English
Mr.Blomefield,thevicar,hadalargefamilyofboysandgirls;sometimestheyusedtocomeandplaywithMissJessieandFlora.
OneofthegirlswasasoldasMissJessie;twooftheboyswereolder,andtherewereseverallittleones.
WhentheycametherewasplentyofworkforMerrylegs,fornothingpleasedthemsomuchasgettingonhimbyturnsandridinghimallabouttheorchardandthehomepaddock,andthistheywoulddobythehourtogether.
Oneafternoonhehadbeenoutwiththemalongtime,andwhenJamesbroughthiminandputonhishalterhesaid:
"There,yourogue,mindhowyoubehaveyourself,orweshallgetintotrouble."
"Whathaveyoubeendoing,Merrylegs?"Iasked.
"Oh!"saidhe,tossinghislittlehead,"Ihaveonlybeengivingthoseyoungpeoplealesson;theydidnotknowwhentheyhadhadenough,norwhenIhadhadenough,soIjustpitchedthemoffbackward;thatwastheonlythingtheycouldunderstand."
"What!"saidI,"youthrewthechildrenoff?Ithoughtyoudidknowbetterthanthat!DidyouthrowMissJessieorMissFlora?"
Helookedverymuchoffended,andsaid:
"Ofcoursenot;Iwouldnotdosuchathingforthebestoatsthatevercameintothestable;why,Iamascarefulofouryoungladiesasthemastercouldbe,andasforthelittleonesitisIwhoteachthemtoride.
WhentheyseemfrightenedoralittleunsteadyonmybackIgoassmoothandasquietasoldpussywhensheisafterabird;andwhentheyareallrightIgoonagainfaster,yousee,justtousethemtoit;sodon'tyoutroubleyourselfpreachingtome;Iamthebestfriendandthebestriding-masterthosechildrenhave.
Itisnotthem,itistheboys;boys,"saidhe,shakinghismane,"arequitedifferent;theymustbebrokeninaswewerebrokeninwhenwewerecolts,andjustbetaughtwhat'swhat.
Theotherchildrenhadriddenmeaboutfornearlytwohours,andthentheboysthoughtitwastheirturn,andsoitwas,andIwasquiteagreeable.
Theyrodemebyturns,andIgallopedthemabout,upanddownthefieldsandallabouttheorchard,foragoodhour.
Theyhadeachcutagreathazelstickforariding-whip,andlaiditonalittletoohard;butItookitingoodpart,tillatlastIthoughtwehadhadenough,soIstoppedtwoorthreetimesbywayofahint.
Boys,yousee,thinkahorseorponyislikeasteam-engineorathrashing-machine,andcangoonaslongandasfastastheyplease;theyneverthinkthataponycangettired,orhaveanyfeelings;soastheonewhowaswhippingmecouldnotunderstandIjustroseuponmyhindlegsandlethimslipoffbehind—thatwasall.
Hemountedmeagain,andIdidthesame.
Thentheotherboygotup,andassoonashebegantousehisstickIlaidhimonthegrass,andsoon,tilltheywereabletounderstand—thatwasall.
Theyarenotbadboys;theydon'twishtobecruel.
Ilikethemverywell;butyouseeIhadtogivethemalesson.
WhentheybroughtmetoJamesandtoldhimIthinkhewasveryangrytoseesuchbigsticks.
Hesaidtheywereonlyfitfordroversorgypsies,andnotforyounggentlemen."
"IfIhadbeenyou,"saidGinger,"Iwouldhavegiventhoseboysagoodkick,andthatwouldhavegiventhemalesson."
"Nodoubtyouwould,"saidMerrylegs;"butthenIamnotquitesuchafool(beggingyourpardon)astoangerourmasterormakeJamesashamedofme.
Besides,thosechildrenareundermychargewhentheyareriding;Itellyoutheyareintrustedtome.
Why,onlytheotherdayIheardourmastersaytoMrs.Blomefield,'Mydearmadam,youneednotbeanxiousaboutthechildren;myoldMerrylegswilltakeasmuchcareofthemasyouorIcould;IassureyouIwouldnotsellthatponyforanymoney,heissoperfectlygood-temperedandtrustworthy;'anddoyouthinkIamsuchanungratefulbruteastoforgetallthekindtreatmentIhavehadhereforfiveyears,andallthetrusttheyplaceinme,andturnviciousbecauseacoupleofignorantboysusedmebadly?
No,no!
youneverhadagoodplacewheretheywerekindtoyou,andsoyoudon'tknow,andI'msorryforyou;butIcantellyougoodplacesmakegoodhorses.
Iwouldn'tvexourpeopleforanything;Ilovethem,Ido,"saidMerrylegs,andhegavealow"ho,ho,ho!"
throughhisnose,asheusedtodointhemorningwhenheheardJames'footstepatthedoor.
"Besides,"hewenton,"ifItooktokickingwhereshouldIbe?
Why,soldoffinajiffy,andnocharacter,andImightfindmyselfslavedaboutunderabutcher'sboy,orworkedtodeathatsomeseasideplacewherenoonecaredforme,excepttofindouthowfastIcouldgo,orbefloggedalonginsomecartwiththreeorfourgreatmeninitgoingoutforaSundayspree,asIhaveoftenseenintheplaceIlivedinbeforeIcamehere;no,"saidhe,shakinghishead,"IhopeIshallnevercometothat."
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