English
Ishouldsaythatforacab-horseIwasverywelloffindeed;mydriverwasmyowner,anditwashisinteresttotreatmewellandnotoverworkme,evenhadhenotbeensogoodamanashewas;buttherewereagreatmanyhorseswhichbelongedtothelargecab-owners,wholetthemouttotheirdriversforsomuchmoneyaday.
Asthehorsesdidnotbelongtothesementheonlythingtheythoughtofwashowtogettheirmoneyoutofthem,first,topaythemaster,andthentoprovidefortheirownliving;andadreadfultimesomeofthesehorseshadofit.
Ofcourse,Iunderstoodbutlittle,butitwasoftentalkedoveronthestand,andthegovernor,whowasakind-heartedmanandfondofhorses,wouldsometimesspeakupifonecameinverymuchjadedorill-used.
Onedayashabby,miserable-lookingdriver,whowentbythenameof"SeedySam",broughtinhishorselookingdreadfullybeat,andthegovernorsaid:
"Youandyourhorselookmorefitforthepolicestationthanforthisrank."
Themanflunghistatteredrugoverthehorse,turnedfullroundupontheGovernorandsaidinavoicethatsoundedalmostdesperate:
"Ifthepolicehaveanybusinesswiththematteritoughttobewiththemasterswhochargeussomuch,orwiththefaresthatarefixedsolow.
Ifamanhastopayeighteenshillingsadayfortheuseofacabandtwohorses,asmanyofushavetodointheseason,andmustmakethatupbeforeweearnapennyforourselvesIsay'tismorethanhardwork;nineshillingsadaytogetoutofeachhorsebeforeyoubegintogetyourownliving.
Youknowthat'strue,andifthehorsesdon'tworkwemuststarve,andIandmychildrenhaveknownwhatthatisbeforenow.
I'vesixof'em,andonlyoneearnsanything;Iamonthestandfourteenorsixteenhoursaday,andIhaven'thadaSundaythesetenortwelveweeks;youknowSkinnernevergivesadayifhecanhelpit,andifIdon'tworkhard,tellmewhodoes!
Iwantawarmcoatandamackintosh,butwithsomanytofeedhowcanamangetit?
IhadtopledgemyclockaweekagotopaySkinner,andIshallneverseeitagain."
Someoftheotherdriversstoodroundnoddingtheirheadsandsayinghewasright.Themanwenton:
"Youthathaveyourownhorsesandcabs,ordriveforgoodmasters,haveachanceofgettingonandachanceofdoingright;Ihaven't.
Wecan'tchargemorethansixpenceamileafterthefirst,withinthefour-mileradius.
ThisverymorningIhadtogoaclearsixmilesandonlytookthreeshillings.
Icouldnotgetareturnfare,andhadtocomeallthewayback;there'stwelvemilesforthehorseandthreeshillingsforme.
AfterthatIhadathree-milefare,andtherewerebagsandboxesenoughtohavebroughtinagoodmanytwopencesiftheyhadbeenputoutside;butyouknowhowpeopledo;allthatcouldbepiledupinsideonthefrontseatwereputinandthreeheavyboxeswentonthetop.
Thatwassixpence,andthefareoneandsixpence;thenIgotareturnforashilling.
Nowthatmakeseighteenmilesforthehorseandsixshillingsforme;there'sthreeshillingsstillforthathorsetoearnandnineshillingsfortheafternoonhorsebeforeItouchapenny.
Ofcourse,itisnotalwayssobadasthat,butyouknowitoftenis,andIsay'tisamockerytotellamanthathemustnotoverworkhishorse,forwhenabeastisdownrighttiredthere'snothingbutthewhipthatwillkeephislegsa-going;youcan'thelpyourself—youmustputyourwifeandchildrenbeforethehorse;themastersmustlooktothat,wecan't.
Idon'till-usemyhorseforthesakeofit;noneofyoucansayIdo.
There'swronglayssomewhere—neveraday'srest,neveraquiethourwiththewifeandchildren.
Ioftenfeellikeanoldman,thoughI'monlyforty-five.
Youknowhowquicksomeofthegentryaretosuspectusofcheatingandovercharging;why,theystandwiththeirpursesintheirhandscountingitovertoapennyandlookingatusasifwewerepickpockets.
Iwishsomeof'emhadgottositonmyboxsixteenhoursadayandgetalivingoutofitandeighteenshillingsbeside,andthatinallweathers;theywouldnotbesouncommonparticularnevertogiveusasixpenceoverortocramalltheluggageinside.
Ofcourse,someof'emtipusprettyhandsomenowandthen,orelsewecouldnotlive;butyoucan'tdependuponthat."
Themenwhostoodroundmuchapprovedthisspeech,andoneofthemsaid,"Itisdesperatehard,andifamansometimesdoeswhatiswrongitisnowonder,andifhegetsadramtoomuchwho'stoblowhimup?"
Jerryhadtakennopartinthisconversation,butIneversawhisfacelooksosadbefore.
Thegovernorhadstoodwithbothhishandsinhispockets;nowhetookhishandkerchiefoutofhishatandwipedhisforehead.
"You'vebeatenme,Sam,"hesaid,"forit'salltrue,andIwon'tcastituptoyouanymoreaboutthepolice;itwasthelookinthathorse'seyethatcameoverme.
Itishardlinesformananditishardlinesforbeast,andwho'stomenditIdon'tknow:butanywayyoumighttellthepoorbeastthatyouweresorrytotakeitoutofhiminthatway.
Sometimesakindwordisallwecangive'em,poorbrutes,and'tiswonderfulwhattheydounderstand."
AfewmorningsafterthistalkanewmancameonthestandwithSam'scab.
"Halloo!"saidone,"what'supwithSeedySam?"
"He'sillinbed,"saidtheman;"hewastakenlastnightintheyard,andcouldscarcelycrawlhome.
Hiswifesentaboythismorningtosayhisfatherwasinahighfeverandcouldnotgetout,soI'mhereinstead."
Thenextmorningthesamemancameagain.
"HowisSam?"inquiredthegovernor.
"He'sgone,"saidtheman.
"What,gone?Youdon'tmeantosayhe'sdead?"
"Justsnuffedout,"saidtheother;"hediedatfouro'clockthismorning;allyesterdayhewasraving—ravingaboutSkinner,andhavingnoSundays.'
IneverhadaSunday'srest,'thesewerehislastwords."
Noonespokeforawhile,andthenthegovernorsaid,"I'lltellyouwhat,mates,thisisawarningforus."
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