English
ForsomepeopleChristmasandtheNewYearareverymerrytimes;butforcabmenandcabmen'shorsesitisnoholiday,thoughitmaybeaharvest.
Therearesomanyparties,balls,andplacesofamusementopenthattheworkishardandoftenlate.
Sometimesdriverandhorsehavetowaitforhoursintherainorfrost,shiveringwiththecold,whilethemerrypeoplewithinaredancingawaytothemusic.
Iwonderifthebeautifulladieseverthinkofthewearycabmanwaitingonhisbox,andhispatientbeaststanding,tillhislegsgetstiffwithcold.
Ihadnowmostoftheeveningwork,asIwaswellaccustomedtostanding,andJerrywasalsomoreafraidofHotspurtakingcold.
WehadagreatdealoflateworkintheChristmasweek,andJerry'scoughwasbad;buthoweverlatewewere,Pollysatupforhim,andcameoutwithalanterntomeethim,lookinganxiousandtroubled.
OntheeveningoftheNewYearwehadtotaketwogentlementoahouseinoneoftheWestEndSquares.
Wesetthemdownatnineo'clock,andweretoldtocomeagainateleven,"but,"saidone,"asitisacardparty,youmayhavetowaitafewminutes,butdon'tbelate."
Astheclockstruckelevenwewereatthedoor,forJerrywasalwayspunctual.Theclockchimedthequarters,one,two,three,andthenstrucktwelve,butthedoordidnotopen.
Thewindhadbeenverychangeable,withsquallsofrainduringtheday,butnowitcameonsharp,drivingsleet,whichseemedtocomeallthewayround;itwasverycold,andtherewasnoshelter.
Jerrygotoffhisboxandcameandpulledoneofmyclothsalittlemoreovermyneck;thenhetookaturnortwoupanddown,stampinghisfeet;thenhebegantobeathisarms,butthatsethimoffcoughing;soheopenedthecabdoorandsatatthebottomwithhisfeetonthepavement,andwasalittlesheltered.
Stilltheclockchimedthequarters,andnoonecame.
Athalf-pasttwelveherangthebellandaskedtheservantifhewouldbewantedthatnight.
"Oh,yes,you'llbewantedsafeenough,"saidtheman;"youmustnotgo,itwillsoonbeover,"andagainJerrysatdown,buthisvoicewassohoarseIcouldhardlyhearhim.
Ataquarterpastonethedooropened,andthetwogentlemencameout;theygotintothecabwithoutaword,andtoldJerrywheretodrive,thatwasnearlytwomiles.
Mylegswerenumbwithcold,andIthoughtIshouldhavestumbled.
Whenthemengotouttheyneversaidtheyweresorrytohavekeptuswaitingsolong,butwereangryatthecharge;however,asJerryneverchargedmorethanwashisdue,sohenevertookless,andtheyhadtopayforthetwohoursandaquarterwaiting;butitwashard-earnedmoneytoJerry.
Atlastwegothome;hecouldhardlyspeak,andhiscoughwasdreadful.Pollyaskednoquestions,butopenedthedoorandheldthelanternforhim.
"Can'tIdosomething?"shesaid.
"Yes;getJacksomethingwarm,andthenboilmesomegruel."
Thiswassaidinahoarsewhisper;hecouldhardlygethisbreath,buthegavemearub-downasusual,andevenwentupintothehayloftforanextrabundleofstrawformybed.
Pollybroughtmeawarmmashthatmademecomfortable,andthentheylockedthedoor.
Itwaslatethenextmorningbeforeanyonecame,andthenitwasonlyHarry.
Hecleanedusandfedus,andsweptoutthestalls,thenheputthestrawbackagainasifitwasSunday.
Hewasverystill,andneitherwhistlednorsang.
Atnoonhecameagainandgaveusourfoodandwater;thistimeDollycamewithhim;shewascrying,andIcouldgatherfromwhattheysaidthatJerrywasdangerouslyill,andthedoctorsaiditwasabadcase.
Sotwodayspassed,andtherewasgreattroubleindoors.WeonlysawHarry,andsometimesDolly.
Ithinkshecameforcompany,forPollywasalwayswithJerry,andhehadtobekeptveryquiet.
Onthethirdday,whileHarrywasinthestable,atapcameatthedoor,andGovernorGrantcamein.
"Iwouldn'tgotothehouse,myboy,"hesaid,"butIwanttoknowhowyourfatheris."
"Heisverybad,"saidHarry,"hecan'tbemuchworse;theycallit'bronchitis';thedoctorthinksitwillturnonewayoranotherto-night."
"That'sbad,verybad,"saidGrant,shakinghishead;"Iknowtwomenwhodiedofthatlastweek;ittakes'emoffinnotime;butwhilethere'slifethere'shope,soyoumustkeepupyourspirits."
"Yes,"saidHarryquickly,"andthedoctorsaidthatfatherhadabetterchancethanmostmen,becausehedidn'tdrink.
Hesaidyesterdaythefeverwassohighthatiffatherhadbeenadrinkingmanitwouldhaveburnedhimuplikeapieceofpaper;butIbelievehethinkshewillgetoverit;don'tyouthinkhewill,Mr.Grant?"
Thegovernorlookedpuzzled.
"Ifthere'sanyrulethatgoodmenshouldgetoverthesethings,I'msurehewill,myboy;he'sthebestmanIknow.I'lllookinearlyto-morrow."
Earlynextmorninghewasthere.
"Well?"saidhe.
"Fatherisbetter,"saidHarry."Motherhopeshewillgetoverit."
"ThankGod!"saidthegovernor,"andnowyoumustkeephimwarm,andkeephismindeasy,andthatbringsmetothehorses;youseeJackwillbeallthebetterfortherestofaweekortwoinawarmstable,andyoucaneasilytakehimaturnupanddownthestreettostretchhislegs;butthisyoungone,ifhedoesnotgetwork,hewillsoonbealluponend,asyoumaysay,andwillberathertoomuchforyou;andwhenhedoesgooutthere'llbeanaccident."
"Itislikethatnow,"saidHarry."Ihavekepthimshortofcorn,buthe'ssofullofspiritIdon'tknowwhattodowithhim."
"Justso,"saidGrant."Nowlookhere,willyoutellyourmotherthatifsheisagreeableIwillcomeforhimeverydaytillsomethingisarranged,andtakehimforagoodspellofwork,andwhateverheearns,I'llbringyourmotherhalfofit,andthatwillhelpwiththehorses'feed.
Yourfatherisinagoodclub,Iknow,butthatwon'tkeepthehorses,andthey'llbeeatingtheirheadsoffallthistime;I'llcomeatnoonandhearwhatshesays,"andwithoutwaitingforHarry'sthankshewasgone.
AtnoonIthinkhewentandsawPolly,forheandHarrycametothestabletogether,harnessedHotspur,andtookhimout.
ForaweekormorehecameforHotspur,andwhenHarrythankedhimorsaidanythingabouthiskindness,helaugheditoff,sayingitwasallgoodluckforhim,forhishorseswerewantingalittlerestwhichtheywouldnototherwisehavehad.
Jerrygrewbettersteadily,butthedoctorsaidthathemustnevergobacktothecabworkagainifhewishedtobeanoldman.
Thechildrenhadmanyconsultationstogetheraboutwhatfatherandmotherwoulddo,andhowtheycouldhelptoearnmoney.
OneafternoonHotspurwasbroughtinverywetanddirty.
"Thestreetsarenothingbutslush,"saidthegovernor;"itwillgiveyouagoodwarming,myboy,togethimcleananddry."
"Allright,governor,"saidHarry,"Ishallnotleavehimtillheis;youknowIhavebeentrainedbymyfather."
"Iwishalltheboyshadbeentrainedlikeyou,"saidthegovernor.
WhileHarrywasspongingoffthemudfromHotspur'sbodyandlegsDollycamein,lookingveryfullofsomething.
"WholivesatFairstowe,Harry?MotherhasgotaletterfromFairstowe;sheseemedsoglad,andranupstairstofatherwithit."
"Don'tyouknow?Why,itisthenameofMrs.Fowler'splace—mother'soldmistress,youknow—theladythatfathermetlastsummer,whosentyouandmefiveshillingseach."
"Oh!Mrs.Fowler.Ofcourse,Iknowallabouther.Iwonderwhatsheiswritingtomotherabout."
"Motherwrotetoherlastweek,"saidHarry;"youknowshetoldfatherifeverhegaveupthecabworkshewouldliketoknow.Iwonderwhatshesays;runinandsee,Dolly."
HarryscrubbedawayatHotspurwithahuish!huish!likeanyoldhostler.InafewminutesDollycamedancingintothestable.
"Oh!Harry,thereneverwasanythingsobeautiful;Mrs.Fowlersayswearealltogoandlivenearher.
Thereisacottagenowemptythatwilljustsuitus,withagardenandahenhouse,andapple-trees,andeverything!
andhercoachmanisgoingawayinthespring,andthenshewillwantfatherinhisplace;andtherearegoodfamiliesround,whereyoucangetaplaceinthegardenorthestable,orasapage-boy;andthere'sagoodschoolforme;andmotherislaughingandcryingbyturns,andfatherdoeslooksohappy!"
"That'suncommonjolly,"saidHarry,"andjusttherightthing,Ishouldsay;itwillsuitfatherandmotherboth;butIdon'tintendtobeapage-boywithtightclothesandrowsofbuttons.I'llbeagroomoragardener."
ItwasquicklysettledthatassoonasJerrywaswellenoughtheyshouldremovetothecountry,andthatthecabandhorsesshouldbesoldassoonaspossible.
Thiswasheavynewsforme,forIwasnotyoungnow,andcouldnotlookforanyimprovementinmycondition.
SinceIleftBirtwickIhadneverbeensohappyaswithmydearmasterJerry;butthreeyearsofcabwork,evenunderthebestconditions,willtellonone'sstrength,andIfeltthatIwasnotthehorsethatIhadbeen.
GrantsaidatoncethathewouldtakeHotspur,andthereweremenonthestandwhowouldhaveboughtme;butJerrysaidIshouldnotgotocabworkagainwithjustanybody,andthegovernorpromisedtofindaplaceformewhereIshouldbecomfortable.
Thedaycameforgoingaway.Jerryhadnotbeenallowedtogooutyet,andIneversawhimafterthatNewYear'seve.
Pollyandthechildrencametobidmegood-by."PooroldJack!dearoldJack!
Iwishwecouldtakeyouwithus,"shesaid,andthenlayingherhandonmymanesheputherfaceclosetomyneckandkissedme.Dollywascryingandkissedmetoo.
Harrystrokedmeagreatdeal,butsaidnothing,onlyheseemedverysad,andsoIwasledawaytomynewplace.
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