English
Wintercameinearly,withagreatdealofcoldandwet.
Therewassnow,orsleet,orrainalmosteverydayforweeks,changingonlyforkeendrivingwindsorsharpfrosts.Thehorsesallfeltitverymuch.
Whenitisadrycoldacoupleofgoodthickrugswillkeepthewarmthinus;butwhenitissoakingraintheysoongetwetthroughandarenogood.
Someofthedrivershadawaterproofcovertothrowover,whichwasafinething;butsomeofthemenweresopoorthattheycouldnotprotecteitherthemselvesortheirhorses,andmanyofthemsufferedverymuchthatwinter.
Whenwehorseshadworkedhalfthedaywewenttoourdrystables,andcouldrest,whiletheyhadtositontheirboxes,sometimesstayingoutaslateasoneortwoo'clockinthemorningiftheyhadapartytowaitfor.
Whenthestreetswereslipperywithfrostorsnowthatwastheworstofallforushorses.
Onemileofsuchtraveling,withaweighttodrawandnofirmfooting,wouldtakemoreoutofusthanfouronagoodroad;everynerveandmuscleofourbodiesisonthestraintokeepourbalance;and,addedtothis,thefearoffallingismoreexhaustingthananythingelse.
Iftheroadsareverybadindeedourshoesareroughed,butthatmakesusfeelnervousatfirst.
Whentheweatherwasverybadmanyofthemenwouldgoandsitinthetaverncloseby,andgetsomeonetowatchforthem;buttheyoftenlostafareinthatway,andcouldnot,asJerrysaid,betherewithoutspendingmoney.
HeneverwenttotheRisingSun;therewasacoffee-shopnear,wherehenowandthenwent,orheboughtofanoldman,whocametoourrankwithtinsofhotcoffeeandpies.
Itwashisopinionthatspiritsandbeermadeamancolderafterward,andthatdryclothes,goodfood,cheerfulness,andacomfortablewifeathome,werethebestthingstokeepacabmanwarm.
Pollyalwayssuppliedhimwithsomethingtoeatwhenhecouldnotgethome,andsometimeshewouldseelittleDollypeepingfromthecornerofthestreet,tomakesureif"father"wasonthestand.
Ifshesawhimshewouldrunoffatfullspeedandsooncomebackwithsomethinginatinorbasket,somehotsouporpuddingPollyhadready.
Itwaswonderfulhowsuchalittlethingcouldgetsafelyacrossthestreet,oftenthrongedwithhorsesandcarriages;butshewasabravelittlemaid,andfeltitquiteanhonortobring"father'sfirstcourse",asheusedtocallit.
Shewasageneralfavoriteonthestand,andtherewasnotamanwhowouldnothaveseenhersafelyacrossthestreet,ifJerryhadnotbeenabletodoit.
OnecoldwindydayDollyhadbroughtJerryabasinofsomethinghot,andwasstandingbyhimwhileheateit.
Hehadscarcelybegunwhenagentleman,walkingtowardusveryfast,helduphisumbrella.
Jerrytouchedhishatinreturn,gavethebasintoDolly,andwastakingoffmycloth,whenthegentleman,hasteningup,criedout,"No,no,finishyoursoup,myfriend;Ihavenotmuchtimetospare,butIcanwaittillyouhavedone,andsetyourlittlegirlsafeonthepavement."
Sosaying,heseatedhimselfinthecab.
Jerrythankedhimkindly,andcamebacktoDolly.
"There,Dolly,that'sagentleman;that'sarealgentleman,Dolly;hehasgottimeandthoughtforthecomfortofapoorcabmanandalittlegirl."
Jerryfinishedhissoup,setthechildacross,andthentookhisorderstodrivetoClaphamRise.
Severaltimesafterthatthesamegentlemantookourcab.
Ithinkhewasveryfondofdogsandhorses,forwheneverwetookhimtohisowndoortwoorthreedogswouldcomeboundingouttomeethim.
Sometimeshecameroundandpattedme,sayinginhisquiet,pleasantway,"Thishorsehasgotagoodmaster,andhedeservesit."
Itwasaveryrarethingforanyonetonoticethehorsethathadbeenworkingforhim.
Ihaveknownladiestodoitnowandthen,andthisgentleman,andoneortwoothershavegivenmeapatandakindword;butninety-ninepersonsoutofahundredwouldassoonthinkofpattingthesteamenginethatdrewthetrain.
Thegentlemanwasnotyoung,andtherewasaforwardstoopinhisshouldersasifhewasalwaysgoingatsomething.
Hislipswerethinandcloseshut,thoughtheyhadaverypleasantsmile;hiseyewaskeen,andtherewassomethinginhisjawandthemotionofhisheadthatmadeonethinkhewasverydeterminedinanythinghesetabout.
Hisvoicewaspleasantandkind;anyhorsewouldtrustthatvoice,thoughitwasjustasdecidedaseverythingelseabouthim.
Onedayheandanothergentlemantookourcab;theystoppedatashopinR——Street,andwhilehisfriendwentinhestoodatthedoor.
Alittleaheadofusontheothersideofthestreetacartwithtwoveryfinehorseswasstandingbeforesomewinevaults;thecarterwasnotwiththem,andIcannottellhowlongtheyhadbeenstanding,buttheyseemedtothinktheyhadwaitedlongenough,andbegantomoveoff.
Beforetheyhadgonemanypacesthecartercamerunningoutandcaughtthem.
Heseemedfuriousattheirhavingmoved,andwithwhipandreinpunishedthembrutally,evenbeatingthemaboutthehead.
Ourgentlemansawitall,andsteppingquicklyacrossthestreet,saidinadecidedvoice:
"Ifyoudon'tstopthatdirectly,I'llhaveyouarrestedforleavingyourhorses,andforbrutalconduct."
Theman,whohadclearlybeendrinking,pouredforthsomeabusivelanguage,butheleftoffknockingthehorsesabout,andtakingthereins,gotintohiscart;meantimeourfriendhadquietlytakenanote-bookfromhispocket,andlookingatthenameandaddresspaintedonthecart,hewrotesomethingdown.
"Whatdoyouwantwiththat?"growledthecarter,ashecrackedhiswhipandwasmovingon.Anodandagrimsmilewastheonlyanswerhegot.
Onreturningtothecabourfriendwasjoinedbyhiscompanion,whosaidlaughingly,"Ishouldhavethought,Wright,youhadenoughbusinessofyourowntolookafter,withouttroublingyourselfaboutotherpeople'shorsesandservants."
Ourfriendstoodstillforamoment,andthrowinghisheadalittleback,"Doyouknowwhythisworldisasbadasitis?"
"No,"saidtheother.
"ThenI'lltellyou.Itisbecausepeoplethinkonlyabouttheirownbusiness,andwon'ttroublethemselvestostandupfortheoppressed,norbringthewrongdoertolight.
IneverseeawickedthinglikethiswithoutdoingwhatIcan,andmanyamasterhasthankedmeforlettinghimknowhowhishorseshavebeenused."
"Iwishthereweremoregentlemenlikeyou,sir,"saidJerry,"fortheyarewantedbadlyenoughinthiscity."
Afterthiswecontinuedourjourney,andastheygotoutofthecabourfriendwassaying,"Mydoctrineisthis,thatifweseecrueltyorwrongthatwehavethepowertostop,anddonothing,wemakeourselvessharersintheguilt."
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