English
Ineverknewabettermanthanmynewmaster.
Hewaskindandgood,andasstrongfortherightasJohnManly;andsogood-temperedandmerrythatveryfewpeoplecouldpickaquarrelwithhim.
Hewasveryfondofmakinglittlesongs,andsingingthemtohimself.Onehewasveryfondofwasthis:
"Come,fatherandmother,
Andsisterandbrother,
Come,allofyou,turnto
Andhelponeanother."
Andsotheydid;Harrywasascleveratstable-workasamucholderboy,andalwayswantedtodowhathecould.
ThenPollyandDollyusedtocomeinthemorningtohelpwiththecab—tobrushandbeatthecushions,andrubtheglass,whileJerrywasgivingusacleaningintheyard,andHarrywasrubbingtheharness.
Thereusedtobeagreatdealoflaughingandfunbetweenthem,anditputCaptainandmeinmuchbetterspiritsthanifwehadheardscoldingandhardwords.
Theywerealwaysearlyinthemorning,forJerrywouldsay:
"Ifyouinthemorning
Throwminutesaway,
Youcan'tpickthemup
Inthecourseofaday.
Youmayhurryandscurry,
Andflurryandworry,
You'velostthemforever,
Foreverandaye."
Hecouldnotbearanycarelessloiteringandwasteoftime;andnothingwassonearmakinghimangryastofindpeople,whowerealwayslate,wantingacabhorsetobedrivenhard,tomakeupfortheiridleness.
Onedaytwowild-lookingyoungmencameoutofatavernclosebythestand,andcalledJerry.
"Here,cabby!looksharp,weareratherlate;putonthesteam,willyou,andtakeustotheVictoriaintimefortheoneo'clocktrain?Youshallhaveashillingextra."
"Iwilltakeyouattheregularpace,gentlemen;shillingsdon'tpayforputtingonthesteamlikethat."
Larry'scabwasstandingnexttoours;heflungopenthedoor,andsaid,"I'myourman,gentlemen!
takemycab,myhorsewillgetyouthereallright;"andasheshutthemin,withawinktowardJerry,said,"It'sagainsthisconsciencetogobeyondajog-trot."
Thenslashinghisjadedhorse,hesetoffashardashecould.
Jerrypattedmeontheneck:"No,Jack,ashillingwouldnotpayforthatsortofthing,wouldit,oldboy?"
AlthoughJerrywasdeterminedlysetagainstharddriving,topleasecarelesspeople,healwayswentagoodfairpace,andwasnotagainstputtingonthesteam,ashesaid,ifonlyheknewwhy.
Iwellrememberonemorning,aswewereonthestandwaitingforafare,thatayoungman,carryingaheavyportmanteau,trodonapieceoforangepeelwhichlayonthepavement,andfelldownwithgreatforce.
Jerrywasthefirsttorunandlifthimup.
Heseemedmuchstunned,andastheyledhimintoashophewalkedasifhewereingreatpain.
Jerryofcoursecamebacktothestand,butinabouttenminutesoneoftheshopmencalledhim,sowedrewuptothepavement.
"CanyoutakemetotheSouth-EasternRailway?"
saidtheyoungman;"thisunluckyfallhasmademelate,Ifear;butitisofgreatimportancethatIshouldnotlosethetwelveo'clocktrain.
Ishouldbemostthankfulifyoucouldgetmethereintime,andwillgladlypayyouanextrafare."
"I'lldomyverybest,"saidJerryheartily,"ifyouthinkyouarewellenough,sir,"forhelookeddreadfullywhiteandill.
"Imustgo,"hesaidearnestly,"pleasetoopenthedoor,andletuslosenotime."
ThenextminuteJerrywasonthebox;withacheerychirruptome,andatwitchofthereinthatIwellunderstood.
"Nowthen,Jack,myboy,"saidhe,"spinalong,we'llshowthemhowwecangetovertheground,ifweonlyknowwhy."
Itisalwaysdifficulttodrivefastinthecityinthemiddleoftheday,whenthestreetsarefulloftraffic,butwedidwhatcouldbedone;andwhenagooddriverandagoodhorse,whounderstandeachother,areofonemind,itiswonderfulwhattheycando.
Ihadaverygoodmouth—thatisIcouldbeguidedbytheslightesttouchoftherein;andthatisagreatthinginLondon,amongcarriages,omnibuses,carts,vans,trucks,cabs,andgreatwagonscreepingalongatawalkingpace;somegoingoneway,someanother,somegoingslowly,otherswantingtopassthem;omnibusesstoppingshorteveryfewminutestotakeupapassenger,obligingthehorsethatiscomingbehindtopulluptoo,ortopass,andgetbeforethem;perhapsyoutrytopass,butjustthensomethingelsecomesdashinginthroughthenarrowopening,andyouhavetokeepinbehindtheomnibusagain;presentlyyouthinkyouseeachance,andmanagetogettothefront,goingsonearthewheelsoneachsidethathalfaninchnearerandtheywouldscrape.
Well,yougetalongforabit,butsoonfindyourselfinalongtrainofcartsandcarriagesallobligedtogoatawalk;perhapsyoucometoaregularblock-up,andhavetostandstillforminutestogether,tillsomethingclearsoutintoasidestreet,orthepolicemaninterferes;youhavetobereadyforanychance—todashforwardiftherebeanopening,andbequickasarat-dogtoseeifthereberoomandiftherebetime,lestyougetyourownwheelslockedorsmashed,ortheshaftofsomeothervehiclerunintoyourchestorshoulder.
Allthisiswhatyouhavetobereadyfor.
IfyouwanttogetthroughLondonfastinthemiddleofthedayitwantsadealofpractice.
JerryandIwereusedtoit,andnoonecouldbeatusatgettingthroughwhenweweresetuponit.
Iwasquickandboldandcouldalwaystrustmydriver;Jerrywasquickandpatientatthesametime,andcouldtrusthishorse,whichwasagreatthingtoo.
Heveryseldomusedthewhip;Iknewbyhisvoice,andhisclick,click,whenhewantedtogetonfast,andbythereinwhereIwastogo;sotherewasnoneedforwhipping;butImustgobacktomystory.
Thestreetswereveryfullthatday,butwegotonprettywellasfarasthebottomofCheapside,wheretherewasablockforthreeorfourminutes.
Theyoungmanputhisheadoutandsaidanxiously,"IthinkIhadbettergetoutandwalk;Ishallnevergetthereifthisgoeson."
"I'lldoallthatcanbedone,sir,"saidJerry;"Ithinkweshallbeintime.Thisblock-upcannotlastmuchlonger,andyourluggageisveryheavyforyoutocarry,sir."
Justthenthecartinfrontofusbegantomoveon,andthenwehadagoodturn.
Inandout,inandoutwewent,asfastashorsefleshcoulddoit,andforawonderhadagoodcleartimeonLondonBridge,fortherewasawholetrainofcabsandcarriagesallgoingourwayataquicktrot,perhapswantingtocatchthatverytrain.
Atanyrate,wewhirledintothestationwithmanymore,justasthegreatclockpointedtoeightminutestotwelveo'clock.
"ThankGod!weareintime,"saidtheyoungman,"andthankyou,too,myfriend,andyourgoodhorse.Youhavesavedmemorethanmoneycaneverpayfor.Takethisextrahalf-crown."
"No,sir,no,thankyouallthesame;sogladwehitthetime,sir;butdon'tstaynow,sir,thebellisringing.Here,porter!
takethisgentleman'sluggage—Doverlinetwelveo'clocktrain—that'sit,"andwithoutwaitingforanotherwordJerrywheeledmeroundtomakeroomforothercabsthatweredashingupatthelastminute,anddrewupononesidetillthecrushwaspast.
"'Soglad!'hesaid,'soglad!'Pooryoungfellow!Iwonderwhatitwasthatmadehimsoanxious!"
Jerryoftentalkedtohimselfquiteloudenoughformetohearwhenwewerenotmoving.
OnJerry'sreturntotheranktherewasagooddealoflaughingandchaffingathimfordrivinghardtothetrainforanextrafare,astheysaid,allagainsthisprinciples,andtheywantedtoknowhowmuchhehadpocketed.
"AgooddealmorethanIgenerallyget,"saidhe,noddingslyly;"whathegavemewillkeepmeinlittlecomfortsforseveraldays."
"Gammon!"saidone.
"He'sahumbug,"saidanother;"preachingtousandthendoingthesamehimself."
"Lookhere,mates,"saidJerry;"thegentlemanofferedmehalfacrownextra,butIdidn'ttakeit;'twasquitepayenoughformetoseehowgladhewastocatchthattrain;andifJackandIchoosetohaveaquickrunnowandthentopleaseourselves,that'sourbusinessandnotyours."
"Well,"saidLarry,"you'llneverbearichman."
"Mostlikelynot,"saidJerry;"butIdon'tknowthatIshallbethelesshappyforthat.
IhaveheardthecommandmentsreadagreatmanytimesandInevernoticedthatanyofthemsaid,'Thoushaltberich';andthereareagoodmanycuriousthingssaidintheNewTestamentaboutrichmenthatIthinkwouldmakemefeelratherqueerifIwasoneofthem."
"Ifyoueverdogetrich,"saidGovernorGray,lookingoverhisshoulderacrossthetopofhiscab,"you'lldeserveit,Jerry,andyouwon'tfindacursecomewithyourwealth.
Asforyou,Larry,you'lldiepoor;youspendtoomuchinwhipcord."
"Well,"saidLarry,"whatisafellowtodoifhishorsewon'tgowithoutit?"
"Younevertakethetroubletoseeifhewillgowithoutit;yourwhipisalwaysgoingasifyouhadtheSt.Vitus'danceinyourarm,andifitdoesnotwearyououtitwearsyourhorseout;youknowyouarealwayschangingyourhorses;andwhy?
Becauseyounevergivethemanypeaceorencouragement."
"Well,Ihavenothadgoodluck,"saidLarry,"that'swhereitis."
"Andyouneverwill,"saidthegovernor."GoodLuckisratherparticularwhosherideswith,andmostlyprefersthosewhohavegotcommonsenseandagoodheart;atleastthatismyexperience."
GovernorGrayturnedroundagaintohisnewspaper,andtheothermenwenttotheircabs.
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