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CaptainandIweregreatfriends.Hewasanobleoldfellow,andhewasverygoodcompany.
Ineverthoughtthathewouldhavetoleavehishomeandgodownthehill;buthisturncame,andthiswashowithappened.
Iwasnotthere,butIheardallaboutit.
HeandJerryhadtakenapartytothegreatrailwaystationoverLondonBridge,andwerecomingback,somewherebetweenthebridgeandthemonument,whenJerrysawabrewer'semptydraycomingalong,drawnbytwopowerfulhorses.
Thedraymanwaslashinghishorseswithhisheavywhip;thedraywaslight,andtheystartedoffatafuriousrate;themanhadnocontroloverthem,andthestreetwasfulloftraffic.
Oneyounggirlwasknockeddownandrunover,andthenextmomenttheydashedupagainstourcab;boththewheelsweretornoffandthecabwasthrownover.
Captainwasdraggeddown,theshaftssplintered,andoneofthemranintohisside.
Jerry,too,wasthrown,butwasonlybruised;nobodycouldtellhowheescaped;healwayssaid'twasamiracle.
WhenpoorCaptainwasgotuphewasfoundtobeverymuchcutandknockedabout.
Jerryledhimhomegently,andasadsightitwastoseethebloodsoakingintohiswhitecoatanddroppingfromhissideandshoulder.
Thedraymanwasprovedtobeverydrunk,andwasfined,andthebrewerhadtopaydamagestoourmaster;buttherewasnoonetopaydamagestopoorCaptain.
ThefarrierandJerrydidthebesttheycouldtoeasehispainandmakehimcomfortable.
Theflyhadtobemended,andforseveraldaysIdidnotgoout,andJerryearnednothing.
ThefirsttimewewenttothestandaftertheaccidentthegovernorcameuptohearhowCaptainwas.
"He'llnevergetoverit,"saidJerry,"atleastnotformywork,sothefarriersaidthismorning.
Hesayshemaydoforcarting,andthatsortofwork.Ithasputmeoutverymuch.Carting,indeed!
I'veseenwhathorsescometoatthatworkroundLondon.
Ionlywishallthedrunkardscouldbeputinalunaticasyluminsteadofbeingallowedtorunfoulofsoberpeople.
Iftheywouldbreaktheirownbones,andsmashtheirowncarts,andlametheirownhorses,thatwouldbetheirownaffair,andwemightletthemalone,butitseemstomethattheinnocentalwayssuffer;andthentheytalkaboutcompensation!
Youcan'tmakecompensation;there'sallthetrouble,andvexation,andlossoftime,besideslosingagoodhorsethat'slikeanoldfriend—it'snonsensetalkingofcompensation!
Ifthere'sonedevilthatIshouldliketoseeinthebottomlesspitmorethananother,it'sthedrinkdevil."
"Isay,Jerry,"saidthegovernor,"youaretreadingprettyhardonmytoes,youknow;I'mnotsogoodasyouare,moreshametome;IwishIwas."
"Well,"saidJerry,"whydon'tyoucutwithit,governor?Youaretoogoodamantobetheslaveofsuchathing."
"I'magreatfool,Jerry,butItriedoncefortwodays,andIthoughtIshouldhavedied;howdidyoudo?"
"Ihadhardworkatitforseveralweeks;youseeIneverdidgetdrunk,butIfoundthatIwasnotmyownmaster,andthatwhenthecravingcameonitwashardworktosay'no'.
Isawthatoneofusmustknockunder,thedrinkdevilorJerryBarker,andIsaidthatitshouldnotbeJerryBarker,Godhelpingme;butitwasastruggle,andIwantedallthehelpIcouldget,fortillItriedtobreakthehabitIdidnotknowhowstrongitwas;butthenPollytooksuchpainsthatIshouldhavegoodfood,andwhenthecravingcameonIusedtogetacupofcoffee,orsomepeppermint,orreadabitinmybook,andthatwasahelptome;sometimesIhadtosayoverandovertomyself,'Giveupthedrinkorloseyoursoul!
GiveupthedrinkorbreakPolly'sheart!'
ButthanksbetoGod,andmydearwife,mychainswerebroken,andnowfortenyearsIhavenottastedadrop,andneverwishforit."
"I'veagreatmindtotryatit,"saidGrant,"for'tisapoorthingnottobeone'sownmaster."
"Do,governor,do,you'llneverrepentit,andwhatahelpitwouldbetosomeofthepoorfellowsinourrankiftheysawyoudowithoutit.
Iknowthere'stwoorthreewouldliketokeepoutofthattaverniftheycould."
AtfirstCaptainseemedtodowell,buthewasaveryoldhorse,anditwasonlyhiswonderfulconstitution,andJerry'scare,thathadkepthimupatthecabworksolong;nowhebrokedownverymuch.
Thefarriersaidhemightmendupenoughtosellforafewpounds,butJerrysaid,no!
afewpoundsgotbysellingagoodoldservantintohardworkandmiserywouldcankeralltherestofhismoney,andhethoughtthekindestthinghecoulddoforthefineoldfellowwouldbetoputasurebulletthroughhishead,andthenhewouldneversuffermore;forhedidnotknowwheretofindakindmasterfortherestofhisdays.
ThedayafterthiswasdecidedHarrytookmetotheforgeforsomenewshoes;whenIreturnedCaptainwasgone.Iandthefamilyallfeltitverymuch.
Jerryhadnowtolookoutforanotherhorse,andhesoonheardofonethroughanacquaintancewhowasunder-groominanobleman'sstables.
Hewasavaluableyounghorse,buthehadrunaway,smashedintoanothercarriage,flunghislordshipout,andsocutandblemishedhimselfthathewasnolongerfitforagentleman'sstables,andthecoachmanhadorderstolookround,andsellhimaswellashecould.
"Icandowithhighspirits,"saidJerry,"ifahorseisnotviciousorhard-mouthed."
"Thereisnotabitofviceinhim,"saidtheman;"hismouthisverytender,andIthinkmyselfthatwasthecauseoftheaccident;youseehehadjustbeenclipped,andtheweatherwasbad,andhehadnothadexerciseenough,andwhenhedidgoouthewasasfullofspringasaballoon.
Ourgovernor(thecoachman,Imean)hadhimharnessedinastightandstrongashecould,withthemartingale,andthecheck-rein,averysharpcurb,andthereinsputinatthebottombar.
Itismybeliefthatitmadethehorsemad,beingtenderinthemouthandsofullofspirit."
"Likelyenough;I'llcomeandseehim,"saidJerry.
ThenextdayHotspur,thatwashisname,camehome;hewasafinebrownhorse,withoutawhitehairinhim,astallasCaptain,withaveryhandsomehead,andonlyfiveyearsold.
Igavehimafriendlygreetingbywayofgoodfellowship,butdidnotaskhimanyquestions.Thefirstnighthewasveryrestless.
Insteadoflyingdown,hekeptjerkinghishalterropeupanddownthroughthering,andknockingtheblockaboutagainstthemangertillIcouldnotsleep.
However,thenextday,afterfiveorsixhoursinthecab,hecameinquietandsensible.
Jerrypattedandtalkedtohimagooddeal,andverysoontheyunderstoodeachother,andJerrysaidthatwithaneasybitandplentyofworkhewouldbeasgentleasalamb;andthatitwasanillwindthatblewnobodygood,forifhislordshiphadlostahundred-guineafavorite,thecabmanhadgainedagoodhorsewithallhisstrengthinhim.
Hotspurthoughtitagreatcome-downtobeacab-horse,andwasdisgustedatstandingintherank,butheconfessedtomeattheendoftheweekthataneasymouthandafreeheadmadeupforagreatdeal,andafterall,theworkwasnotsodegradingashavingone'sheadandtailfastenedtoeachotheratthesaddle.
Infact,hesettledinwell,andJerrylikedhimverymuch.
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