English
Atthissale,ofcourseIfoundmyselfincompanywiththeoldbroken-downhorses—somelame,somebroken-winded,someold,andsomethatIamsureitwouldhavebeenmercifultoshoot.
Thebuyersandsellers,too,manyofthem,lookednotmuchbetteroffthanthepoorbeaststheywerebargainingabout.
Therewerepooroldmen,tryingtogetahorseoraponyforafewpounds,thatmightdragaboutsomelittlewoodorcoalcart.
Therewerepoormentryingtosellaworn-outbeastfortwoorthreepounds,ratherthanhavethegreaterlossofkillinghim.
Someofthemlookedasifpovertyandhardtimeshadhardenedthemallover;buttherewereothersthatIwouldhavewillinglyusedthelastofmystrengthinserving;poorandshabby,butkindandhuman,withvoicesthatIcouldtrust.
Therewasonetotteringoldmanwhotookagreatfancytome,andItohim,butIwasnotstrongenough—itwasananxioustime!
Comingfromthebetterpartofthefair,Inoticedamanwholookedlikeagentlemanfarmer,withayoungboybyhisside;hehadabroadbackandroundshoulders,akind,ruddyface,andheworeabroad-brimmedhat.
Whenhecameuptomeandmycompanionshestoodstillandgaveapitifullookrounduponus.
Isawhiseyerestonme;Ihadstillagoodmaneandtail,whichdidsomethingformyappearance.Iprickedmyearsandlookedathim.
"There'sahorse,Willie,thathasknownbetterdays."
"Pooroldfellow!"saidtheboy,"doyouthink,grandpapa,hewaseveracarriagehorse?"
"Oh,yes!myboy,"saidthefarmer,comingcloser,"hemighthavebeenanythingwhenhewasyoung;lookathisnostrilsandhisears,theshapeofhisneckandshoulder;there'sadealofbreedingaboutthathorse."
Heputouthishandandgavemeakindpatontheneck.
Iputoutmynoseinanswertohiskindness;theboystrokedmyface.
"Pooroldfellow!see,grandpapa,howwellheunderstandskindness.CouldnotyoubuyhimandmakehimyoungagainasyoudidwithLadybird?"
"Mydearboy,Ican'tmakealloldhorsesyoung;besides,Ladybirdwasnotsoveryold,asshewasrundownandbadlyused."
"Well,grandpapa,Idon'tbelievethatthisoneisold;lookathismaneandtail.
Iwishyouwouldlookintohismouth,andthenyoucouldtell;thoughheissoverythin,hiseyesarenotsunklikesomeoldhorses'."
Theoldgentlemanlaughed."Blesstheboy!heisashorseyashisoldgrandfather."
"Butdolookathismouth,grandpapa,andasktheprice;Iamsurehewouldgrowyounginourmeadows."
Themanwhohadbroughtmeforsalenowputinhisword.
"Theyounggentleman'sarealknowingone,sir.
Nowthefactis,this'erehossisjustpulleddownwithoverworkinthecabs;he'snotanoldone,andIheerdashowthevetenaryshouldsay,thatasixmonths'runoffwouldsethimrightup,beingashowhiswindwasnotbroken.
I'vehadthetendingofhimthesetendayspast,andagratefuller,pleasanteranimalInevermetwith,and'twouldbeworthagentleman'swhiletogiveafive-poundnoteforhim,andlethimhaveachance.
I'llbeboundhe'dbeworthtwentypoundsnextspring."
Theoldgentlemanlaughed,andthelittleboylookedupeagerly.
"Oh,grandpapa,didyounotsaythecoltsoldforfivepoundsmorethanyouexpected?Youwouldnotbepoorerifyoudidbuythisone."
Thefarmerslowlyfeltmylegs,whichweremuchswelledandstrained;thenhelookedatmymouth."Thirteenorfourteen,Ishouldsay;justtrothimout,willyou?"
Iarchedmypoorthinneck,raisedmytailalittle,andthrewoutmylegsaswellasIcould,fortheywereverystiff.
"Whatisthelowestyouwilltakeforhim?"saidthefarmerasIcameback.
"Fivepounds,sir;thatwasthelowestpricemymasterset."
"'Tisaspeculation,"saidtheoldgentleman,shakinghishead,butatthesametimeslowlydrawingouthispurse,"quiteaspeculation!Haveyouanymorebusinesshere?"
hesaid,countingthesovereignsintohishand.
"No,sir,Icantakehimforyoutotheinn,ifyouplease."
"Doso,Iamnowgoingthere."
Theywalkedforward,andIwasledbehind.
Theboycouldhardlycontrolhisdelight,andtheoldgentlemanseemedtoenjoyhispleasure.
Ihadagoodfeedattheinn,andwasthengentlyriddenhomebyaservantofmynewmaster's,andturnedintoalargemeadowwithashedinonecornerofit.
Mr.Thoroughgood,forthatwasthenameofmybenefactor,gaveordersthatIshouldhavehayandoatseverynightandmorning,andtherunofthemeadowduringtheday,and,"you,Willie,"saidhe,"musttaketheoversightofhim;Igivehiminchargetoyou."
Theboywasproudofhischarge,andundertookitinallseriousness.
Therewasnotadaywhenhedidnotpaymeavisit;sometimespickingmeoutfromamongtheotherhorses,andgivingmeabitofcarrot,orsomethinggood,orsometimesstandingbymewhileIatemyoats.
Healwayscamewithkindwordsandcaresses,andofcourseIgrewveryfondofhim.
HecalledmeOldCrony,asIusedtocometohiminthefieldandfollowhimabout.
Sometimeshebroughthisgrandfather,whoalwayslookedcloselyatmylegs.
"Thisisourpoint,Willie,"hewouldsay;"butheisimprovingsosteadilythatIthinkweshallseeachangeforthebetterinthespring."
Theperfectrest,thegoodfood,thesoftturf,andgentleexercise,soonbegantotellonmyconditionandmyspirits.
Ihadagoodconstitutionfrommymother,andIwasneverstrainedwhenIwasyoung,sothatIhadabetterchancethanmanyhorseswhohavebeenworkedbeforetheycametotheirfullstrength.
DuringthewintermylegsimprovedsomuchthatIbegantofeelquiteyoungagain.
Thespringcameround,andonedayinMarchMr.Thoroughgooddeterminedthathewouldtrymeinthephaeton.
Iwaswellpleased,andheandWilliedrovemeafewmiles.
Mylegswerenotstiffnow,andIdidtheworkwithperfectease.
"He'sgrowingyoung,Willie;wemustgivehimalittlegentleworknow,andbymid-summerhewillbeasgoodasLadybird.Hehasabeautifulmouthandgoodpaces;theycan'tbebetter."
"Oh,grandpapa,howgladIamyouboughthim!"
"SoamI,myboy;buthehastothankyoumorethanme;wemustnowbelookingoutforaquiet,genteelplaceforhim,wherehewillbevalued."
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