English
OnedaywhenJohnandIhadbeenoutonsomebusinessofourmaster's,andwerereturninggentlyonalong,straightroad,atsomedistancewesawaboytryingtoleapaponyoveragate;theponywouldnottaketheleap,andtheboycuthimwiththewhip,butheonlyturnedoffononeside.
Hewhippedhimagain,buttheponyturnedoffontheotherside.
Thentheboygotoffandgavehimahardthrashing,andknockedhimaboutthehead;thenhegotupagainandtriedtomakehimleapthegate,kickinghimallthetimeshamefully,butstilltheponyrefused.
Whenwewerenearlyatthespottheponyputdownhisheadandthrewuphisheels,andsenttheboyneatlyoverintoabroadquicksethedge,andwiththereindanglingfromhisheadhesetoffhomeatafullgallop.Johnlaughedoutquiteloud."Servedhimright,"hesaid.
"Oh,oh,oh!"criedtheboyashestruggledaboutamongthethorns;"Isay,comeandhelpmeout."
"Thankye,"saidJohn,"Ithinkyouarequiteintherightplace,andmaybealittlescratchingwillteachyounottoleapaponyoveragatethatistoohighforhim,"andsowiththatJohnrodeoff.
"Itmaybe,"saidhetohimself,"thatyoungfellowisaliaraswellasacruelone;we'lljustgohomebyFarmerBushby's,Beauty,andthenifanybodywantstoknowyouandIcantell'em,yesee."
Soweturnedofftotheright,andsooncameuptothestack-yard,andwithinsightofthehouse.
Thefarmerwashurryingoutintotheroad,andhiswifewasstandingatthegate,lookingveryfrightened.
"Haveyouseenmyboy?"saidMr.Bushbyaswecameup;"hewentoutanhouragoonmyblackpony,andthecreatureisjustcomebackwithoutarider."
"Ishouldthink,sir,"saidJohn,"hehadbetterbewithoutarider,unlesshecanberiddenproperly."
"Whatdoyoumean?"saidthefarmer.
"Well,sir,Isawyoursonwhipping,andkicking,andknockingthatgoodlittleponyaboutshamefullybecausehewouldnotleapagatethatwastoohighforhim.
Theponybehavedwell,sir,andshowednovice;butatlasthejustthrewuphisheelsandtippedtheyounggentlemanintothethornhedge.
Hewantedmetohelphimout,butIhopeyouwillexcuseme,sir,Ididnotfeelinclinedtodoso.
There'snobonesbroken,sir;he'llonlygetafewscratches.
Ilovehorses,anditrilesmetoseethembadlyused;itisabadplantoaggravateananimaltillheuseshisheels;thefirsttimeisnotalwaysthelast."
Duringthistimethemotherbegantocry,"Oh,mypoorBill,Imustgoandmeethim;hemustbehurt."
"Youhadbettergointothehouse,wife,"saidthefarmer;"Billwantsalessonaboutthis,andImustseethathegetsit;thisisnotthefirsttime,northesecond,thathehasill-usedthatpony,andIshallstopit.Iammuchobligedtoyou,Manly.Good-evening."
Sowewenton,Johnchucklingallthewayhome;thenhetoldJamesaboutit,wholaughedandsaid,"Servehimright.
Iknewthatboyatschool;hetookgreatairsonhimselfbecausehewasafarmer'sson;heusedtoswaggeraboutandbullythelittleboys.
Ofcourse,weelderoneswouldnothaveanyofthatnonsense,andlethimknowthatintheschoolandtheplaygroundfarmers'sonsandlaborers'sonswereallalike.
Iwellrememberoneday,justbeforeafternoonschool,Ifoundhimatthelargewindowcatchingfliesandpullingofftheirwings.
HedidnotseemeandIgavehimaboxontheearsthatlaidhimsprawlingonthefloor.
Well,angryasIwas,Iwasalmostfrightened,heroaredandbellowedinsuchastyle.
Theboysrushedinfromtheplayground,andthemasterraninfromtheroadtoseewhowasbeingmurdered.
OfcourseIsaidfairandsquareatoncewhatIhaddone,andwhy;thenIshowedthemastertheflies,somecrushedandsomecrawlingabouthelpless,andIshowedhimthewingsonthewindowsill.
Ineversawhimsoangrybefore;butasBillwasstillhowlingandwhining,likethecowardthathewas,hedidnotgivehimanymorepunishmentofthatkind,butsethimuponastoolfortherestoftheafternoon,andsaidthatheshouldnotgoouttoplayforthatweek.
Thenhetalkedtoalltheboysveryseriouslyaboutcruelty,andsaidhowhard-heartedandcowardlyitwastohurttheweakandthehelpless;butwhatstuckinmymindwasthis,hesaidthatcrueltywasthedevil'sowntrade-mark,andifwesawanyonewhotookpleasureincrueltywemightknowwhohebelongedto,forthedevilwasamurdererfromthebeginning,andatormentortotheend.
Ontheotherhand,wherewesawpeoplewholovedtheirneighbors,andwerekindtomanandbeast,wemightknowthatwasGod'smark."
"Yourmasternevertaughtyouatruerthing,"saidJohn;"thereisnoreligionwithoutlove,andpeoplemaytalkasmuchastheylikeabouttheirreligion,butifitdoesnotteachthemtobegoodandkindtomanandbeastitisallasham—allasham,James,anditwon'tstandwhenthingscometobeturnedinsideout."
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