English
Theelectiondaycameatlast;therewasnolackofworkforJerryandme.
Firstcameastoutpuffygentlemanwithacarpetbag;hewantedtogototheBishopsgatestation;thenwewerecalledbyapartywhowishedtobetakentotheRegent'sPark;andnextwewerewantedinasidestreetwhereatimid,anxiousoldladywaswaitingtobetakentothebank;therewehadtostoptotakeherbackagain,andjustaswehadsetherdownared-facedgentleman,withahandfulofpapers,camerunningupoutofbreath,andbeforeJerrycouldgetdownhehadopenedthedoor,poppedhimselfin,andcalledout,"BowStreetPoliceStation,quick!"
sooffwewentwithhim,andwhenafteranotherturnortwowecameback,therewasnoothercabonthestand.
Jerryputonmynose-bag,forashesaid,"Wemusteatwhenwecanonsuchdaysasthese;somunchaway,Jack,andmakethebestofyourtime,oldboy."
IfoundIhadagoodfeedofcrushedoatswettedupwithalittlebran;thiswouldbeatreatanyday,butveryrefreshingthen.
Jerrywassothoughtfulandkind—whathorsewouldnotdohisbestforsuchamaster?
ThenhetookoutoneofPolly'smeatpies,andstandingnearme,hebegantoeatit.
Thestreetswereveryfull,andthecabs,withthecandidates'colorsonthem,weredashingaboutthroughthecrowdasiflifeandlimbwereofnoconsequence;wesawtwopeopleknockeddownthatday,andonewasawoman.
Thehorseswerehavingabadtimeofit,poorthings!
butthevotersinsidethoughtnothingofthat;manyofthemwerehalf-drunk,hurrahingoutofthecabwindowsiftheirownpartycameby.
ItwasthefirstelectionIhadseen,andIdon'twanttobeinanother,thoughIhaveheardthingsarebetternow.
JerryandIhadnoteatenmanymouthfulsbeforeapooryoungwoman,carryingaheavychild,camealongthestreet.
Shewaslookingthiswayandthatway,andseemedquitebewildered.
PresentlyshemadeherwayuptoJerryandaskedifhecouldtellherthewaytoSt.Thomas'Hospital,andhowfaritwastogetthere.
Shehadcomefromthecountrythatmorning,shesaid,inamarketcart;shedidnotknowabouttheelection,andwasquiteastrangerinLondon.
Shehadgotanorderforthehospitalforherlittleboy.
Thechildwascryingwithafeeble,piningcry.
"Poorlittlefellow!"shesaid,"hesuffersadealofpain;heisfouryearsoldandcan'twalkanymorethanababy;butthedoctorsaidifIcouldgethimintothehospitalhemightgetwell;pray,sir,howfarisit;andwhichwayisit?"
"Why,missis,"saidJerry,"youcan'tgettherewalkingthroughcrowdslikethis!why,itisthreemilesaway,andthatchildisheavy."
"Yes,blesshim,heis;butIamstrong,thankGod,andifIknewthewayIthinkIshouldgetonsomehow;pleasetellmetheway."
"Youcan'tdoit,"saidJerry,"youmightbeknockeddownandthechildberunover.
Nowlookhere,justgetintothiscab,andI'lldriveyousafetothehospital.Don'tyouseetherainiscomingon?"
"No,sir,no;Ican'tdothat,thankyou,Ihaveonlyjustmoneyenoughtogetbackwith.Pleasetellmetheway."
"Lookyouhere,missis,"saidJerry,"I'vegotawifeanddearchildrenathome,andIknowafather'sfeelings;nowgetyouintothatcab,andI'lltakeyoutherefornothing.
I'dbeashamedofmyselftoletawomanandasickchildrunarisklikethat."
"Heavenblessyou!"saidthewoman,andburstintotears.
"There,there,cheerup,mydear,I'llsoontakeyouthere;come,letmeputyouinside."
AsJerrywenttoopenthedoortwomen,withcolorsintheirhatsandbuttonholes,ranupcallingout,"Cab!"
"Engaged,"criedJerry;butoneofthemen,pushingpastthewoman,sprangintothecab,followedbytheother.Jerrylookedassternasapoliceman.
"Thiscabisalreadyengaged,gentlemen,bythatlady."
"Lady!"saidoneofthem;"oh!shecanwait;ourbusinessisveryimportant,besideswewereinfirst,itisourright,andweshallstayin."
AdrollsmilecameoverJerry'sfaceasheshutthedooruponthem.
"Allright,gentlemen,praystayinaslongasitsuitsyou;Icanwaitwhileyourestyourselves."
Andturninghisbackuponthemhewalkeduptotheyoungwoman,whowasstandingnearme.
"They'llsoonbegone,"hesaid,laughing;"don'ttroubleyourself,mydear."
Andtheysoonweregone,forwhentheyunderstoodJerry'sdodgetheygotout,callinghimallsortsofbadnamesandblusteringabouthisnumberandgettingasummons.
Afterthislittlestoppageweweresoononourwaytothehospital,goingasmuchaspossiblethroughby-streets.
Jerryrungthegreatbellandhelpedtheyoungwomanout.
"Thankyouathousandtimes,"shesaid;"Icouldneverhavegotherealone."
"You'rekindlywelcome,andIhopethedearchildwillsoonbebetter."
Hewatchedhergoinatthedoor,andgentlyhesaidtohimself,"Inasmuchasyehavedoneittooneoftheleastofthese."Thenhepattedmyneck,whichwasalwayshiswaywhenanythingpleasedhim.
Therainwasnowcomingdownfast,andjustaswewereleavingthehospitalthedooropenedagain,andtheportercalledout,"Cab!"
Westopped,andaladycamedownthesteps.
Jerryseemedtoknowheratonce;sheputbackherveilandsaid,"Barker!JeremiahBarker,isityou?
Iamverygladtofindyouhere;youarejustthefriendIwant,foritisverydifficulttogetacabinthispartofLondonto-day."
"Ishallbeproudtoserveyou,ma'am;IamrightgladIhappenedtobehere.WheremayItakeyouto,ma'am?"
"TothePaddingtonStation,andthenifweareingoodtime,asIthinkweshallbe,youshalltellmeallaboutMaryandthechildren."
Wegottothestationingoodtime,andbeingundersheltertheladystoodagoodwhiletalkingtoJerry.IfoundshehadbeenPolly'smistress,andaftermanyinquiriesabouthershesaid:
"Howdoyoufindthecabworksuityouinwinter?IknowMarywasratheranxiousaboutyoulastyear."
"Yes,ma'am,shewas;Ihadabadcoughthatfollowedmeupquiteintothewarmweather,andwhenIamkeptoutlateshedoesworryherselfagooddeal.
Yousee,ma'am,itisallhoursandallweathers,andthatdoestryaman'sconstitution;butIamgettingonprettywell,andIshouldfeelquitelostifIhadnothorsestolookafter.
Iwasbroughtuptoit,andIamafraidIshouldnotdosowellatanythingelse."
"Well,Barker,"shesaid,"itwouldbeagreatpitythatyoushouldseriouslyriskyourhealthinthiswork,notonlyforyourownbutforMary'sandthechildren'ssake;therearemanyplaceswheregooddriversorgoodgroomsarewanted,andifeveryouthinkyououghttogiveupthiscabworkletmeknow."
ThensendingsomekindmessagestoMarysheputsomethingintohishand,saying,"Thereisfiveshillingseachforthetwochildren;Marywillknowhowtospendit."
Jerrythankedherandseemedmuchpleased,andturningoutofthestationweatlastreachedhome,andI,atleast,wastired.
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