"Ithasallcomeright,Jerry;Mrs.Briggssentherservantthisafternoontoaskyoutotakeheroutto-morrowateleveno'clock.
"'Well,'saidhe,'therealfactis,masterwasputoutbecauseMr.BarkerrefusedtocomeonSundays,andhehasbeentryingothercabs,butthere'ssomethingwrongwiththemall;somedrivetoofast,andsometooslow,andthemistresssaysthereisnotoneofthemsoniceandcleanasyours,andnothingwillsuitherbutMr.Barker'scabagain.'"
"''Twillallcomerightsomedayornight':youwereright,mydear;yougenerallyare.Runinandgetthesupper,andI'llhaveJack'sharnessoffandmakehimsnugandhappyinnotime."
AfterthisMrs.BriggswantedJerry'scabquiteasoftenasbefore,never,however,onaSunday;buttherecameadaywhenwehadSundaywork,andthiswashowithappened.
WehadallcomehomeontheSaturdaynightverytired,andverygladtothinkthatthenextdaywouldbeallrest,butsoitwasnottobe.
"Well,mydear,"shesaid,"poorDinahBrownhasjusthadaletterbroughttosaythathermotherisdangerouslyill,andthatshemustgodirectlyifshewishestoseeheralive.
Theplaceismorethantenmilesawayfromhere,outinthecountry,andshesaysifshetakesthetrainsheshouldstillhavefourmilestowalk;andsoweakassheis,andthebabyonlyfourweeksold,ofcoursethatwouldbeimpossible;andshewantstoknowifyouwouldtakeherinyourcab,andshepromisestopayyoufaithfully,asshecangetthemoney."
"Tut,tut!we'llseeaboutthat.ItwasnotthemoneyIwasthinkingabout,butoflosingourSunday;thehorsesaretired,andIamtired,too—that'swhereitpinches."
"Itpinchesallround,forthatmatter,"saidPolly,"forit'sonlyhalfSundaywithoutyou,butyouknowweshoulddotootherpeopleasweshouldliketheyshoulddotous;andIknowverywellwhatIshouldlikeifmymotherwasdying;andJerry,dear,Iamsureitwon'tbreaktheSabbath;forifpullingapoorbeastordonkeyoutofapitwouldnotspoilit,IamquitesuretakingpoorDinahwouldnotdoit."
"Why,Polly,youareasgoodastheminister,andso,asI'vehadmySunday-morningsermonearlyto-day,youmaygoandtellDinahthatI'llbereadyforherastheclockstrikesten;butstop—juststeproundtobutcherBraydon'swithmycompliments,andaskhimifhewouldlendmehislighttrap;IknowheneverusesitontheSunday,anditwouldmakeawonderfuldifferencetothehorse."
"AndI'llhavethemeatpiereadyforanearlyteainsteadoffordinner,"saidPolly;andawayshewent,whilehemadehispreparationstothetuneof"Polly'sthewomanandnomistake",ofwhichtunehewasveryfond.
Iwasselectedforthejourney,andatteno'clockwestarted,inalight,high-wheeledgig,whichransoeasilythatafterthefour-wheeledcabitseemedlikenothing.
ItwasafineMayday,andassoonaswewereoutofthetown,thesweetair,thesmellofthefreshgrass,andthesoftcountryroadswereaspleasantastheyusedtobeintheoldtimes,andIsoonbegantofeelquitefresh.
Dinah'sfamilylivedinasmallfarmhouse,upagreenlane,closebyameadowwithsomefineshadytrees;thereweretwocowsfeedinginit.
AyoungmanaskedJerrytobringhistrapintothemeadow,andhewouldtiemeupinthecowshed;hewishedhehadabetterstabletooffer.
"Ifyourcowswouldnotbeoffended,"saidJerry,"thereisnothingmyhorsewouldlikesowellastohaveanhourortwoinyourbeautifulmeadow;he'squiet,anditwouldbeararetreatforhim."
"Do,andwelcome,"saidtheyoungman;"thebestwehaveisatyourserviceforyourkindnesstomysister;weshallbehavingsomedinnerinanhour,andIhopeyou'llcomein,thoughwithmothersoillwearealloutofsortsinthehouse."
Jerrythankedhimkindly,butsaidashehadsomedinnerwithhimtherewasnothingheshouldlikesowellaswalkingaboutinthemeadow.
WhenmyharnesswastakenoffIdidnotknowwhatIshoulddofirst—whethertoeatthegrass,orrolloveronmyback,orliedownandrest,orhaveagallopacrossthemeadowoutofsheerspiritsatbeingfree;andIdidallbyturns.
JerryseemedtobequiteashappyasIwas;hesatdownbyabankunderashadytree,andlistenedtothebirds,thenhesanghimself,andreadoutofthelittlebrownbookheissofondof,thenwanderedroundthemeadow,anddownbyalittlebrook,wherehepickedtheflowersandthehawthorn,andtiedthemupwithlongspraysofivy;thenhegavemeagoodfeedoftheoatswhichhehadbroughtwithhim;butthetimeseemedalltooshort—IhadnotbeeninafieldsinceIleftpoorGingeratEarlshall.
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