English
IsawagreatdealoftroubleamongthehorsesinLondon,andmuchofitmighthavebeenpreventedbyalittlecommonsense.
Wehorsesdonotmindhardworkifwearetreatedreasonably,andIamsuretherearemanydrivenbyquitepoormenwhohaveahappierlifethanIhadwhenIusedtogointheCountessofW——'scarriage,withmysilver-mountedharnessandhighfeeding.
Itoftenwenttomyhearttoseehowthelittleponieswereused,strainingalongwithheavyloadsorstaggeringunderheavyblowsfromsomelow,cruelboy.
OnceIsawalittlegrayponywithathickmaneandaprettyhead,andsomuchlikeMerrylegsthatifIhadnotbeeninharnessIshouldhaveneighedtohim.
Hewasdoinghisbesttopullaheavycart,whileastrongroughboywascuttinghimunderthebellywithhiswhipandchuckingcruellyathislittlemouth.CoulditbeMerrylegs?
Itwasjustlikehim;butthenMr.Blomefieldwasnevertosellhim,andIthinkhewouldnotdoit;butthismighthavebeenquiteasgoodalittlefellow,andhadashappyaplacewhenhewasyoung.
Ioftennoticedthegreatspeedatwhichbutchers'horsesweremadetogo,thoughIdidnotknowwhyitwassotillonedaywhenwehadtowaitsometimeinSt.John'sWood.
Therewasabutcher'sshopnextdoor,andaswewerestandingabutcher'scartcamedashingupatagreatpace.
Thehorsewashotandmuchexhausted;hehunghisheaddown,whilehisheavingsidesandtremblinglegsshowedhowhardhehadbeendriven.
Theladjumpedoutofthecartandwasgettingthebasketwhenthemastercameoutoftheshopmuchdispleased.
Afterlookingatthehorseheturnedangrilytothelad.
"HowmanytimesshallItellyounottodriveinthisway?
Youruinedthelasthorseandbrokehiswind,andyouaregoingtoruinthisinthesameway.
IfyouwerenotmyownsonIwoulddismissyouonthespot;itisadisgracetohaveahorsebroughttotheshopinaconditionlikethat;youareliabletobetakenupbythepoliceforsuchdriving,andifyouareyouneednotlooktomeforbail,forIhavespokentoyoutillI'mtired;youmustlookoutforyourself."
Duringthisspeechtheboyhadstoodby,sullenanddogged,butwhenhisfatherceasedhebrokeoutangrily.
Itwasn'thisfault,andhewouldn'ttaketheblame;hewasonlygoingbyordersallthetime.
"Youalwayssay,'Nowbequick;nowlooksharp!'
andwhenIgotothehousesonewantsalegofmuttonforanearlydinnerandImustbebackwithitinaquarterofanhour;anothercookhasforgottentoorderthebeef;Imustgoandfetchitandbebackinnotime,orthemistresswillscold;andthehousekeepersaystheyhavecompanycomingunexpectedlyandmusthavesomechopssentupdirectly;andtheladyatNo.4,intheCrescent,neverordersherdinnertillthemeatcomesinforlunch,andit'snothingbuthurry,hurry,allthetime.
Ifthegentrywouldthinkofwhattheywant,andordertheirmeatthedaybefore,thereneednotbethisblowup!"
"Iwishtogoodnesstheywould,"saidthebutcher;"'twouldsavemeawonderfuldealofharass,andIcouldsuitmycustomersmuchbetterifIknewbeforehand—Butthere!
what'stheuseoftalking—whoeverthinksofabutcher'sconvenienceorabutcher'shorse!
Now,then,takehiminandlooktohimwell;mind,hedoesnotgooutagainto-day,andifanythingelseiswantedyoumustcarryityourselfinthebasket."
Withthathewentin,andthehorsewasledaway.
Butallboysarenotcruel.Ihaveseensomeasfondoftheirponyordonkeyasifithadbeenafavoritedog,andthelittlecreatureshaveworkedawayascheerfullyandwillinglyfortheiryoungdriversasIworkforJerry.
Itmaybehardworksometimes,butafriend'shandandvoicemakeiteasy.
Therewasayoungcoster-boywhocameupourstreetwithgreensandpotatoes;hehadanoldpony,notveryhandsome,butthecheerfullestandpluckiestlittlethingIeversaw,andtoseehowfondthosetwowereofeachotherwasatreat.
Theponyfollowedhismasterlikeadog,andwhenhegotintohiscartwouldtrotoffwithoutawhiporaword,andrattledownthestreetasmerrilyasifhehadcomeoutofthequeen'sstables.
Jerrylikedtheboy,andcalledhim"PrinceCharlie",forhesaidhewouldmakeakingofdriverssomeday.
Therewasanoldman,too,whousedtocomeupourstreetwithalittlecoalcart;heworeacoal-heaver'shat,andlookedroughandblack.
Heandhisoldhorseusedtoplodtogetheralongthestreet,liketwogoodpartnerswhounderstoodeachother;thehorsewouldstopofhisownaccordatthedoorswheretheytookcoalofhim;heusedtokeeponeearbenttowardhismaster.
Theoldman'scrycouldbeheardupthestreetlongbeforehecamenear.
Ineverknewwhathesaid,butthechildrencalledhim"OldBa-a-arHoo",foritsoundedlikethat.
Pollytookhercoalofhim,andwasveryfriendly,andJerrysaiditwasacomforttothinkhowhappyanoldhorsemightbeinapoorplace.
Share this article to
FINISH