police for such driving, andif you are you need not look to me for bail, for I have spoken to youtill I'm tired; you must look out for yourself. "

During this speech the boy had stood by, sullen and dogged, but when hisfather ceased he broke out angrily. It wasn't his fault, and he wouldn'ttake the blame; he was only going by orders all the time. 

"You always say, 'Now be quick; now look sharp!' and when I go to thehouses one wants a leg of mutton for an early dinner and I must be backwith it in a quarter of an hour; another cook has forgotten to orderthe beef; I must go and fetch it and be back in no time, or themistress will scold; and the housekeeper says they have company comingunexpectedly and must have some chops sent up directly; and the lady atNo. 4, in the Crescent, never orders her dinner till the meat comesin for lunch, and it's nothing but hurry, hurry, all the time. If thegentry would think of what they want, and order their meat the daybefore, there need not be this blow up!"

"I wish to goodness they would, " said the butcher; "'twould save me awonderful deal of harass, and I could suit my customers much better ifI knew beforehand--But there! what's the use of talking--who ever thinksof a butcher's convenience or a butcher's horse! Now, then, take himin and look to him well; mind, he does not go out again to-day, and ifanything else is wanted you must carry it yourself in the basket. " Withthat he went in, and the horse was led away. 

But all boys are not cruel. I have seen some as fond of their pony ordonkey as if it had been a favorite dog, and the little creatures haveworked away as cheerfully and willingly for their young drivers as Iwork for Jerry. It may be hard work sometimes, but a friend's hand andvoice make it easy. 

There was a young coster-boy who came up our street with greens andpotatoes; he had an old pony, not very handsome, but the cheerfullestand pluckiest little thing I ever saw, and to see how fond those twowere of each other was a treat. The pony followed his master like a dog, and when he got into his cart would trot off without a whip or a word, and rattle down the street as merrily as if he had come out of thequeen's stables. Jerry liked the boy, and called him "Prince Charlie", for he said he would make a king of drivers some day. 

There was an old man, too, who used to come up our street with a littlecoal cart; he wore a coal-heaver's hat, and looked rough and black. Heand his old horse used to plod together along the street, like two goodpartners who understood each other; the horse would stop of his ownaccord at the doors where they took coal of him; he used to keep one earbent toward his master. The old man's cry could be heard up the streetlong before he came near. I never knew what he said, but the childrencalled him "Old Ba-a-ar Hoo", for it sounded like that. Polly took hercoal of him, and was very friendly, and Jerry said it was a comfort tothink how happy an old horse might be in a poor place. 

42 The Election

As we came into the yard one afternoon Polly came out. "Jerry! I've hadMr. B---- here asking about your vote, and he wants to hire your cab forthe election; he will call for an answer. "

"Well, Polly, you may say that my cab will be otherwise engaged. Ishould not like to have it pasted over with their great bills, and asto making Jack and Captain race about to the public-houses to bring uphalf-drunken voters, why, I think 'twould be an insult to the horses. No, I shan't do it. "

"I suppose you'll vote for the gentleman? He said he was of yourpolitics. "

"So he is in some things, but I shall not vote for him, Polly; you knowwhat his trade is?"

"Yes. "

"Well, a man who gets rich by that trade may be all very well in someways, but he is blind as to what workingmen want; I could not in myconscience send him up to make the laws. I dare say they'll be angry, but every man must do what he thinks to be the best for his country. "

On the morning before the election, Jerry was putting me into theshafts, when Dolly came into the yard sobbing and crying, with herlittle blue frock and white pinafore spattered all over with mud. 

"Why, Dolly, what is the matter?"

"Those naughty boys, " she sobbed, "have thrown the dirt all over me, andcalled me a little raga--raga--"

"They called her a little 'blue' ragamuffin, father, " said Harry, whoran in looking very angry; "but I have given it to them; they won'tinsult my sister again. I have given them a thrashing they willremember; a set of cowardly, rascally 'orange' blackguards. "

Jerry kissed the child and said, "Run in to mother, my pet, and tell herI think you had better stay at home to-day and help her. "

Then turning gravely to Harry:

"My boy, I hope you will always defend your sister, and give anybody whoinsults her a good thrashing--that is as it should be; but mind, I won'thave any election blackguarding on my premises. There are as many'blue' blackguards as there are 'orange', and as many white as there arepurple, or any other color, and I won't have any of my family mixed upwith it. Even women and children are ready to quarrel for the sake of acolor, and not one in ten of them knows what it is about. "

"Why, father, I thought blue was for Liberty. "

"My boy, Liberty does not come from colors, they only show party, andall the liberty you can get out of them is, liberty to get drunk atother people's expense, liberty to ride to the poll in a dirty old cab, liberty to abuse any one that does not wear your color, and to shoutyourself hoarse at what you only half-understand--that's your liberty!"

"Oh, father, you are laughing. "

"No, Harry, I am serious, and I am ashamed to see how men go on whoought to know better. An election is a very serious thing; at least itought to be, and every man ought to vote according to his conscience, and let his neighbor do the same. "

43 A Friend in Need

The election day came at last; there was no lack of work for Jerry andme. First came a stout puffy gentleman with a carpet bag; he wanted togo to the Bishopsgate station; then we were called by a party who wishedto be taken to the Regent's Park; and next we were wanted in a sidestreet where a timid, anxious old lady was waiting to be taken to thebank; there we had to stop to take her back again, and just as we hadset her down a red-faced gentleman, with a handful of papers, camerunning up out of breath, and before Jerry could get down he had openedthe door, popped himself in, and called out, "Bow Street Police Station, quick!" so off we went with him, and when after another turn or twowe came back, there was no other cab on the stand. Jerry put on mynose-bag, for as he said, "We must eat when we can on such days asthese; so munch away, Jack, and make the best of your time, old boy. "

I found I had a good feed of crushed oats wetted up with a little bran;this would be a treat any day, but very refreshing then. Jerry was sothoughtful and kind--what horse would not do his best for such a master?Then he took out one of Polly's meat pies, and standing near me, hebegan to eat it. The streets were very full, and the cabs, with thecandidates' colors on them, were dashing about through the crowd as iflife and limb were of no consequence; we saw two people knocked downthat day, and one was a woman. The horses were having a bad time of it, poor things! but the voters inside thought nothing of that; many of themwere half-drunk, hurrahing out of the cab windows if their own partycame by. It was the first election I had seen, and I don't want to be inanother, though I have heard things are better now. 

Jerry and I had not eaten many mouthfuls before a poor young woman, carrying a heavy child, came along the street. She was looking this wayand that way, and seemed quite bewildered. Presently she made her way upto Jerry and asked if he could tell her the way to St. Thomas' Hospital, and how far it was to get there. She had come from the country thatmorning, she said, in a market cart; she did not know about theelection, and was quite a stranger in London. She had got an order forthe hospital for her little boy. The child was crying with a feeble, pining cry. 

"Poor little fellow!" she said, "he suffers a deal of pain; he is fouryears old and can't walk any more than a baby; but the doctor said if Icould get him into the hospital he might get well; pray, sir, how far isit; and which way is it?"

"Why, missis, " said Jerry, "you can't get there walking through crowdslike this! why, it is three miles away, and that child is heavy. "

"Yes, bless him, he is; but I am strong, thank God, and if I knew theway I think I should get on somehow; please tell me the way. "

"You can't do it, " said Jerry, "you might be knocked down and the childbe run over. Now look here, just get into this cab, and I'll drive yousafe to the hospital. Don't you see the rain is coming on?"

"No, sir, no; I can't do that, thank you, I have only just money enoughto get back with. Please tell me the way. "

"Look you here, missis, " said Jerry, "I've got a wife and dear childrenat home, and I know a father's feelings; now get you into that cab, andI'll take you there for nothing. I'd be ashamed of myself to let a womanand a sick child run a risk like that. "

"Heaven bless you!" said the woman, and burst into tears. 

"There, there, cheer up, my dear, I'll soon take you there; come, let meput you inside. "

As Jerry went to open the door two men, with colors in their hats andbuttonholes, ran up calling out, "Cab!"

"Engaged, " cried Jerry; but one of the men, pushing past the woman, sprang into the cab, followed by the other. Jerry looked as stern as apoliceman. "This cab is already engaged, gentlemen, by that lady. "

"Lady!" said one of them; "oh! she can wait; our business is veryimportant, besides we were in first, it is our right, and we shall stayin. "

A droll smile came over Jerry's face as he shut the door upon them. "Allright, gentlemen, pray stay in as long as it suits you; I can wait whileyou rest yourselves. " And turning his back upon them he walked up to theyoung woman, who was standing near me. "They'll soon be gone, " he said, laughing; "don't trouble yourself, my dear. "

And they soon were gone, for when they understood Jerry's dodge they gotout, calling him all sorts of bad names and blustering about his numberand getting a summons. After this little stoppage we were soon on ourway to the hospital, going as much as possible through by-streets. Jerryrung the great bell and helped the young woman out. 

"Thank you a thousand times, " she said; "I could never have got herealone. "

"You're kindly welcome, and I hope the dear child will soon be better. "

He watched her go in at the door, and gently he said to himself, "Inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of these. " Then hepatted my neck, which was always his way when anything pleased him. 

The rain was now coming down fast, and just as we were leaving thehospital the door opened again, and the porter called out, "Cab!" Westopped, and a lady came down the steps. Jerry seemed to know her atonce; she put back her veil and said, "Barker! Jeremiah Barker, is ityou? I am very glad to find you here; you are just the friend I want, for it is very difficult to get a cab in this part of London to-day. "

"I shall be proud to serve you, ma'am; I am right glad I happened to behere. Where may I take you to, ma'am?"

"To the Paddington Station, and then if we are in good time, as I thinkwe shall be, you shall tell me all about Mary and the children. "

We got to the station in good time, and being under shelter the ladystood a good while talking to Jerry. I found she had been Polly'smistress, and after many inquiries about her she said:

"How do you find the cab work suit you in winter? I know Mary was ratheranxious about you last year. "

"Yes, ma'am, she was; I had a bad cough that followed me up quite intothe warm weather, and when I am kept out late she does worry herself agood deal. You see, ma'am, it is all hours and all weathers, and thatdoes try a man's constitution; but I am getting on pretty well, and Ishould feel quite lost if I had not horses to look after. I was broughtup to it, and I am afraid I should not do so well at anything else. "

"Well, Barker, " she said, "it would be a great pity that you shouldseriously risk your health in this work, not only for your own but forMary's and the children's sake; there are many places where good driversor good grooms are wanted, and if ever you think you ought to give upthis cab work let me know. "

Then sending some kind messages to Mary she put something into his hand, saying, "There is five shillings each for the two children; Mary willknow how to spend it. "

Jerry thanked her and seemed much pleased, and turning out of thestation we at last reached home, and I, at least, was tired. 

44 Old Captain and His Successor

Captain and I were great friends. He was a noble old fellow, and he wasvery good company. I never thought that he would have to leave his homeand go down the hill; but his turn came, and this was how it happened. Iwas not there, but I heard all about it. 

He and Jerry had taken a party to the great railway station over LondonBridge, and were coming back, somewhere between the bridge and themonument, when Jerry saw a brewer's empty dray coming along, drawn bytwo powerful horses. The drayman was lashing his horses with his heavywhip; the dray was light, and they started off at a furious rate; theman had no control over them, and the street was full of traffic. 

One young girl was knocked down and run over, and the next moment theydashed up against our cab; both the wheels were torn off and the cab wasthrown over. Captain was dragged down, the shafts splintered, and oneof them ran into his side. Jerry, too, was thrown, but was only bruised;nobody could tell how he escaped; he always said 'twas a miracle. Whenpoor Captain was got up he was found to be very much cut and knockedabout. Jerry led him home gently, and a sad sight it was to see theblood soaking into his white coat and dropping from his side andshoulder. The drayman was proved to be very drunk, and was fined, andthe brewer had to pay damages to our master; but there was no one to paydamages to poor Captain. 

The farrier and Jerry did the best they could to ease his pain and makehim comfortable. The fly had to be mended, and for several days I didnot go out, and Jerry earned nothing. The first time we went to thestand after the accident the governor came up to hear how Captain was. 

"He'll never get over it, " said Jerry, "at least not for my work, so thefarrier said this morning. He says he may do for carting, and that sortof work. It has put me out very much. Carting, indeed! I've seen whathorses come to at that work round London. I only wish all the drunkardscould be put in a lunatic asylum instead of being allowed to run foul ofsober people. If they would break their own bones, and smash their owncarts, and lame their own horses, that would be their own affair, andwe might let them alone, but it seems to me that the innocentalways suffer; and then they talk about compensation! You can't makecompensation; there's all the trouble, and vexation, and loss of time, besides losing a good horse that's like an old friend--it's nonsensetalking of compensation! If there's one devil that I should like to seein the bottomless pit more than another, it's the drink devil. "

"I say, Jerry, " said the governor, "you are treading pretty hard on mytoes, you know; I'm not so good as you are, more shame to me; I wish Iwas. "

"Well, " said Jerry, "why don't you cut with it, governor? You are toogood a man to be the slave of such a thing. "

"I'm a great fool, Jerry, but I tried once for two days, and I thought Ishould have died; how did you do?"

"I had hard work at it for several weeks; you see I never did get drunk, but I found that I was not my own master, and that when the craving cameon it was hard work to say 'no'. I saw that one of us must knock under, the drink devil or Jerry Barker, and I said that it should not be JerryBarker, God helping me; but it was a struggle, and I wanted all thehelp I could get, for till I tried to break the habit I did not know howstrong it was; but then Polly took such pains that I should have goodfood, and when the craving came on I used to get a cup of coffee, orsome peppermint, or read a bit in my book, and that was a help to me;sometimes I had to say over and over to myself, 'Give up the drink orlose your soul! Give up the drink or break Polly's heart!' But thanks beto God, and my dear wife, my chains were broken, and now for ten years Ihave not tasted a drop, and never wish for it. "

"I've a great mind to try at it, " said Grant, "for 'tis a poor thing notto be one's own master. "

"Do, governor, do, you'll never repent it, and what a help it would beto some of the poor fellows in our rank if they saw you do without it. Iknow there's two or three would like to keep out of that tavern if theycould. "

At first Captain seemed to do well, but he was a very old horse, and itwas only his wonderful constitution, and Jerry's care, that had kepthim up at the cab work so long; now he broke down very much. The farriersaid he might mend up enough to sell for a few pounds, but Jerry said, no! a few pounds got by selling a good old servant into hard workand misery would canker all the rest of his money, and he thought thekindest thing he could do for the fine old fellow would be to put a surebullet through his head, and then he would never suffer more; for he didnot know where to find a kind master for the rest of his days. 

The day after this was decided Harry took me to the forge for some newshoes; when I returned Captain was gone. I and the family all felt itvery much. 

Jerry had now to look out for another horse, and he soon heard of onethrough an acquaintance who was under-groom in a nobleman's stables. Hewas a valuable young horse, but he had run away, smashed into anothercarriage, flung his lordship out, and so cut and blemished himself thathe was no longer fit for a gentleman's stables, and the coachman hadorders to look round, and sell him as well as he could. 

"I can do with high spirits, " said Jerry, "if a horse is not vicious orhard-mouthed. "

"There is not a bit of vice in him, " said the man; "his mouth is verytender, and I think myself that was the cause of the accident; you seehe had just been clipped, and the weather was bad, and he had not hadexercise enough, and when he did go out he was as full of spring as aballoon. Our governor (the coachman, I mean) had him harnessed in astight and strong as he could, with the martingale, and the check-rein, avery sharp curb, and the reins put in at the bottom bar. It is my beliefthat it made the horse mad, being tender in the mouth and so full ofspirit. "

"Likely enough; I'll come and see him, " said Jerry. 

The next day Hotspur, that was his name, came home; he was a fine brownhorse, without a white hair in him, as tall as Captain, with a veryhandsome head, and only five years old. I gave him a friendly greetingby way of good fellowship, but did not ask him any questions. The firstnight he was very restless. Instead of lying down, he kept jerking hishalter rope up and down through the ring, and knocking the block aboutagainst the manger till I could not sleep. However, the next day, afterfive or six hours in the cab, he came in quiet and sensible. Jerrypatted and talked to him a good deal, and very soon they understood eachother, and Jerry said that with an easy bit and plenty of work he wouldbe as gentle as a lamb; and that it was an ill wind that blew nobodygood, for if his lordship had lost a hundred-guinea favorite, the cabmanhad gained a good horse with all his strength in him. 

Hotspur thought it a great come-down to be a cab-horse, and wasdisgusted at standing in the rank, but he confessed to me at the end ofthe week that an easy mouth and a free head made up for a great deal, and after all, the work was not so degrading as having one's head andtail fastened to each other at the saddle. In fact, he settled in well, and Jerry liked him very much. 

45 Jerry's New Year

For some people Christmas and the New Year are very merry times; but forcabmen and cabmen's horses it is no holiday, though it may be a harvest. There are so many parties, balls, and places of amusement open that thework is hard and often late. Sometimes driver and horse have to waitfor hours in the rain or frost, shivering with the cold, while the merrypeople within are dancing away to the music. I wonder if the beautifulladies ever think of the weary cabman waiting on his box, and hispatient beast standing, till his legs get stiff with cold. 

I had now most of the evening work, as I was well accustomed tostanding, and Jerry was also more afraid of Hotspur taking cold. We hada great deal of late work in the Christmas week, and Jerry's cough wasbad; but however late we were, Polly sat up for him, and came out with alantern to meet him, looking anxious and troubled. 

On the evening of the New Year we had to take two gentlemen to a housein one of the West End Squares. We set them down at nine o'clock, andwere told to come again at eleven, "but, " said one, "as it is a cardparty, you may have to wait a few minutes, but don't be late. "

As the clock struck eleven we were at the door, for Jerry was alwayspunctual. The clock chimed the quarters, one, two, three, and thenstruck twelve, but the door did not open. 

The wind had been very changeable, with squalls of rain during the day, but now it came on sharp, driving sleet, which seemed to come all theway round; it was very cold, and there was no shelter. Jerry got offhis box and came and pulled one of my cloths a little more over my neck;then he took a turn or two up and down, stamping his feet; then he beganto beat his arms, but that set him off coughing; so he opened the cabdoor and sat at the bottom with his feet on the pavement, and was alittle sheltered. Still the clock chimed the quarters, and no one came. At half-past twelve he rang the bell and asked the servant if he wouldbe wanted that night. 

"Oh, yes, you'll be wanted safe enough, " said the man; "you must not go, it will soon be over, " and again Jerry sat down, but his voice was sohoarse I could hardly hear him. 

At a quarter past one the door opened, and the two gentlemen came out;they got into the cab without a word, and told Jerry where to drive, that was nearly two miles. My legs were numb with cold, and I thoughtI should have stumbled. When the men got out they never said they weresorry to have kept us waiting so long, but were angry at the charge;however, as Jerry never charged more than was his due, so he never tookless, and they had to pay for the two hours and a quarter waiting; butit was hard-earned money to Jerry. 

At last we got home; he could hardly speak, and his cough was dreadful. Polly asked no questions, but opened the door and held the lantern forhim. 

"Can't I do something?" she said. 

"Yes; get Jack something warm, and then boil me some gruel. "

This was said in a hoarse whisper; he could hardly get his breath, buthe gave me a rub-down as usual, and even went up into the hayloft for anextra bundle of straw for my bed. Polly brought me a warm mash that mademe comfortable, and then they locked the door. 

It was late the next morning before any one came, and then it was onlyHarry. He cleaned us and fed us, and swept out the stalls, then he putthe straw back again as if it was Sunday. He was very still, and neitherwhistled nor sang. At noon he came again and gave us our food and water;this time Dolly came with him; she was crying, and I could gather fromwhat they said that Jerry was dangerously ill, and the doctor said itwas a bad case. So two days passed, and there was great trouble indoors. We only saw Harry, and sometimes Dolly. I think she came for company, for Polly was always with Jerry, and he had to be kept very quiet. 

On the third day, while Harry was in the stable, a tap came at the door, and Governor Grant came in. 

"I wouldn't go to the house, my boy, " he said, "but I want to know howyour father is. "

"He is very bad, " said Harry, "he can't be much worse; they callit 'bronchitis'; the doctor thinks it will turn one way or anotherto-night. "

"That's bad, very bad, " said Grant, shaking his head; "I know two menwho died of that last week; it takes 'em off in no time; but whilethere's life there's hope, so you must keep up your spirits. "

"Yes, " said Harry quickly, "and the doctor said that father had a betterchance than most men, because he didn't drink. He said yesterday thefever was so high that if father had been a drinking man it would haveburned him up like a piece of paper; but I believe he thinks he will getover it; don't you think he will, Mr. Grant?"

The governor looked puzzled. 

"If there's any rule that good men should get over these things, I'msure he will, my boy; he's the best man I know. I'll look in earlyto-morrow. "

Early next morning he was there. 

"Well?" said he. 

"Father is better, " said Harry. "Mother hopes he will get over it. "

"Thank God!" said the governor, "and now you must keep him warm, andkeep his mind easy, and that brings me to the horses; you see Jack willbe all the better for the rest of a week or two in a warm stable, andyou can easily take him a turn up and down the street to stretch hislegs; but this young one, if he does not get work, he will soon be allup on end, as you may say, and will be rather too much for you; and whenhe does go out there'll be an accident. "

"It is like that now, " said Harry. "I have kept him short of corn, buthe's so full of spirit I don't know what to do with him. "

"Just so, " said Grant. "Now look here, will you tell your mother thatif she is agreeable I will come for him every day till something isarranged, and take him for a good spell of work, and whatever he earns, I'll bring your mother half of it, and that will help with the horses'feed. Your father is in a good club, I know, but that won't keep thehorses, and they'll be eating their heads off all this time; I'll comeat noon and hear what she says, " and without waiting for Harry's thankshe was gone. 

At noon I think he went and saw Polly, for he and Harry came to thestable together, harnessed Hotspur, and took him out. 

For a week or more he came for Hotspur, and when Harry thanked him orsaid anything about his kindness, he laughed it off, saying it was allgood luck for him, for his horses were wanting a little rest which theywould not otherwise have had. 

Jerry grew better steadily, but the doctor said that he must never goback to the cab work again if he wished to be an old man. The childrenhad many consultations together about what father and mother would do, and how they could help to earn money. 

One afternoon Hotspur was brought in very wet and dirty. 

"The streets are nothing but slush, " said the governor; "it will giveyou a good warming, my boy, to get him clean and dry. "

"All right, governor, " said Harry, "I shall not leave him till he is;you know I have been trained by my father. "

"I wish all the boys had been trained like you, " said the governor. 

While Harry was sponging off the mud from Hotspur's body and legs Dollycame in, looking very full of something. 

"Who lives at Fairstowe, Harry? Mother has got a letter from Fairstowe;she seemed so glad, and ran upstairs to father with it. "

"Don't you know? Why, it is the name of Mrs. Fowler's place--mother'sold mistress, you know--the lady that father met last summer, who sentyou and me five shillings each. "

"Oh! Mrs. Fowler. Of course, I know all about her. I wonder what she iswriting to mother about. "

"Mother wrote to her last week, " said Harry; "you know she told fatherif ever he gave up the cab work she would like to know. I wonder whatshe says; run in and see, Dolly. "

Harry scrubbed away at Hotspur with a huish! huish! like any oldhostler. In a few minutes Dolly came dancing into the stable. 

"Oh! Harry, there never was anything so beautiful; Mrs. Fowler says weare all to go and live near her. There is a cottage now empty thatwill just suit us, with a garden and a henhouse, and apple-trees, andeverything! and her coachman is going away in the spring, and then shewill want father in his place; and there are good families round, whereyou can get a place in the garden or the stable, or as a page-boy;and there's a good school for me; and mother is laughing and crying byturns, and father does look so happy!"

"That's uncommon jolly, " said Harry, "and just the right thing, I shouldsay; it will suit father and mother both; but I don't intend to be apage-boy with tight clothes and rows of buttons. I'll be a groom or agardener. "

It was quickly settled that as soon as Jerry was well enough they shouldremove to the country, and that the cab and horses should be sold assoon as possible. 

This was heavy news for me, for I was not young now, and could not lookfor any improvement in my condition. Since I left Birtwick I had neverbeen so happy as with my dear master Jerry; but three years of cab work, even under the best conditions, will tell on one's strength, and I feltthat I was not the horse that I had been. 

Grant said at once that he would take Hotspur, and there were men on thestand who would have bought me; but Jerry said I should not go to cabwork again with just anybody, and the governor promised to find a placefor me where I should be comfortable. 

The day came for going away. Jerry had not been allowed to go out yet, and I never saw him after that New Year's eve. Polly and the childrencame to bid me good-by. "Poor old Jack! dear old Jack! I wish we couldtake you with us, " she said, and then laying her hand on my mane she puther face close to my neck and kissed me. Dolly was crying and kissedme too. Harry stroked me a great deal, but said nothing, only he seemedvery sad, and so I was led away to my new place. 

Part IV

46 Jakes and the Lady

I was sold to a corn dealer and baker, whom Jerry knew, and with him hethought I should have good food and fair work. In the first he was quiteright, and if my master had always been on the premises I do not thinkI should have been overloaded, but there was a foreman who was alwayshurrying and driving every one, and frequently when I had quite a fullload he would order something else to be taken on. My carter, whose namewas Jakes, often said it was more than I ought to take, but the otheralways overruled him. "'Twas no use going twice when once would do, andhe chose to get business forward. "

Jakes, like the other carters, always had the check-rein up, whichprevented me from drawing easily, and by the time I had been there threeor four months I found the work telling very much on my strength. 

One day I was loaded more than usual, and part of the road was a steepuphill. I used all my strength, but I could not get on, and was obligedcontinually to stop. This did not please my driver, and he laid his whipon badly. "Get on, you lazy fellow, " he said, "or I'll make you. "

Again I started the heavy load, and struggled on a few yards; again thewhip came down, and again I struggled forward. The pain of that greatcart whip was sharp, but my mind was hurt quite as much as my poorsides. To be punished and abused when I was doing my very best wasso hard it took the heart out of me. A third time he was flogging mecruelly, when a lady stepped quickly up to him, and said in a sweet, earnest voice:

"Oh! pray do not whip your good horse any more; I am sure he is doingall he can, and the road is very steep; I am sure he is doing his best. "

"If doing his best won't get this load up he must do something more thanhis best; that's all I know, ma'am, " said Jakes. 

"But is it not a heavy load?" she said. 

"Yes, yes, too heavy, " he said; "but that's not my fault; the foremancame just as we were starting, and would have three hundredweight moreput on to save him trouble, and I must get on with it as well as I can. "

He was raising the whip again, when the lady said:

"Pray, stop; I think I can help you if you will let me. "

The man laughed. 

"You see, " she said, "you do not give him a fair chance; he cannot useall his power with his head held back as it is with that check-rein; ifyou would take it off I am sure he would do better--do try it, " she saidpersuasively, "I should be very glad if you would. "

"Well, well, " said Jakes, with a short laugh, "anything to please alady, of course. How far would you wish it down, ma'am?"

"Quite down, give him his head altogether. "

The rein was taken off, and in a moment I put my head down to my veryknees. What a comfort it was! Then I tossed it up and down several timesto get the aching stiffness out of my neck. 

"Poor fellow! that is what you wanted, " said she, patting and strokingme with her gentle hand; "and now if you will speak kindly to him andlead him on I believe he will be able to do better. "

Jakes took the rein. "Come on, Blackie. " I put down my head, and threwmy whole weight against the collar; I spared no strength; the loadmoved on, and I pulled it steadily up the hill, and then stopped to takebreath. 

The lady had walked along the footpath, and now came across into theroad. She stroked and patted my neck, as I had not been patted for manya long day. 

"You see he was quite willing when you gave him the chance; I am sure heis a fine-tempered creature, and I dare say has known better days. Youwon't put that rein on again, will you?" for he was just going to hitchit up on the old plan. 

"Well, ma'am, I can't deny that having his head has helped him up thehill, and I'll remember it another time, and thank you, ma'am; but ifhe went without a check-rein I should be the laughing-stock of all thecarters; it is the fashion, you see. "

"Is it not better, " she said, "to lead a good fashion than to follow abad one? A great many gentlemen do not use check-reins now; our carriagehorses have not worn them for fifteen years, and work with much lessfatigue than those who have them; besides, " she added in a very seriousvoice, "we have no right to distress any of God's creatures without avery good reason; we call them dumb animals, and so they are, for theycannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because theyhave no words. But I must not detain you now; I thank you for tryingmy plan with your good horse, and I am sure you will find it far betterthan the whip. Good-day, " and with another soft pat on my neck shestepped lightly across the path, and I saw her no more. 

"That was a real lady, I'll be bound for it, " said Jakes to himself;"she spoke just as polite as if I was a gentleman, and I'll try herplan, uphill, at any rate;" and I must do him the justice to say thathe let my rein out several holes, and going uphill after that, he alwaysgave me my head; but the heavy loads went on. Good feed and fair restwill keep up one's strength under full work, but no horse can standagainst overloading; and I was getting so thoroughly pulled down fromthis cause that a younger horse was bought in my place. I may as wellmention here what I suffered at this time from another cause. I hadheard horses speak of it, but had never myself had experience of theevil; this was a badly-lighted stable; there was only one very smallwindow at the end, and the consequence was that the stalls were almostdark. 

Besides the depressing effect this had on my spirits, it very muchweakened my sight, and when I was suddenly brought out of the darknessinto the glare of daylight it was very painful to my eyes. Several timesI stumbled over the threshold, and could scarcely see where I was going. 

I believe, had I stayed there very long, I should have become purblind, and that would have been a great misfortune, for I have heard men saythat a stone-blind horse was safer to drive than one which had imperfectsight, as it generally makes them very timid. However, I escaped withoutany permanent injury to my sight, and was sold to a large cab owner. 

47 Hard Times

My new master I shall never forget; he had black eyes and a hooked nose, his mouth was as full of teeth as a bull-dog's, and his voice was asharsh as the grinding of cart wheels over graveled stones. His name wasNicholas Skinner, and I believe he was the man that poor Seedy Sam drovefor. 

I have heard men say that seeing is believing; but I should say thatfeeling is believing; for much as I had seen before, I never knew tillnow the utter misery of a cab-horse's life. 

Skinner had a low set of cabs and a low set of drivers; he was hard onthe men, and the men were hard on the horses. In this place we had noSunday rest, and it was in the heat of summer. 

Sometimes on a Sunday morning a party of fast men would hire the cab forthe day; four of them inside and another with the driver, and I had totake them ten or fifteen miles out into the country, and back again;never would any of them get down to walk up a hill, let it be everso steep, or the day ever so hot--unless, indeed, when the driver wasafraid I should not manage it, and sometimes I was so fevered and wornthat I could hardly touch my food. How I used to long for the nice branmash with niter in it that Jerry used to give us on Saturday nights inhot weather, that used to cool us down and make us so comfortable. Then we had two nights and a whole day for unbroken rest, and on Mondaymorning we were as fresh as young horses again; but here there was norest, and my driver was just as hard as his master. He had a cruel whipwith something so sharp at the end that it sometimes drew blood, and hewould even whip me under the belly, and flip the lash out at my head. Indignities like these took the heart out of me terribly, but still Idid my best and never hung back; for, as poor Ginger said, it was nouse; men are the strongest. 

My life was now so utterly wretched that I wished I might, like Ginger, drop down dead at my work and be out of my misery, and one day my wishvery nearly came to pass. 

I went on the stand at eight in the morning, and had done a good shareof work, when we had to take a fare to the railway. A long train wasjust expected in, so my driver pulled up at the back of some of theoutside cabs to take the chance of a return fare. It was a very heavytrain, and as all the cabs were soon engaged ours was called for. Therewas a party of four; a noisy, blustering man with a lady, a little boyand a young girl, and a great deal of luggage. The lady and the boy gotinto the cab, and while the man ordered about the luggage the young girlcame and looked at me. 

"Papa, " she said, "I am sure this poor horse cannot take us and all ourluggage so far, he is so very weak and worn up. Do look at him. "

"Oh! he's all right, miss, " said my driver, "he's strong enough. "

The porter, who was pulling about some heavy boxes, suggested to thegentleman, as there was so much luggage, whether he would not take asecond cab. 

"Can your horse do it, or can't he?" said the blustering man. 

"Oh! he can do it all right, sir; send up the boxes, porter; he couldtake more than that;" and he helped to haul up a box so heavy that Icould feel the springs go down. 

"Papa, papa, do take a second cab, " said the young girl in a beseechingtone. "I am sure we are wrong, I am sure it is very cruel. "

"Nonsense, Grace, get in at once, and don't make all this fuss; a prettything it would be if a man of business had to examine every cab-horsebefore he hired it--the man knows his own business of course; there, getin and hold your tongue!"

My gentle friend had to obey, and box after box was dragged up andlodged on the top of the cab or settled by the side of the driver. Atlast all was ready, and with his usual jerk at the rein and slash of thewhip he drove out of the station. 

The load was very heavy and I had had neither food nor rest sincemorning; but I did my best, as I always had done, in spite of crueltyand injustice. 

I got along fairly till we came to Ludgate Hill; but there the heavyload and my own exhaustion were too much. I was struggling to keep on, goaded by constant chucks of the rein and use of the whip, when in asingle moment--I cannot tell how--my feet slipped from under me, and Ifell heavily to the ground on my side; the suddenness and the forcewith which I fell seemed to beat all the breath out of my body. I layperfectly still; indeed, I had no power to move, and I thought now I wasgoing to die. I heard a sort of confusion round me, loud, angry voices, and the getting down of the luggage, but it was all like a dream. Ithought I heard that sweet, pitiful voice saying, "Oh! that poor horse!it is all our fault. " Some one came and loosened the throat strap ofmy bridle, and undid the traces which kept the collar so tight upon me. Some one said, "He's dead, he'll never get up again. " Then I could heara policeman giving orders, but I did not even open my eyes; I could onlydraw a gasping breath now and then. Some cold water was thrown overmy head, and some cordial was poured into my mouth, and something wascovered over me. I cannot tell how long I lay there, but I found my lifecoming back, and a kind-voiced man was patting me and encouraging me torise. After some more cordial had been given me, and after one or twoattempts, I staggered to my feet, and was gently led to some stableswhich were close by. Here I was put into a well-littered stall, and somewarm gruel was brought to me, which I drank thankfully. 

In the evening I was sufficiently recovered to be led back to Skinner'sstables, where I think they did the best for me they could. In themorning Skinner came with a farrier to look at me. He examined me veryclosely and said:

"This is a case of overwork more than disease, and if you could give hima run off for six months he would be able to work again; but now thereis not an ounce of strength left in him. "

"Then he must just go to the dogs, " said Skinner. "I have no meadows tonurse sick horses in--he might get well or he might not; that sort ofthing don't suit my business; my plan is to work 'em as long as they'llgo, and then sell 'em for what they'll fetch, at the knacker's orelsewhere. "

"If he was broken-winded, " said the farrier, "you had better have himkilled out of hand, but he is not; there is a sale of horses coming offin about ten days; if you rest him and feed him up he may pick up, andyou may get more than his skin is worth, at any rate. "

Upon this advice Skinner, rather unwillingly, I think, gave orders thatI should be well fed and cared for, and the stable man, happily for me, carried out the orders with a much better will than his master had ingiving them. Ten days of perfect rest, plenty of good oats, hay, bran mashes, with boiled linseed mixed in them, did more to get up mycondition than anything else could have done; those linseed mashes weredelicious, and I began to think, after all, it might be better to livethan go to the dogs. When the twelfth day after the accident came, Iwas taken to the sale, a few miles out of London. I felt that any changefrom my present place must be an improvement, so I held up my head, andhoped for the best. 

48 Farmer Thoroughgood and His Grandson Willie

At this sale, of course I found myself in company with the oldbroken-down horses--some lame, some broken-winded, some old, and somethat I am sure it would have been merciful to shoot. 

The buyers and sellers, too, many of them, looked not much better offthan the poor beasts they were bargaining about. There were poor oldmen, trying to get a horse or a pony for a few pounds, that might dragabout some little wood or coal cart. There were poor men trying to sella worn-out beast for two or three pounds, rather than have the greaterloss of killing him. Some of them looked as if poverty and hard timeshad hardened them all over; but there were others that I would havewillingly used the last of my strength in serving; poor and shabby, butkind and human, with voices that I could trust. There was one totteringold man who took a great fancy to me, and I to him, but I was not strongenough--it was an anxious time! Coming from the better part of the fair, I noticed a man who looked like a gentleman farmer, with a young boy byhis side; he had a broad back and round shoulders, a kind, ruddy face, and he wore a broad-brimmed hat. When he came up to me and my companionshe stood still and gave a pitiful look round upon us. I saw his eyerest on me; I had still a good mane and tail, which did something for myappearance. I pricked my ears and looked at him. 

"There's a horse, Willie, that has known better days. "

"Poor old fellow!" said the boy, "do you think, grandpapa, he was ever acarriage horse?"

"Oh, yes! my boy, " said the farmer, coming closer, "he might have beenanything when he was young; look at his nostrils and his ears, the shapeof his neck and shoulder; there's a deal of breeding about that horse. "He put out his hand and gave me a kind pat on the neck. I put out mynose in answer to his kindness; the boy stroked my face. 

"Poor old fellow! see, grandpapa, how well he understands kindness. Could not you buy him and make him young again as you did withLadybird?"

"My dear boy, I can't make all old horses young; besides, Ladybird wasnot so very old, as she was run down and badly used. "

"Well, grandpapa, I don't believe that this one is old; look at his maneand tail. I wish you would look into his mouth, and then you could tell;though he is so very thin, his eyes are not sunk like some old horses'. "

The old gentleman laughed. "Bless the boy! he is as horsey as his oldgrandfather. "

"But do look at his mouth, grandpapa, and ask the price; I am sure hewould grow young in our meadows. "

The man who had brought me for sale now put in his word. 

"The young gentleman's a real knowing one, sir. Now the fact is, this'ere hoss is just pulled down with overwork in the cabs; he's not an oldone, and I heerd as how the vetenary should say, that a six months' runoff would set him right up, being as how his wind was not broken. I've had the tending of him these ten days past, and a gratefuller, pleasanter animal I never met with, and 'twould be worth a gentleman'swhile to give a five-pound note for him, and let him have a chance. I'llbe bound he'd be worth twenty pounds next spring. "

The old gentleman laughed, and the little boy looked up eagerly. 

"Oh, grandpapa, did you not say the colt sold for five pounds more thanyou expected? You would not be poorer if you did buy this one. "

The farmer slowly felt my legs, which were much swelled and strained;then he looked at my mouth. "Thirteen or fourteen, I should say; justtrot him out, will you?"

I arched my poor thin neck, raised my tail a little, and threw out mylegs as well as I could, for they were very stiff. 

"What is the lowest you will take for him?" said the farmer as I cameback. 

"Five pounds, sir; that was the lowest price my master set. "

"'Tis a speculation, " said the old gentleman, shaking his head, but atthe same time slowly drawing out his purse, "quite a speculation! Haveyou any more business here?" he said, counting the sovereigns into hishand. 

"No, sir, I can take him for you to the inn, if you please. "

"Do so, I am now going there. "

They walked forward, and I was led behind. The boy could hardly controlhis delight, and the old gentleman seemed to enjoy his pleasure. I had agood feed at the inn, and was then gently ridden home by a servant of mynew master's, and turned into a large meadow with a shed in one cornerof it. 

Mr. Thoroughgood, for that was the name of my benefactor, gave ordersthat I should have hay and oats every night and morning, and the run ofthe meadow during the day, and, "you, Willie, " said he, "must take theoversight of him; I give him in charge to you. "

The boy was proud of his charge, and undertook it in all seriousness. There was not a day when he did not pay me a visit; sometimes pickingme out from among the other horses, and giving me a bit of carrot, orsomething good, or sometimes standing by me while I ate my oats. Healways came with kind words and caresses, and of course I grew very fondof him. He called me Old Crony, as I used to come to him in the fieldand follow him about. Sometimes he brought his grandfather, who alwayslooked closely at my legs. 

"This is our point, Willie, " he would say; "but he is improving sosteadily that I think we shall see a change for the better in thespring. "

The perfect rest, the good food, the soft turf, and gentle exercise, soon began to tell on my condition and my spirits. I had a goodconstitution from my mother, and I was never strained when I was young, so that I had a better chance than many horses who have been workedbefore they came to their full strength. During the winter my legsimproved so much that I began to feel quite young again. The spring cameround, and one day in March Mr. Thoroughgood determined that he wouldtry me in the phaeton. I was well pleased, and he and Willie drove me afew miles. My legs were not stiff now, and I did the work with perfectease. 

"He's growing young, Willie; we must give him a little gentle work now, and by mid-summer he will be as good as Ladybird. He has a beautifulmouth and good paces; they can't be better. "

"Oh, grandpapa, how glad I am you bought him!"

"So am I, my boy; but he has to thank you more than me; we must nowbe looking out for a quiet, genteel place for him, where he will bevalued. "

49 My Last Home

One day during this summer the groom cleaned and dressed me with suchextraordinary care that I thought some new change must be at hand; hetrimmed my fetlocks and legs, passed the tarbrush over my hoofs, andeven parted my forelock. I think the harness had an extra polish. Willieseemed half-anxious, half-merry, as he got into the chaise with hisgrandfather. 

"If the ladies take to him, " said the old gentleman, "they'll be suitedand he'll be suited. We can but try. "

At the distance of a mile or two from the village we came to a pretty, low house, with a lawn and shrubbery at the front and a drive up to thedoor. Willie rang the bell, and asked if Miss Blomefield or Miss Ellenwas at home. Yes, they were. So, while Willie stayed with me, Mr. Thoroughgood went into the house. In about ten minutes he returned, followed by three ladies; one tall, pale lady, wrapped in a white shawl, leaned on a younger lady, with dark eyes and a merry face; the other, a very stately-looking person, was Miss Blomefield. They all cameand looked at me and asked questions. The younger lady--that was MissEllen--took to me very much; she said she was sure she should like me, Ihad such a good face. The tall, pale lady said that she should alwaysbe nervous in riding behind a horse that had once been down, as I mightcome down again, and if I did she should never get over the fright. 

"You see, ladies, " said Mr. Thoroughgood, "many first-rate horses havehad their knees broken through the carelessness of their drivers withoutany fault of their own, and from what I see of this horse I should saythat is his case; but of course I do not wish to influence you. If youincline you can have him on trial, and then your coachman will see whathe thinks of him. "

"You have always been such a good adviser to us about our horses, " saidthe stately lady, "that your recommendation would go a long way with me, and if my sister Lavinia sees no objection we will accept your offer ofa trial, with thanks. "

It was then arranged that I should be sent for the next day. 

In the morning a smart-looking young man came for me. At first he lookedpleased; but when he saw my knees he said in a disappointed voice:

"I didn't think, sir, you would have recommended my ladies a blemishedhorse like that. "

"'Handsome is that handsome does', " said my master; "you are only takinghim on trial, and I am sure you will do fairly by him, young man. If heis not as safe as any horse you ever drove send him back. "

I was led to my new home, placed in a comfortable stable, fed, and leftto myself. The next day, when the groom was cleaning my face, he said:

"That is just like the star that 'Black Beauty' had; he is much the sameheight, too. I wonder where he is now. "

A little further on he came to the place in my neck where I was bled andwhere a little knot was left in the skin. He almost started, and beganto look me over carefully, talking to himself. 

"White star in the forehead, one white foot on the off side, this littleknot just in that place;" then looking at the middle of my back--"and, as I am alive, there is that little patch of white hair that John usedto call 'Beauty's three-penny bit'. It must be 'Black Beauty'! Why, Beauty! Beauty! do you know me?--little Joe Green, that almost killedyou?" And he began patting and patting me as if he was quite overjoyed. 

I could not say that I remembered him, for now he was a fine grown youngfellow, with black whiskers and a man's voice, but I was sure he knewme, and that he was Joe Green, and I was very glad. I put my nose upto him, and tried to say that we were friends. I never saw a man sopleased. 

"Give you a fair trial! I should think so indeed! I wonder who therascal was that broke your knees, my old Beauty! you must have beenbadly served out somewhere; well, well, it won't be my fault if youhaven't good times of it now. I wish John Manly was here to see you. "

In the afternoon I was put into a low park chair and brought to thedoor. Miss Ellen was going to try me, and Green went with her. I soonfound that she was a good driver, and she seemed pleased with my paces. I heard Joe telling her about me, and that he was sure I was SquireGordon's old "Black Beauty". 

When we returned the other sisters came out to hear how I had behavedmyself. She told them what she had just heard, and said:

"I shall certainly write to Mrs. Gordon, and tell her that her favoritehorse has come to us. How pleased she will be!"

After this I was driven every day for a week or so, and as I appearedto be quite safe, Miss Lavinia at last ventured out in the small closecarriage. After this it was quite decided to keep me and call me by myold name of "Black Beauty". 

I have now lived in this happy place a whole year. Joe is the best andkindest of grooms. My work is easy and pleasant, and I feel my strengthand spirits all coming back again. Mr. Thoroughgood said to Joe theother day:

"In your place he will last till he is twenty years old--perhaps more. "

Willie always speaks to me when he can, and treats me as his specialfriend. My ladies have promised that I shall never be sold, and so Ihave nothing to fear; and here my story ends. My troubles are all over, and I am at home; and often before I am quite awake, I fancy I am stillin the orchard at Birtwick, standing with my old friends under theapple-trees.