v CHILDREN'S BOOK ^
COLLECTION $
LIBRARY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
LOS ANGELES
Ex Libris
C. K. OGDEN
'
" The moon had just risen above the hedge, and by
its light I could see Smith lying- a few yards beyond
me." Pa ye 121.
BLACK BEAUTY
HIS GROOMS AND COMPANIONS,
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A HORSE
fr0m i\t rigmal quhu,
ANNA SEWELL.
LONDON: JARROLD AND SONS,
3, PATERNOSTER BUILDINGS.
TO
MY DEAR AND HONOURED
MOTHER,
WHOSE LIFE, NO LESS THAN HER PEN,
HAS BEEN DEVOTED TO THE
WELFARE OF OTHERS,
THIS LITTLE BOOK
IS AFFECTIONATELY
DEDICATED.
" HE was a perfect horseman, and never lost his temper
with his horse, talking to and reasoning with it if it shyed or
bolted, as if it had been a rational being, knowing that
from the fine organisation of the animal, a horse, like a
child, will get confused by panic fear, which is only
increased by punishment." From the Life of Charle*
Kingsley, Vol. IT., page 9.
CONTENTS,
PART I.
HAPTER
]
>AGK
I.
MY EARLY HOME
9
II.
THE HUNT
12
III.
MY BREAKING IN
16
IV.
BIRTWICK PARK
21
v.
A FAIR START
25
VI.
LIBERTY
30
VII.
GINGER
32
VIII.
GINGER'S STORY CONTINUED
38
IX.
MERRYLEGS
43
X.
A TALK IN THE ORCHARD ...
47
XI.
PLAIN SPEAKING ... ...
54
XII.
A STORMY DAY
58
XIII.
THE DEVIL'S TRADE MARK
63
XIV.
JAMES HOWARD
67
XV.
THE OLD OSTLER
71
XVI.
THE FIRE ...
75
XVII.
JOHN MANLY'S TALK
80
XVIII.
GOING FOR THE DOCTOR
85
XIX.
ONLY IGNORANCE
90
XX.
JOE GREEN
93
XXI.
THE PARTING
97
PART II.
XXII.
EARLSHALL
101
XXIII.
A STRIKE FOR LIBERTY
106
XXIV.
THE LADY ANNE, OR A RUNAWAY HORSE
110
XXV.
REUBEN SMITH
118
XXVI.
How IT ENDED
123
XXVII.
RUINED, AND GOING DOWN-HILL
127
XXVIII.
A JOB HORSE, AND HIS DRIVERS
131
CHAPTF.1
PAOR
XXIX. COCKNEYS
... 136
XXX A THIEF .
144
XXXI A HUMBUG .*.
148
PART III.
XXXII. THE HORSE FAIR ...
152
XXXIII. A LONDON CAB HORSE
.. 157
XXXIV. AN OLD WAR HORSE
162
XXXV. JERRY BARKER
.. 169
XXXVI. THE SUNDAY CAB
177
XXXVII. THE GOLDEN RULE ...
.. 188
XXXVIII. DOLLY AND A REAL GENTLEMAN ...
188
XXXIX SEEDY SAM
193
XL. POOR GINGER
198
XLI. THE BUTCHER
.. 201
XLII. THE ELECTION
205
XLIII. A FRIEND IN NEED ...
., 208
XLIV. OLD CAPTAIN, AND HIS SUCCESSOR
214
XLV. JERRY'S NEW YEAR
.. 220
PART IV.
XL VI. JAKES AND THE LADY
228
XLVII. HARD TIMES
.. 233
XLVIII. FARMER THOROUGHGOOD AND HIS
GRANDSON WILLIE
239
XLIX. MY LAST HOME
.. 244
BLACK BEAUTY.
PART I.
CHAPTEE I.
MY EARLY HOME.
THE first place that I can well remember, was a
large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in
it. Some shady trees leaned over it, and rushes and
water-lilies grew at the deep end. Over the hedge
on one side we looked into a ploughed field, and on
the other we looked over a gate at our master's
house, which stood by the roadside ; at the top of the
meadow was a plantation of fir trees, and at the
bottom a running brook overhung by a steep bank.
Whilst I was young I lived upon my mother's
milk, as I could not eat grass. In the day time I ran
by her side, and at night I lay down close by her.
When it was hot, we used to stand by the pond in
the shade of the trees, and when it was cold, we had
a nice warm shed near the plantation.
As soon as I was old enough to" eat grass, my
mother used to go out to work in the day time, and
came back in the evening.
There were six young colts in the meadow beside
10 BLACK BEAUTY.
me, they were all older than I was; some were
nearly as large as grown-up horses. I used to run
with them, and had great fun ; we used to gallop all
together round and round the field, as hard as we
could go. Sometimes we had rather rough play, for
they would frequently bite and kick as well as gallop.
One day, when there was a good deal of kicking,
my mother whinnied to me to come to her, and then
she said,
" I wish you to pay attention to what I am going
to say to you. The colts who live here are very good
colts ; but they are cart-horse colts, and of course,
they have not learned manners. You have been
well bred and well born ; your father has a great
name in these parts, and your grandfather won the
cup two years at the Newmarket races ; your grand-
mother had the sweetest temper of any horse I ever
knew, and I think you have never seen me kick or
bite. I hope you will grow up gentle and good, and
never learn bad ways ; do your work with a good
will, lift your feet up well when you trot, and never
bite or kick even in play."
I have never forgotten my mother's advice ; I
knew she was a wise old horse, and our master
thought a great deal of her. Her name was Duchess,
but he often called her Pet.
Our master was a good kind man. He gave us
good food, good lodging, and kind words ; he spoke
as kindly to us as he did to his little children ; we
were all fond of him, and my mother loved him very
much. When she saw him at the gate, she would
MY EARLY HOME. 11
neigli with joy and trot up to him. He would pat
and stroke her and say, " Well, old Pet, and how is
your little Darkie ? " I was a dull black, so he
called me Darkie ; then he would give me a piece of
bread, which was very good, and sometimes he
brought a carrot for my mother. All the horses
would come to him, but I think we were his
favourites. My mother always took him to the town
on a market day in a light gig.
There was a ploughboy, Dick, who sometimes
came into our field to pluck blackberries from the
hedge. When he had eaten all he wanted, he would
have, what he called, fun with the colts, throwing
stones and sticks at them to make them gallop.
We did not much mind him, for we could gallop off ;
but sometimes a stone would hit and hurt us.
One day he was at this game, and did not know
that the master was in the next field ; but he was
there, watching what was going on : over the hedge
he jumped in a snap, and catching Dick by the arm,
he gave him such a box on the ear as made him
roar with the pain and surprise. As soon as we
saw the master, we trotted lip nearer to see what
went on.
"Bad boy!" he said, "bad boy! to chase the
colts. This is not the first time, nor the second, but
it shall be the last there take your money and go
home, I shall not want you on my farm again." So
we never saw Dick any more. Old Daniel, the man
who looked after the horses, was just as gentle as
our master, so we were well off.
CHAPTER H.
THE HUNT.
BEFORE I was two years old, a circumstance
happened, which I have never forgotten. It was
early in the spring ; there had been a little frost in
the night and a light mist still hung over the
plantations and meadows. I, and the other colts
were feeding at the lower part of the field, when we
heard, quite in the distance, what sounded like the
cry of dogs. The oldest of the colts raised his head,
pricked his ears, and said " There are the hounds ! "
and immediately cantered off, followed by the rest of
us to the upper part of the field, where we could look
over the hedge and see several fields beyond. My
mother, and an old riding horse of our master's were
also standing near, and seemed to know all about it.
" They have found a hare," said my mother, " and
if they come this way, we shall see the hunt."
And soon the dogs were all tearing down the field
of young wheat next to curs. I never heard such a
noise as they made. They did not bark, nor howl,
nor whine, but kept on a " yo ! yo, o, o ! yo !
yo, o, o," at the top of their voices. After them
came a number of men on horse-back, some of them
in scarlet coats, all galloping as fast as they could.
The old horse snorted and looked eagerly after them,
THE HUNT. 13
and we young colts wanted to be galloping with them,
but they were soon away into the fields lower down ;
here, it seemed as if they had come to a stand ; the
dogs left off barking, and ran about every way with
their noses to the ground.
" They have lost the scent," said the old horse,
" perhaps the hare will get off."
" What hare ? " I said.
" Oh ! I don't know what hare ; likely enough it
may be one of our own hares out of the plantation ;
any hare they can find will do for the dogs and men
to run after; " and before long the dogs began their
" yo ! yo, o, o 1 " again, and back they came altogether
at full speed, making straight for our meadow at the
part where the high bank and hedge overhang the
brook.
"Now we shall see the hare," said my mother;
and just then a hare wild with fright rushed by, and
made for the plantation. On came the dogs, they
burst over the bank, leapt the stream, and came
dashing across the field, followed by the huntsmen.
Six or eight men leaped their horses clean over,
close upon the dogs. The hare tried to get through
:he fence ; it was too thick, and she turned sharp round
to make for the road, but it was too late ; the dogs
were upon her with then: wild cries ; we heard one
shriek, and that was the end of her. One of the
huntsmen rode up and whipped off the dogs, who
would soon have torn her to pieces. He held her up
by the leg torn and bleeding, and all the gentlemen
seemed well pleased.
14 . BLACK BEAUTY.
%
As for me, I was so astonished that I did not at
first see what was going on by the brook ; but when
I did look, there was a sad sight ; two fine horses
were down, one was struggling in the stream, and the
other was groaning on the grass. One of the riders
was getting out of the water covered with mud, the
other lay quite still.
" His neck is broke," said my mother.
" And serve him right too," said one of the colts.
I thought the same, but my mother did not join
with us.
" Well ! no," she said, " you must not say that ; but
though I am an old horse, and have seen and heard
a great deal, I never yet could make out why men
are so fond of this sport ; they often hurt themselves,
often spoil good horses, and tear up the fields, and
all for a hare or a fox, or a stag, that they could get
more easily some other way; but we are only
horses, and don't know."
Whilst my mother was saying this, we stood and
looked on. Many of the riders had gone to the
young man ; but my master, who had been watching
what was going on, was the first to raise him. His
head fell back and his arms hung down, and every
one looked very serious. There was no noise now ;
even the dogs were quiet, and seemed to know that
something was wrong: They carried him to our
master's house. I heard afterwards that it was
young George Gordon, the squire's only son, a fine
tall young man, and the pride of his family.
There was now riding off in all directions to the
THE HUNT. 15
doctor's, to the farrier's, and no doubt to Squire
Gordon's, to let him know about his son. When Mr.
Bond the fanier, came to look at the black horse
that lay groaning on the grass, he felt him all over,
and shook his head; one of his legs was broken.
Then some one ran to our master's house and came
back with a gun ; presently there was a loud bang
and a dreadful shriek, and then all was still; the
black horse moved no more.
My mother seemed much troubled ; she said she
had known that horse for years, and that his name
was "Bob Koy;" he was a good bold horse, and
there was no vice in him. She never would go to
that part of the field afterwards.
Not many days after, we heard the church bell
tolling for a long time ; and looking over the gate
we saw a long strange black coach that was covered
with black cloth and was drawn by black horses ;
after that came another and another and another,
and all were black, while the bell kept tolling, tolling.
They were carrying young Gordon to the churchyard
to bury him. He would never ride again. What
they did with Bob Boy I never knew ; but 'twas all
for one little hoxe.
CHAPTER in.
MY BREAKING IN.
I WAS now beginning to grow handsome ; my coat
had grown fine and soft, and was bright black. I had
one white foot, and a pretty white star on my fore-
head : I was thought very handsome ; my master
would not sell me till I was four years old ; he said
lads ought not to work like men, and colts ought
not to work like horses till they were quite grown
up.
When I was four years old, Squire Gordon came
to look at me. He examined my eyes, my mouth
and my legs ; he felt them all down ; and then I
had to walk and trot and gallop before him; he
seemed to like me, and said "when he has been
well broken in, he will do very well." My master
said he would break me in himself, as he should not
like me to be frightened or hurt, and he lost no time
about it, for the next day he began.
Every one may not know what breaking in is,
therefore I will describe it. It means to teach a
horse to wear a saddle and bridle and to carry on his
back a man, woman, or child; to go just the way
they wish, and to go quietly. Beside this, he has to
learn to wear a collar, a crupper, and a breeching,
and to stand still whilst they are put on ; then to
MY BREAKING IN. 17
have a cart or a chaise fixed behind him, so that he
cannot walk or trot without dragging it after him :
and he must go. fast or slow, just as his driver wishes.
He must never start at what he sees, nor speak to
other hprses, nor bite, nor kick, nor have any will of
his own ; but always do his master's will, even though
he may be very tired or hungry ; but the worst of all
is, when his harness is once on, he may neither
jump for joy nor He down for weariness. So you
will see this breaking in is a great thing.
I had of course long been used to a halter and a
headstall, and to be led about in the field and lanes
quietly, but now I was to have a bit and bridle ; my
master gave me some oats as usual, and after a good
deal of coaxing, he got the bit into my mouth, am 1
the bridle fixed, but it was a nasty thing ! Those
who have never had a bit in their mouths cannot
think how bad it feels ; a great piece of cold hard
steel as thick as a man's finger to be pushed into
one's mouth, between one's teeth and over one's tongue,
with the ends corning out at the corner of your mouth,
and held fast there by straps over your head, under
your throat, round your nose, and under your chin ;
so that no way in the world can you get rid of the
nasty hard thing ; it is very bad ! yes, very bad ! at
least I thought so ; but I knew my mother always
wore one when she went out, and all horses did
when they were grown up ; and so, what with the
nice oats, and what with my master's pats, kind
words, and gentle ways, I got to wear my bit and
bridle.
18 BLACK BEAUTY.
Next came the saddle, but that was not half so
bad; my master put it on my back very gently,
whilst old Daniel held my head; he then made
the girths fast under my body, patting and talking to
me all the time ; then I had a few oats, then a little
leading about, and this he did every day till I began
to look for the oats and the saddle. At length one
morning, my master got on my back and rode me
round the meadow on the soft grass. It certainly
did feel queer ; but I must say I felt rather proud to
carry my master, and as he continued to ride me
a little every day, I soon became accustomed to it.
The next unpleasant business was putting on the
iron shoes ; that too was very hard at first. My
master went with me to the smith's forge, to see that
I was not hurt or got any fright. The blacksmith
took my feet in his hand one after the other, and cut
away some of the hoof. It did not pain me, so I stood
btill on three legs till he had done them all. Then
he took a piece of iron the shape of my foot, and
clapped it on, and drove some nails through the
shoe quite into my hoof, so that the shoe was firmly
on. My feet felt very stiff and heavy, but in time I
got used to it.
And now having got so far, my master went on to
break me to harness ; there were more new things to
wear. First, a stiff heavy collar just on my neck,
and a bridle with great side-pieces against my eyes
called blinkers, and blinkers indeed they were, for I
could not see on either side, but only straight in
front of me ; next there was a small saddle with a
MY BREAKING IN. 19
nasty stiff strap that went right under my tail ; that
was the crupper. I hated the crupper: to have my
long tail doubled up and poked through that strap
was almost as bad as the bit. I never felt more like
kicking, but of course I could not kick such a good
master, and so in time I got used to every thing, and
could do my work as well as my mother.
I must not forget to mention one part of my
training, which I have always considered a very great
advantage. My master sent me for a fortnight to a
neighbouring farmer's, who had a meadow which was
skirted on one side by the railway. Here were some
sheep and cows, and I was turned in amongst them.
I shall never forget the first train that ran by.
I was feeding quietly near the pales which separated
the meadow from the railway, when I heard a strange
sound at a distance, and before I knew whence it
came with a rush and a clatter, and a puffing out of
smoke a long black train of something flew by, and
was gone almost before I could draw my breath. I
turned, and galloped to the further side of the meadow
as fast as I could go, and there I stood snorting with
astonishment and fear. In the course of the day
many other trains went by, some more slowly ; these
drew up at the station close by, and sometimes made
an awful shriek and groan before they stopped.
I thought it very dreadful, but the cows went on
eating very quietly, and hardly raised their heads as
the black frightful thing came puffing and grinding
past.
For the first few days I could not feed in peace ;
20 BLACK BEAUTY.
but as I found that this terrible creature never came
into the field, or did me any harm, I began to
disregard it, and very soon I cared as little about
the passing of a train, as the cows and sheep did.
Since then I have seen many horses much alarmed
and restive at the sight or sound of a steam engine ;
but thanks to my good master's care, I am as fear-
less at railway stations as in my own stable.
Now if any one wants to break in a young horse
well, that is the way.
My master often drove me in double harness with
my mother, because she was steady, and could teach
me how to go better than a strange horse. She told
me the better I behaved, the better I should be treated,
and that it was wisest always to do my best to please
.my master; "but," said she, "there are a great
many kinds of men ; there are good thoughtful men
like our master, that any horse may be proud to
serve ; but there are bad cruel men, who never ought
to have a horse or dog to call their own. Beside,
there are a great many foolish men, vain, ignorant,
and careless, who never trouble themselves to think ;
these spoil more horses than all, just for want of
sense ; they don't mean it, but they do it for all that.
I hope you will fall into good hands ; but a horse
never knows who may buy him, or who may drive
him ; it is all a chance for us, but still I say, do
your best wherever it is, and keep up your good
name."
CHAPTER IV.
BIBT WICK PARK.
AT this time I used to stand in the stable, and my
coat was brushed every day till it shone like a rook's
wing. It was early in May, when there came a man
from Squire Gordon's, who took me away to the
Hall. My master said " Good bye, Darkie ; be a good
horse, and always do your best." I could not say
' good bye,' so I put my nose into his hand ; he patted
me kindly, and I left my first home. As I lived
some years with Squire Gordon, I may as well tell
something about the place.
Squire Gordon's Park skirted the village of Birt-
wick. It was entered by a large iron gate, at which
stood the first Lodge, and then you trotted along on
a smoofh road between clumps of large old trees ;
then another Lodge and another gate, which brought
you to the house and the gardens. Beyond this lay
the home paddock, the old orchard, and the stables.
There was accommodation for many horses and
carriages ; but I need only describe the stable into
which I was taken ; this was very roomy, with four
good stalls ; a large swinging window opened into
the yard, which made it pleasant and airy.
The first stall was a large square one, shut in
behind with a wooden gate ; the others were common
BLACK BEAUTY.
stalls, good stalls, but not nearly so large ; it had a
low rack for hay and a low manger for corn ; it was
called a loose box, because the horse that was put
into it was not tied up, but left loose, to do as he
liked. It is a great thing to have a loose box.
Into this fine box the groom put me ; it was clean,
sweet, and airy. I never was in a better box than
that, and the sides were not so high, but that I could
see all that went on through the iron rails that were
at the top.
He gave me some very nice oats, he patted me,
spoke kindly, and then went away.
When I had eaten my corn, I looked round. In
the stall next to mine, stood a little fat grey pony,
with a thick mane and tail, a very pretty head, and
a pert little nose.
I put my head up to the iron rails at the top of
my box, and said, " How do you do ? what is your
name ? "
He turned round as far as his halter would allow,
held his head up and said, " My name is Merrylegs :
I am very handsome, I carry the young ladies on my
back, and sometimes I take our mistress out in the
low chair. They think a great deal of me, and so
does James. Are you going to live next door to me
in the box ? "
I said " Yes."
"Well then," he said, "I hope you are good-
tempered ; I do not like any one next door who bites."
Just then a horse's head looked over from the stall
beyond ; the ears were laid back, and the eye looked
BIRTWICK PAKE. 23
rather ill -tempered. This was a tall chestnut mare
with a long handsome neck ; she looked across to me
and said,
" So it is you who have turned me out of my box ;
it is a very strange thing for a colt like you, to come
and turn a lady out of her own home."
"I beg your pardon," I said, "I have turned no
one out ; the man who brought me put me here, and
I had nothing to do with it ; and as to my being a
colt, I am turned four years old, and am a grown-up
horse : I never had words yet with horse or mare,
and it is my wish to live at peace."
" Well," she said, " we shall see ; of course I do not
want to have words with a young thing like you."
I said no more.
In the afternoon when she went out, Merrylegs
told me all about it.
" The thing is this," said Merrylegs, " Ginger has
a bad habit of biting and snapping ; that is why they
call her Ginger, and when she was in the loose box,
she used to snap very much. One day she bit James
in the arm and made it bleed, and so Miss Flora and
Miss Jessie, who are very fond of me, were afraid to
come into the stable. They used to bring me nice
things to eat, an apple or a carrot, or a piece of
bread, but after Ginger stood in that box, they dare
not come, and I missed them very much. I hope
they will now come again, if you do not bite or
snap."
I told him I never bit anything but grass, hay and
corn, and could not think what pleasure Ginger
found it.
24 B^ACK BEAUTY.
" Well, I don't think she does find pleasure," says
Merrylegs, " it is just a bad habit ; she says no one
was ever kind to her, and why should she not bite ?
Of course it is a very bad habit ; but I am sure, if all
she says be true, she must have been very ill-used
before she came here. John does all he can to please
her, and James does all he can, and our master never
uses a whip if a horse acts right ; so I think she
might be good-tempered here ; you see," he said with
a wise look, " I am twelve years old ; I know a great
deal, and I can tell you there is not a better place for
a horse all round the country than this. John is
the best groom that ever was, he has been here
fourteen years ; and you never saw such a kind boy
as James is, so that it is all Ginger's own fault that
she did not stay in that box."
CHAPTER V.
A FAIR START.
THE name of the coachman was John Manly ; he
had a wife and one little child, and they lived in the
coachman's cottage, very near the stables.
The next morning he took me into the yard and
gave me a good grooming, and just as I was going
into my box with my coat soft and bright, the
Squire came in to look at me, and seemed pleased.
" John," he said, " I meant to have tried the new
horse this morning, but I have other business. You
may as well take him a round after breakfast ; go by
the common and the Highwood, and back by the
watemiill and the river, that will shew his paces."
" I will, sir," said John. After breakfast he came
and fitted me with a bridle. He was very particular
in letting out and taking in the straps, to fit my head
comfortably ; then he brought the saddle, that was
not broad enough for my back ; he saw it in a minute
and went for another, which fitted nicely. He rode
me first slowly, then a trot, then a canter, and when
we were on the common he gave me a light touch
with his whip, and we had a splendid gallop.
" Ho, ho 1 my boy," he said, as he pulled me up,
" you would like to follow the hounds, I think."
ZO BLACK BEAUTY.
As we came back through the Park we met the
Squire and Mrs. Gordon walking ; they stopped, and
John jumped off.
" Well, John, how does he go ? "
" First-rate, sir," answered John, " he is as fleet as
a deer, and has a fine spirit too ; but the lightest
touch of the rein will guide him. Down at the end
of the common we met one of those travelling carts
hung all over with baskets, rugs, and such like ; you
know, sir, many horses will not pass those carts
quietly; he just took a good look at it, and then
went on as quiet and pleasant as could be. They
were shooting rabbits near the Highwood, and a
gun went off close by; he pulled up a little and
looked, but did not stir a step to right or left. I
just held the rein steady and did not hurry him, and
it's my opinion he has not been frightened or ill-used
while he was young."
" That's well," said the Squire, " I will try him
myself to-morrow."
The next day I was brought up for my master.
I remembered my mother's counsel and my good old
master's, and I tried to do exactly what he wanted
me to do. I found he was a very good rider, and
thoughtful for his horse too. When he came home,
the lady was at the hall door as he rode up.
"Well, my dear," she said, "how do you like
him?"
" He is exactly what John said," he replied, " a
pleasanter creature I never wish to mount. What
shall we call him?"
A FAIR START. 27
" "Would you like Ebony ? " said she, " he is as
black as ebony."
" No, not Ebony."
" Will you call him ' Blackbird,' Hke your uncle's
old horse ? "
" No, he is far handsomer than old Blackbird ever
was."
" Yes," she said, "he is really quite a beauty, and
he has such a sweet good-tempered face and such a
fine intelligent eye what do you say to calling him
' Black Beauty ?' "
"Black Beauty, why yes, I think that is a very
good name ; if you Hke, it shall be his name," and so
it was.
When John went into the stable, he told James
that master and mistress had chosen a good sensible
English name for me, that meant something, not
like Marengo, or Pegasus, or Abdallah. They both
laughed, and James said, " If it was not for bringing
back the past, I should have named him * Eob Roy,'
for I never saw two horses more alike."
" That's no wonder," said John, " didn't you know
that farmer Grey's old Duchess was the mother of
them both ? "
I had never heard that before, and so poor Eob
Roy who was killed at that hunt was my brother !
I did not wonder that my mother was so troubled.
It seems that horses have no relations ; at least, they
never know each other after they are sold.
John seemed very proud of me ; he used to make
my mane and tail almost as smooth as a lady's hair,
23 BLACK BEAUTY,
and he would talk to me a great deal ; of course I
did not understand all he said, but I learned more
and more to know what he meant, and what he
wanted me to do. I grew very fond of him, he was
so gentle and kind, he seemed to know just how a
horse feels, and when he cleaned me, he knew the
tender places, and the ticklish places ; when he
brushed my head, he went as carefully over my eyes
as if they were his own, and never stirred up any ill
temper.
James Howard, the stable boy, was just as gentle
and pleasant in his way, so I thought myself well
off. There was another man who helped in the
yard, but he had very little to do with Ginger and
ine.
A few days after this I had to go out with Ginger
in the carnage ; I wondered how we should get on
together ; but except laying her ears back when I was
led up to her, she behaved very well. She did her
work honestly and did her full share, and I never
wish to have a better partner in double harness.
When we came to a hill, instead of slackening her
pace, she would throw her weight right into the
collar, and pull away straight up. We had both the
same sort of courage at our work, and John had
oftener to hold us in, than to urge us forward ; he
never had to use the whip with either of us ; then
our paces were much the same, and I found it very
easy to keep step with her when trotting, which
made it pleasant, and master always liked it when we
kept step well, and so did John. After we had been
A FAIR START. 29
out two or three times together we grew quite friendly
and sociable, which made me feel very much at
home.
As for Merrylegs, he and I soon became great
friends ; he was such a cheerful, plucky, good-tem-
pered little fellow, that he was a favorite with every
one, and especially with Miss Jessie and Flora, who
used to ride him about in the orchard, and have fine
games with him and their little dog Frisky.
Our master had two other horses that stood in
another stable. One was Justice, a roan cob, used
for riding, or for the luggage cart ; the other was an
old brown hunter, named Sir Oliver; he was past
work now, but was a great favorite with the master,
who gave him the run of the park ; he sometimes
did a little light carting on the estate, or carried one
of the young ladies when they rode out with their
father ; for he was very gentle, and could be trusted
with a child as well as Merrylegs. The cob was a
strong, well-made, good-tempered horse, and we
sometimes had a little chat in the paddock, but of
course I could rot be so intimate with him as with
Ginger, who stood in the same stable.
CHAPTER VI.
LIBERTY.
I WAS quite happy in my new place, and if there
was one thing that I missed, it must not he thought
I was discontented ; all who had to do with me were
good, and I had a light airy stahle and the best of
food. What more could I want? Why, liberty!
For three years and a half of my life I had had all the
liberty I could wish for ; but now, week after week,
month after month, and no doubt year after year, I
must stand up in a stable night and day except when
I am wanted, and then I must be just as steady and
quiet as any old horse who has worked twenty years.
Straps here and straps there, a bit in my mouth, and
blinkers over my eyes. Now, I am not complaining,
for I know it must be so. I only mean to say that
for a young horse full of strength and spirits who has
been used to some large field or plain, where he can
fling up his head, and toss up his tail and gallop
away at full speed, then round and back again with
a snort to his companions I say it is hard never to
have a bit more liberty to do as you like. Sometimes,
when I have had less exercise than usual, I have
felt so full of life and spring, that when John has
taken me out to exercise, I really could not keep
quiet ; do what I would, it seemed as if I must jump,
LIBERTY. 31
or dance, or prance, and many a good shake I know
I must have given him, specially at the first ; but he
was always good and patient.
" Steady, steady, my hoy," he would say, " wait a
bit, and we'll have a good swing, and soon get the
tickle out of yo.ir feet." Then as soon as we were
out of the village, he would give me a few miles at a
spanking trot, and then bring me back as fresh as
before, only clear of the fidgets, as he called them.
Spirited horses, when not enough exercised, are often
called skittish, when it is only play; and some
grooms will punish them, but our John did not, he
knew it was only high spirits. Still, he had his own
ways of making me understand by the tone of his
voice, or the touch of the rein. If he was very serious
and quite determined, I always knew it by his voice,
and that, had more power with me than anything
else, for I was very fond of him.
I ought to say, that sometimes we had our liberty
for a few hours ; this used to be on fine Sundays in
the summer-time. The carriage never went out on
Sundays, because the church was not far off.
It was a great treat to us to be turned out into the
Home Paddock or the old orchard. The grass was
so cool and soft to our feet ; the air so sweet, and the
freedom to do as we liked was so pleasant ; to gallop,
to lie down, and roll over on our backs, or to nibble
the sweet grass. Then it was a very good time for
talking, as we stood together under the shade of the
large chestnut tree.
CHAPTEK VII.
GlNGEB.
ONE day when Ginger and I were standing alone
in the shade we had a great deal of talk ; she wanted
to know all about my bringing up and breaking in,
and I told her.
" Well," said she, " if I had had your bringing up
I might have been as good a- temper as you are, but
now I don't believe I ever shall."
" Why not ? " I said.
" Because it has been all so different with me,"
she replied; "I never had any one, horse or man,
that was kind to me, or that I cared to please, for in
the first place I was taken from my mother as soon
as I was weaned, and put with a lot of other young
colts ; none of them cared for me, and I cared for
none of them. There was no kind master like yours
to look after me, and talk to me, and bring me nice
things to eat. The man that had the care of us
never gave me a kind word in my life. I do not
mean that he ill-used me, but he did not care for us
one bit further than to see that we had plenty to eat
and shelter in the winter. A footpath ran through
our field, and very often the great boys passing
through, would fling stones to make us gallop. I
GINGEK. 33
was never hit, but one fine young colt was badly cut
in the face, and I should think it would be a scar for
life. We did not care for them, but of course it made
us more wild, and we settled it in our minds that
boys were our enemies. We had very good fun in
the free meadows, galloping up and down and chae-ing
each other round and round the field ; then standing
still under the shade of the trees. But when it came
to breaking in, that was a bad time for me ; several
men came to catch me, and when at last they closed
me in at one corner of the field, one caught me by
the forelock, another caught me by the nose, and held
it so tight I could hardly draw my breath ; then
another took my under jaw in his hard hand and
wrenched my mouth open, and so by force they got
on the halter and the bar into my mouth ; then one
dragged me along by the halter, another flogging
behind, and this was the first experience I had of
men's kindness, it was all force ; they did not give
me a chance to know what they wanted. I was
high bred and had a great deal of spirit, and was very
wild, no doubt, and gave them I daresay plenty of
trouble, but then it was dreadful to be shut up in a
stall day after day instead of having my liberty, and
I fretted and pined and wanted to get loose. You
know yourself, it's bad enough when you have a kind
master and plenty of coaxing, but there was nothing
of that sort for me.
" There was one the old master, Mr Eyder, who I
think could soon have brought me round, and could
have done anything with me, but he had given up
84 BLACK BEAUTY.
all the hard part of the trade to his son and to
another experienced man, and he only came at times
to oversee. His son was a strong, tall, bold man ;
they called him Samson, and he used to boast that
he had never found a horse that could throw him.
There was no gentleness in him as there was in his
father, but only hardness, a hard voice, a hard eye,
a hard hand, and I felt from the first that what he
wanted was to wear all the spirit out of me, and just
make me into a quiet, humble, obedient piece of
horse-flesh. ' Horse-flesh ! ' Yes, that is all that he
thought about,"- and Ginger stamped her foot as if
the very thought of him made her angiy. ,And she
went on ; " If I did not do exactly what he wanted,
he would get put out, and make me run round with
that long rein in the training field till he had tired
me out. I think he drank a good deal, and I am
quite sure that the oftener he drank the worse it was
for me. One day he had worked me hard in every
way he could, and when I laid down I was tired and
miserable, and angry ; it all seemed so hard. The
next morning he came for me early, and ran me
round again for a long time. I had scarcely had an
hour's rest, when he came again for me with a saddle
and bridle and a new kind of bit. I could never
quite tell how it came about; he had only just
mounted me on the training ground, when some-
thing I did put him out of temper, and he chucked
me hard with the rein. The new bit was very pain-
ful, and I reared up suddenly, which angered him
still more, and he began to flog me. I felt my whole
GINGER. 85
spirit set against him, and I began to kick, and plunge,
and rear as I had never done before, and we had a
regular fight : for a long time he stuck to the saddle
and punished me cruelly with his whip and spurs,
but my blood was thoroughly up, and I cared for
nothing he could do if only I could get him off. At
last, after a terrible struggle, I threw him off back-
wards. I heard him fall heavily on the turf, and
without looking behind me, I galloped off to the other
end of the field ; there I turned round and saw my
persecutor slowly rising from the ground and going
into the stable. I stood under an oak tree and
watched, but no one came to catch me. The time
went on, the sun was very hot, the flies swarmed
round me, and settled on my bleeding flanks where
the spurs had dug in. I felt hungry, for I had not
eaten since the early morning, but there was not
enough grass in that meadow for a goose to live on.
I wanted to lie down and rest, but with the saddle
strapped tightly on, there was no comfort, and there
was not a drop of water to drink. The afternoon
wore on, and the sun got low. I saw the other colts
led in, and I knew they were having a good feed.
" At last, just as the sun woiit down, I saw the
old master come out with a sieve in his hand. He
was a very fine old gentleman with quite white hair,
but his voice was what I should know him by
amongst a thousand. It was not high, nor yet low,
but full, and clear, and kind, and when he gave
orders it was so steady and decided, that everyone
knew, both horses and men, that he expected to be
36 BLACK BEAUTY.
obeyed. He came quietly along, now and then
shaking the oats about that he had in the sieve, and
speaking cheerfully and gently to nie, ' Come along,
lassie, come along, lassie ; come along, come along.'
I stood still and let him come up ; he held the oats
to me and I began to eat without fear ; his voice took
all nay fear away. He stood by, patting and stroking
me whilst I was eating, and seeing the clots of blood
on my side he seemed very vexed ; ' Poor lassie ! it
was a bad business, a bad business ! ' then he quietly
took the rein and led me to the stable ; just at the
door stood Samson. I laid my ears back and snapt
at him. ' Stand back,' said the master, ' and keep
out of her way; you've done a bad day's work for
this filly.' He growled out something about a
vicious brute. * Hark ye,' said the father, ' a bad-
tempered man will never make a good-tempered horse.
You've not learned your trade yet, Samson.' Then
he led me into my box, took off the saddle and bridle
with his own hands and tied me up ; then he called
for a pail of warm water and a sponge, took off his
coat, and while the stable man held the pail, he
sponged my sides a good while so tenderly that I was
sure he knew how sore and bruised they were.
' Whoa ! my pretty one,' he said, ' stand still, stand
still.' His very voice did me good, and the bathing
was very comfortable. The skin was so broken at
the corners of my mouth that I could not eat the hay,
the stalks hurt me. He looked closely at it, shook
his head, and told the man to fetch a good bran mash
and put some meal into it. How good that mash
'GINGER. 37
was! and so soft and healing to my mouth. He
stood by all the time I was eating, stroking me and
talking to the man. ' If a high-mettled creature like
this,' said he, ' can't be broken in by fair means, she
will never be good for anything.'
' After that he often came to see me, and when my
mouth was healed, the other breaker, Job, they
called him, went on training me ; he was steady and
thoughtful, and I soon learned what he wanted."
CHAPTER VIII.
GINGER'S STORY CONTINUED.
THE next time that Ginger and I were together in
the paddock, she told me ahout her first place.
" After my breaking in," she said, " I was bought by
a dealer to match another chestnut horse. For some
weeks he drove us together, and then we were sold
to a fashionable gentleman, and were sent up to
London. I had been driven with a bearing rein by
the dealer, and I hated it worse than anything else;
but in this place we were reined far tighter; the
coachman and his master thinking we looked more
stylish so. We were often driven about in the Park
and other fashionable places. You who never had a
bearing rein on, don't know what it is, but I can tell
you it is dreadful.
" I like to toss my head about, and hold it as high
as any horse ; but fancy now yourself, if you tossed
your head up high and were obliged to hold it there,
and that for hours together, not able to move it at
all, except with a jerk still higher, your neck aching
till you did not know how to bear it. Beside that,
to have two bits instead of one ; and mine was a sharp
one, it hurt my tongue and my jaw, and the blood
from my tongue coloured the froth that kept flying
GINGER'S STORY CONTINUED. 39
from my lips, as I chafed and fretted at the bits and
rein ; it was worst when we had to stand by the
hour waiting for our mistress at some grand party or
entertainment ; and if I fretted or stamped with
impatience the whip was laid on. It was enough to
drive one mad."
" Did not your master take any thought for you ? "
I said.
" No," said she, " he only cared to have a stylish
turn-out, as they call it ; I think he knew very
little about horses, he left that to his coachman, who
told him I was an irritable temper ; that I had not
been well broken to the bearing rein, but I should
soon get used to it ; but lie was not the man to do it,
for when I was in the stable, miserable and angry,
instead of being soothed and quieted by kindness, I
got only a surly word or a blow. If he had been
civil, I would have tried to bear it. I was willing to
work, and ready to work hard too ; but to be tor-
mented for nothing but their fancies, angered me.
What right had they to make me suffer like that ?
Beside the soreness in my mouth and the pain in my
neck, it always made my windpipe feel bad, and if I
had stopped there long, I know it would have spoiled
my breathing ; but I grew more and more restless
and irritable, I could not help it ; and I began to
snap and kick when any one came to harness me ;
for this the groom beat me, and one day, as they had
just buckled us into the carriage, and were straining
my head up with that rein, I began to plunge and
kick with all my might. I soon broke a lot of
40 BLACK BEAUTY.
harness, and kicked myself clear ; so that was an enl
of that place.
" After this, I was sent to Tattersal's to be sold ; of
course I could not be warranted free from vice, so
nothing was said about that. My handsome appear-
ance and good paces soon brought gentlemen to bid
for me, and I was bought by another dealer; he
tried me in all kinds of ways and with different bits,
and he soon found out what I could not bear. At
last he drove me quite without a bearing rein, and
then sold me as a perfectly quiet horse to a gentleman
in the country; he was a good master, and I was
getting on very well, but his old groom left him and
a new one came. This man was as hard-tempered
and hard-handed as Samson ; he always spoke in a
rough impatient voice, and if I did not move in the
stall the moment he wanted me, he would hit me
above the hocks with the 'stable broom or the fork,
whichever he might have in his hand. Every thing
he did was rough, and I began to hate him ; he
wanted to make me afraid of him, but I was too high-
mettled for that ; and one day when he had aggra-
vated me more than usual, I bit him, which of course
put him in a great rage, and he began to hit me
about the head with a riding whip. After that, he
never dared to come into my stall again, either my
heels or my teeth were ready for him, and he knew
it. I was quite quiet with my master, but of course
he listened to what the man said, and so I was sold
? gam.
" The same dealer heard of me and said he thought
GINGER'S STORY CONTINUED. 41
he knew one place where I should do well. ' 'Twas
a pity,' he said, 'that such a fine horse should go
to the bad, for want of a real good chance,' and the
end of it was that I came here not long before you
did ; but I had then made up my mind, that men
were my natural enemies, and that I must defend
myself. Of course it is very different here, but who
knows how long it will last ? I wish I could think
about things as you do ; but I can't after all I have
gone through."
" Well," I said, " I think it would be a real shame
if you were to bite or kick John or James."
" I don't mean to," she said, " while they are good
to me. I did bite James once pretty sharp, but
John said, ' Try her with kindness,' and instead of
punishing me as I expected, James came to me with
his arm bound up, and brought me a bran mash and
stroked me ; and I have never snapped at him since,
and I won't either."
I was sony for Ginger, but of course I knew very-
little then, and I thought most likely she made the
worst of it ; however, I found that as the weeks went
on, she grew much more gentle and cheerful, and
had lost the watchful, defiant look that she used to
turn on any strange person who came near her ; and
one day James said, " I do believe that mare is
getting fond of me, she quite whinnied after me this
morning when I had been rubbing her forehead."
" Aye, aye, Jim, 'tis the Birtwick balls," said John,
" she'll be as good as Black Beauty by and bye ;
kindness is all the physic she wants, poor thing ! "
42 BLACK BEAUTY.
Master noticed the change too, and one day when he
got out of the carriage and came to speak to us as he
often did, he stroked her beautiful neck, " Well, my
pretty one, well, how do things go with you now ?
you are a good bit happier than when you came to
us, I think."
She put her nose up to him in a friendly trustful
way, while he rubbed it gently.
" We shall make a cure of her, John," he said.
" Yes, sir, she's wonderfully improved, she's not the
same creature that she was ; it's the Birtwick balls,
sir," said John, laughing.
This was a little joke of John's ; he used to say
that a regular course of the Birtwick horse-balls
would cure almost any vicious horse ; these balls he
said were made up of patience and gentleness,
firmness and petting, one pound of each to be mixed
up with half-a-pint of common sense, and given to
the horse every day.
CHAPTER IX.
MERRYLEGS.
MR. BLOMEFIELD, the Yicar, had a large family of
boys and girls ; sometimes they used to come and
play with Miss Jessie and Flora, one of the girls
was as old as Miss Jessie ; two of the boys were
older, and there were several little ones. When they
came, there was plenty of work for Merryiegs, for
nothing pleased them so much as getting on him by
turns and riding him all about the orchard and the
home paddock, and this they would do by the hour
together.
One afternoon he had been out with them a long
time, and when James brought him in and put on
his halter, he said,
" There, you rogue, mind how you behave yourself,
or we shall get into trouble."
" What have you been doing, Merryiegs ? " I asked.
"Oh!" said he, tossing his little head, "I have
only been giving those young people a lesson, they
did not know when they had had enough, nor when
I had had enough, so I just pitched them off back-
wards, that, was the only thing they could under-
stand."
"What?" said I, "you threw the children off?
I thought you did know better than that ! Did you
throw Miss Jessie or Miss Flora ?"
44 BLACK BEAUTY.
He looked very much offended, and said :
" Of course not, I woiild not do such a thing for
the best oats that ever came into the stable ; why I
am as careful of our young ladies as the master could
be, and as for the little ones, it is I who teach them
to ride. When they seem frightened or a little
unsteady on my back, I go as smooth and as quiet as
old pussy when she is after a bird ; and when they
are all right, I go on again faster you see, just to use
them to it ; so don't you trouble yourself preaching
to me ; I am the best friend, and the best riding
master those children have. It is not them, it is the
boys ; boys," said he, shaking his mane, " are quite
different ; they must be broken in, as we were broken
in when we were colts, and just be taught what's
what. The other children had ridden me about for
nearly two hours, and then the boys thought it was
their turn, and so it was, and I was quite agreeable.
They rode me by turns, and I galloped them about
up and down the fields and all about the orchard for
a good hour. They had each cut a great hazel stick
for a riding whip, and laid it on a little too hard ;
but I took it in good part, till at last I thought we
had had enough, so I stopped two or three times by
way of a hint. Boys, you see, think a horse or pony
is like a steam engine or a thrashing machine, and
can go on as long and as fast as they please ; they
never think that a pony can get tired, or have any
feelings ; so as the one who was whipping me could
not understand, I just rose up on my hind legs and
let him slip off behind that was all ; he mounted me
MEERYLEGS. 45
again and I did the same. Then the other boy got
up, and as soon as he began to use his stick I laid
him on the grass, and so on, till they were able to
understand, that was all. They are not bad boys ;
they don't wish to be cruel. I like them very well ;
but you see I had to give them a lesson. When they
brought me to James and told him, I think he was
very angry to see such big sticks. He said they
were only fit for drovers or gipsies, and not for young
gentlemen."
" If I had been you," said Ginger, " I would have
given those boys a good kick, and that would have
given them a lesson."
"No doubt you would," said Merrylegs, "but then
I am not quite such a fool, (begging your pardon )
as to anger our master or make James ashamed of
nie ; besides those children are under my charge
when they are riding ; I tell you they are trusted to
me. Why, only the other day I heard our master say
to Mrs. Blomefield, My dear madam, you need not
be anxious about the children, my old Merrylegs will
take as much care of them as you or I could : I
assure you I would not sell that pony for any money,
he is so perfectly good-tempered and trustworthy ; '
and do you think I am such an ungrateful brute, as
to forget all the kind treatment I have had here for
five years, and all the trust they place in me, and
turn vicious because a couple of ignorant boys used
me badly ? No ! no ! you never had a good place
where they were kind to you ; and so you don't know,
and I'm sorry for you, but I can tell you good places
40 BLACK BEAUTY.
make good horses. I wouldn't vex our people for
anything ; I love them, I do," said Merrylegs, and he
gave a low, "ho, ho, ho," through his nose, as lui
used to do in the morning when he heard James's
footstep at the door.
"Besides," he went on, "if I took to kicking,
vrhere should I be ? why, sold off in a jiffy, and no
character, and I might find myself slaved about
under a butcher's boy, or worked to death at some
seaside place where no one cared for me, except to
find out how fast I could go, or be flogged along in
some cart with three or four great men in it going
out for a Sunday spree, as I have often seen in the
place I lived in before I came here ; no," said he,
shaking his head, "I hope I shall never come to
that."
CHAPTER X.
A TALK IN THE ORCHARD.
GINGER and I were not of the regular tall carriage
horse breed, we had more of the racing blood in us.
We stood about fifteen and a half hands high ; we
were therefore just as good for riding as we were for
driving, and our master used to say that he disliked
either horse or man that could do but one thing ;
and as he did not want to show off in the London
Parks, he preferred a more active and useful kind of
horse. As for us, our greatest pleasure was when
we were saddled for a riding party ; the- master on
Ginger, the mistress on me, and the young ladies on
Sir Oliver and Merrylegs. It was so cheerful to be
trotting and cantering ah 1 together, that it always
put us in high spirits. I had the best of it, for I
always carried the mistress ; her weight was little,
her voice was sweet, and her hand was so light on
the rein, that I was guided almost without feeling
it.
Oh ! if people knew what a comfort to horses a
light hand is, and how it keeps a good mouth and a
good temper, they surely would not chuck, and drag,
and pull at the rein as they often do. Our mouths
are so tender, that where they have not been spoiled
48 BLACK BEAUTY.
or hardened with bad or ignorant treatment, they
feel the slightest movement of the driver's hand, and we
know in an instant what is required of us. My
mouth had never been spoiled, and I believe that
was why the mistress preferred me to Ginger,
although her paces were certainly quite as good.
She used often to envy me, and said it was all the
fault of the breaking in, and the gag bit in London,
that her mouth was not so perfect as mine ; and
then old Sir Oliver would say, " There, there ! don't
vex yourself ; you have the greatest honour ; a mare
that can carry a tall man of our master's weight,
with all your spring and sprightly action, does not
need to hold her head down because she does not
carry the lady ; we horses must take things as they
come, and always be contented and willing so long
as we are kindly used."
I had often wondered how it was, that Sir Oliver
had such a very short tail ; it really was only six or
seven inches long, with a tassel of hair hanging from
it; and on one of our holidays in the orchard I
ventured to ask him by what accident it was chat he
had lost his tail. " Accident ! " he snorted with a
fierce look, "it was no accident! it was a cruel,
shameful, cold-blooded act! When I was young
I was taken to a place where these cruel things were
done ; I was tied up, and made fast so that I could
not stir, and then they came and cut off my long
beautiful tail, through the flesh, and through the
bone, and took it away."
" How dreadful ! " I exclaimed.
A TALK IN THE ORCHARD. 49
" Dreadful ! ah ! it was dreadful ; but it was not only
the pain, though that was terrible and lasted a long
time ; it was not only the indignity of having my best
ornament taken from me, though that was bad ; but
it was this, how could I ever brush the flies off my sides
and ray hind legs any more ? You who have tails just
whisk the flies off without thinking about it, and you
can't tell what a torment it is to have them settle upon'
you and sting and sting, and have nothing in the world
to lash them off with. I tell you it is a life-long wron;?,
and a life-long loss ; but thank Heaven ! they don't
do it now."
" What did they do it for then?" said Ginger.
" For fashion ! " said the old horse with a stamp of
his foot ; " for fashion ! if you know what that means ;
there was not a well-bred young horse in my time
that had not his tail docked in that shameful way,
just as if the good God that made us, did not know
what we wanted and what looked best."
" I suppose it is fashion that makes them strap our
heads up with those horrid bits that I was tortured
with in London," said Ginger.
" Of course it is," said he ; "to my mind, fashion
is one of the wickedest things in the world. Now
look, for instance, at the way they serve dogs, cutting
off their tails to make them look plucky, and shearing
up their pretty little ears to a point to make them
look sharp, forsooth. I had a dear friend once, a
brown terrier ; ' Skye,' they called her, she was so
fond of me, that she never would sleep out of my
stall ; she made her bed under the manger, and there
50 BLACK BEAUTY.
she had a litter of five as pretty little puppies as need be ;
none were drowned, for they were a valuable kind,
and how pleased she was with them ! and when they
got then- eyes open and crawled about, it was a real
pretty sight ; but one day the man came and took them
all away ; I thought he might be afraid I should tread
upon them. But it was not so ; in the evening poor
Skye brought them back again, one by one in her
mouth ; not the happy little things that they were,
but bleeding and crying pitifully ; they had all had
a piece of their tails cut off, and the soft flap of their
pretty little ears was cut quite off. How their
mother licked them, and how troubled she was, poor
thing ! I never forgot it. They healed in time, and
they forgot the pain, but the nice soft flap that of
course was intended to protect the delicate part of
theirs ears from dust and injury, was gone for ever.
Why don't they cut their own children's ears into
points to make them look sharp ? why don't they
cut the end off their noses to make them look plucky ?
one would be just as sensible as the other. What
right have they to torment and disfigure God's
creatures ? "
Sir Oliver, though he was so gentle, was a fiery
old fellow, and what he said was all so new to me
and so dreadful, that I found a bitter feeling toward
men rise up in my mind that I never had before.
Of course Ginger was much excited; she flung up
her head with flashing eyes, and distended nostrils,
declaring that men were both brutes and block,
heads.
A TALK IN THE ORCHARD. 51
" Who talks about blockheads ? " said Merrylegs,
who just came up from the old apple tree, where he
had been rubbing himself against the low branch ;
"Who talks about blockheads ? I believe that is a bad
word."
" Bad words were made for bad things," said
Ginger, and she told him what Sir Oliver had said.
" It is all true," said Merrylegs sadly, " and I've seen
that about the dogs over and over again where I
lived first; but we won't talk about it here. You
know that master, and John, and James are always
good to us, and talking against men in such a place
as this, doesn't seem fair or grateful, and you know
there are good masters and good grooms besides
ours, though of course ours are the best." This wise
speech of good little Merrylegs, which we knew was
quite true, cooled us all down, specially Sir Oliver,
who was dearly fond of his master ; and to turn the
subject I said, " Can any one tell me the use of
blinkers ? "
" No ! " said Sir Oliver shortly, " because they are
no use."
" They are supposed," said Justice in his calm
way, " to prevent horses from shying and starting,
and getting so frightened as to cause accidents."
" Then what is the reason they do not put them
on riding horses ; especially ladies' horses ? " said I.
" There is no reason at all," said he quietly,
" except the fashion : they say that a horse would be
so frightened to see the wheels of his own cart or
carriage coming behind him, that he would be sure
52 BLACK BEAUTY.
to run away, although of course when he is ridden,
he sees them all about him if the streets are crowded.
I admit they do sometimes come too close to be
pleasant, but we don't run away ; we are used to it,
and understand it, and if we had never blinkers put
on, we should never want them ; we should see what
was there, and know what was what, and be much
less frightened than by only seeing bits of things,
that we can't understand."
Of course there may be some nervous horses who
have been hurt or frightened when they were young,
and may be the better for them, but as I never was
nervous, I can't judge.
" I consider," said Sir Oliver, " that blinkers are
dangerous things in the night ; we horses can see
much better in the dark than men can, and many an
accident would never have happened if horses might
have had the full use of their eyes. Some years ago,
I remember, there was a hearse with two horses
returning one dark night, and just by farmer
Sparrow's house, where the pond is close to the road,
the wheels went too near the edge, and the hearse was
overturned into the water; both the horses were
drowned, and the driver hardly escaped. Of course
after this accident a stout white rail was put up that
might be easily seen, but if those horses had not been
partly blinded, they would of themselves have kept far-
ther from the edge, and no accident would have hap-
pened. When our master's carriage was overturned,
before you came here, it was said, that if the lamp on
the left side had not gone out, John would have seen
A TALK IN THE ORCHARD. 53
the great hole that the road makers had left ; and so
he might, but if old Colin had not had blinkers on, he
would have seen it, lamp or no lamp, for he was far
too knowing an old horse to run into danger. As
it was, he was very much hurt, the caniage was
broken, and how John escaped nobody knew."
" I should say," said Ginger, curling her nostril,
" that these men, who are so wise, had better give
orders, that in future, all foals should be born with
their eyes set just in the middle of their foreheads,
instead of on the side ; they always think they can
improve upon nature and mend what God has
made."
Things were getting rather sore again, when
Merrylegs held up his knowing little face and said,
" I'll tell you a secret ; I believe John does not approve
of blinkers, I heard him talking with master about it
one day. The master said, that ' if horses had been
used to them, it might be dangerous in some cases
to leave them off,' and John said he thought it would
be a good thing if all colts were broken in without
blinkers, as was the case in some foreign countries ;
so let us cheer up, and have a run to the other end
of the orchard ; I believe the wind has blown down
some apples, and we might just as well eat them as
the slugs."
Merrylegs could not be resisted, so we broke off
our long conversation, and got up our spirits by
munching some very sweet apples which lay scattered
on the grass.
CHAPTEE XL
PLAIN SPEAKING.
THE longer I lived at Birtwick, the more proud
and happy I felt at having such a place. Our master
and mistress were respected and beloved by all who
knew them ; they were good and kind to everybody,
and everything ; not only men and women, but
horses and donkeys, dogs and cats, cattle and birds ;
there was no oppressed or ill-used creature that
had not a friend in them, and their servants
took the same tone. If any of the village children
were known to treat any creature cruelly, they
soon heard about it from the Hall.
The Squire and farmer Grey had worked together
as they said, for more than twenty years, to get
bearing reins on the cart horses done away with, and
in our parts you seldom saw them ; but sometimes if
mistress met a heavily-laden horse, with his head
strained up, she would stop the carriage and get out,
and reason with the driver in her sweet serious voice,
and try to shew him how foolish and cruel it was.
I don't think any man could withstand our
mistress. I wish all ladies were like her. Our
master too, used to come down very heavy sometimes ;
I remember he was riding me towards home one
PLAIN SPEAKING. 55
morning, when we saw a powerful man driving
towards us in a light pony chaise, with a beautiful
little bay pony, with slender legs, and a high-bred sensi-
tive head and face. Just as he came to the Park gates,
the little thing turned towards them ; the man without
word or warning, wrenched the creature's head round
with such force and suddenness, that he nearly threw
it on its haunches : recovering itself, it was going on
when he began to lash it furiously ; the pony plunged
forward, but the strong heavy hand held the pretty
creature back with force almost enough to break its
jaw, whilst the whip still cut into him. It was
a dreadful sight to me, for I knew what fearful pain
it gave that delicate little mouth ; but master gave me
the word, and we were up with him in a second.
" Sawyer," he cried in a stern voice, "is that pony
made of flesh and blood ? "
" Flesh and blood and temper," he said, " he's too
fond of his own will, and that won't suit me." He
spoke as if he was in a strong passion ; he was a
builder who had often been to the Park on business.
" And do you think," said master sternly, "that treat-
ment like this, will make him fond of your will ? "
" He had no business to make that turn ; his road
was straight on ! " said the man roughly.
" You have often driven that pony up to my place,"
said master, "it only shews the creature's memory
and intelligence ; how did he know that you were
not going there again ? but that has little to do
with it. I must say, Mr. Sawyer, that more unmanly,
brutal treatment of a little pony, it was never my
5G BLACK BEAUTY.
painful lot to witness ; and by giving way to such
passion, you injure your own character as much,
nay more, than you injure your horse, and remember,
we shall all have to be judged according to our works,
whether they be towards man or towards beast."
Master rode me home slowly, and I could tell by
his voice how the thing had grieved him. He was
just as free to speak to gentlemen of his own rank
as to those below him ; for another day, when we were
out, we met a Captain Langley, a Mend of our
master's ; he was driving a splendid pair of greys in
a kind of break. After a little conversation the
Captain said,
" What do you think of my new team, Mr. Douglas ?
you know, you are the judge of horses in these parts,
and I should like your opinion."
The master backed me a little, so as to get a good
view of them. " They are an uncommonly handsome
pair," he said, " and if they are as good as they look,
I am sure you need not wish for anything better ; but
I see you yet hold to that pet scheme of yours for
worrying your horses and lessening their power."
" What do you mean," said the other, " the bear-
ing reins ? Oh, ah ! I know that's a hobby of yours ;
well, the fact is, I like to see my horses hold their
heads up."
" So do I," said master, " as well as any man, but
I don't like to see them held up ; that takes all the
shine out of it. Now you are a military man, Langley,
and no doubt like to see your regiment look well on
parade, 'Heads up,' and all that; but you would
PLAIN SPEAKING. C7
not take much credit for your drill, if all your men
had their heads tied to a backboard ! It might not
be much harm on parade, except to worry and
fatigue them, but how would it be in a bayonet
charge against the enemy, when they want the free
use of every muscle, and all their strength thrown
forward ? I would not give much for their chance of
victory, and it is just the same with horses ; you
fret and worry their tempers, and decrease their power,
you will not let them throw their weight against
their work, and so they have to do too much with
their joints and muscles, and of course it wears them
up faster. You may depend upon it, horses were
intended to have their heads free, as free as men's
are ; and if we could act a little more according to
common sense, and a good deal less according to
fashion, we should find many things work easier;
besides, you know as well as I, that if a horse makes
a false step, he has much less chance of recovering
himself if his head and neck are fastened back. And
now," said the master, laughing, " I have given my
hobby a good trot out, can't you make up your mind to
mount him too, Captain ? your example would go a
long way."
" I believe you are right in theory," said the other,
" and that's rather a hard hit about the soldiers ; but
well I'll think about it," and so they parted.
CHAPTER XH.
A STORMY DAY.
ONE day late in the autumn, my master had a
long journey to go on business. I was put into the
dog-cart, and John went with his master. I always
liked to go in the dog-cart, it was so light, and the
high wheels ran along so pleasantly. There had
been a great deal of rain, and now the wind was very
high, and blew the dry leaves across the road in a
shower. We went along merrily till we came to the
toll-bar, and the low wooden bridge. The river
banks were rather high, and the bridge, instead of
rising, went across just level, so that in the middle,
if the river was full, the water would be nearly up to
the woodwork and planks ; but as there were good
substantial rails on each side, people did not mind
it.
The man at the gate said the river was rising fast,
and he feared it would be a bad night. Many of the
meadows were under water, and in one low part of
the road, the water was half way up to my knees ;
the bottom was good, and master drove gently, so it
was no matter.
When we got to the town, of course I had a good
bait, but as the master's business engaged him a long
A STORMY DAY. 59
time, we did not start for home till rather late in the
afternoon. The wind was then much higher, and I
heard the master say to John, he had never been out
in such a storm; and so I thought, as we went
along the skirts of a wood, where great branches
were swaying about like twigs, and the rushing sound
was terrible.
" I wish we were well out of this wood," said my
master, " Yes, sir," said John, " it would be rather
awkward if one of these branches came down upon
us." The words were scarcely out of his mouth, when
there was a groan, and a crack, and a splitting sound,
and tearing, crashing down amongst the other trees,
came an oak, torn up by the roots, and it fell right
across the road just before us. I will never say I
was not frightened, for I was. I stopped still, and I
believe I trembled ; of course I did not turn round or
run away; I was not brought up to that. John
jumped out and was in a moment at my head.
" That was a very near touch," said my master,
"What's to be done now?" "Well, sir, we can't
drive over that tree nor yet get round it ; there will be
nothing for it, but to go back to the four cross-ways,
and that will be a good six miles before we get round
to the wooden bridge again; it will make us late,
but the horse is fresh." So back we went, and
round by the cross roads ; but by the time we got to
the bridge, it was very nearly dark, we could just see
that the water was over the middle of it ; but as that
happened sometimes when the floods were out,
master did not stop. We were going along at a
(JO BLACK BEAUTY.
good pace, but the moment my feet touched the first
part of the bridge, I felt sure there was something
wrong. I dare not go forward, and I made a dead
stop. " Go on, Beauty," said my master, and he
gave me a touch with the whip, but I dare not stir ;
he gave me a sharp cut, I jumped, but I dare not go
forward.
" There's something wrong, sir," said John, and he
spmng out of the dog- cart and came to my head and
looked all about. He tried to lead me forward,
" Come on, Beauty, what's the matter ? " Of course
I could not tell him; but I knew very well that the
bridge was not safe.
Just then, the man at the toll-gate on the other
side ran out of the house, tossing a torch about like
one mad. "Hoy, hoy, hoy, halloo, stop! " he cried.
"What's the matter?" shouted my master, "The
bridge is broken in the middle, and part of it is
carried away; if you come on you'll be into the
river."
" Thank God ! " said my master. " You Beauty ! "
said John, and took the bridle and gently turned me
round to the right-hand road by the river side.
The sun had set some time, the wind seemed to have
lulled off after that furious blast which tore up the
tree. It grew darker and darker, stiller and stiller.
I trotted quietly along, the wheels hardly making a
sound on the soft road. For a good while neither
master nor John spoke, and then master began in a
serious voice. I could not understand much of what
they said, but I found they thought, if I had gone on
A STORMY DAY. Cl
as the master wanted me, most likely the bridge
would have given way under us, and horse, chaise,
master and man would have fallen into the river ;
and as the current was flowing very strongly, and
there was no light and no help at hand, it was more
than likely we should all have been drowned.
Master said, God had given men reason by which
they could find out things for themselves, but He had
given animals knowledge which did not depend on
reason, and which was much more prompt and per-
fect in its way, and by which they had often saved
the lives of men. John had many stories to tell of
dogs and horses, and the wonderful things they had
done ; he thought people did not value their animals
half enough, nor make friends of them as they ought
to do. I am sure he makes friends of them if ever a
man did.
At last we came to the Park gates, and found the
gardener looking out for us. He said that mistress
had been in a dreadful way ever since dark, fearing
some accident had happened, and that she had sent
James off on Justice, the roan cob, towards the
wooden bridge to make enquiry after us.
We saw a light at the hall door and at the upper
windows, and as we came up, mistress ran out,
saying, " Are you really safe, my dear ? Oh ! I have
been so anxious, fancying all sorts of things. Have
you had no accident ? "
" No, my dear ; but if your Black Beauty had not
been wiser than we were, we should all have been
carried down the river at the wooden bridge " I
02 BLACK BEAUTY.
heard no more, as they went into the house, and John
took me to the stable. Oh ! what a good supper he
gave me that night, a good bran mash and some
crushed beans with my oats, and such a thick bed of
straw, and I was glad of it, for I was tired.
CHAPTER XIH.
THE DEVIL'S TRADE MARK.
ONE day when John and I had been out on some
business of our master's, and were returning gently
on a long straight road, at some distance we saw a
boy trying to leap a pony over a gate ; the pony
would not take the leap, and the boy cut him with
the whip, but he only turned off on one side ; he
whipped him again, but the pony turned off on
the other side. Then the boy got off and gave him
a hard thrashing, and knocked him about the head ;
then he got up again and tried to make him leap the
gate, kicking him all the time shamefully, but still
the pony refused. When we were nearly at the spot,
the pony put down his head and threw up his heels
and sent tha boy neatly over into a broad quickset
hedge, and with the rein .Angling from his head, he
set off home at a full gallop. John laughed out
quite loud, " Served him right," he said.
"Oh! oh! oh!" cried the boy, as he straggled
about amongst the thorns; "I say, come and help
me out."
" Thank ye," said John, " I think you are quite
in the right place, and maybe a little scratching will
teach you not to leap a pony over a gate that is too
64 BLACK BEAUTY.
high for him," and so with that John rode off. " It
may be," said he to himself, " that young fellow is a
liar as well as a cruel one ; we'll just go home by
farmer Bushby's, Beauty, and then if anybody wants
to know, you and I can tell 'em, ye see ; " so we
turned off to the right, and soon came up to the
stack yard, and within sight of the house. The farmer
was hurrying out into the road, and his wife was
standing at the gate, looking very frightened.
"Have you seen my boy?" said Mr. Bushby, as
we came up, " he went out an hour ago on my black
pony, and the creature is just come back without a
rider."
" I should think, sir," said John, " he had better
be without a rider, unless he can be ridden properly."
" What do you mean ? " said the farmer.
" Well, sir, I saw your son whipping, and kicking,
and knocking that good little pony about shamefully,
because he would not leap a gate that was too high
for him. The pony behaved well, sir, and shewed no
vice ; but at last he just threw up his heels, and
tipped the young gentleman into the thorn hedge ;
he wanted me to help him out ; but I hope you will
excuse me, sir, I did not feel inclined to do so. There's
no bones broken, sir, he'll only get a few scratches.
I love horses, and it roiles me to see them badly used ;
it is a bad plan to aggravate an animal till he uses
his heels ; the first time is not always the last."
During this time the mother began to cry, " Oh !
my poor Bill, I must go and meet him, he must be
hurt."
I
THE DEVIL'S TRADE MARK. 6-J
" You had better go into the house, wife," said the
farmer ; " Bill wants a lesson about this, and I must
see that he gets it ; this is not the first time nor the
second that he has illused that pony, and I shall
stop it. I am much obliged to you, Manly. Good
evening."
So we went on, John chuckling all the way home,
then he told James about it, who laughed and said,
" Serve him right. I knew that boy at school; he
took great airs on himself because he was a farmer's
son ; he used to swagger about and bully the little
boys ; of course we elder ones would not have any of
that nonsense, and let him know that in the school
and the playground, farmers' sons and labourers'
sons were all alike. I well remember one day, just
before afternoon school, I found him at the large
window catching flies and pulling off their wings.
He did not see me, and I gave him a box on the
ears that laid him sprawling on the floor. Well,
angry as I was, I was almost frightened, he roared
and bellowed in such a style. The boys rushed in
from the playground, and the master ran in from
the road to see who was being murdered. Of course
I said fair and square at once what I had done, and
why ; then I shewed the master the poor flies, some
crushed and some crawling about helpless, and I
shewed him the wings on the window sill. I never
saw him so angry before ; but as Bill was still howling
and whining, like the coward that he was, he did not
give him any more punishment of that kind, but set
him up on a stool for the rest of the afternoon, and
C6 BLACK BEAUTY.
said that he should not go out to play for that week.
Then he talked to all the boys very seriously about
cruelty, and said how hard-hearted and cowardly it
was to hurt the weak and the helpless ; but what
stuck in my mind was this, he said that cruelty was
the Devil's own trade mark, and if we saw any one
who took pleasure in cruelty, we might know who he
belonged to, for the devil was a murderer from the
beginning, and a tormentor to the end. On the
other hand, where we saw people who loved their
neighbours, and were kind to man and beast, we
might know that was God's mark, for ' God is
Love.' "
" Your master never taught you a truer thing," said
John ; " there is no religion without love, and people
may talk as much as they like about their religion,
but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to
man and beast, it is all a sham all a sham, James,
and it won't stand when things come to be turned
inside out and put down for what they are."
CHAPTER XIV.
JAME s HOWARD .
ONE morning early in December, John had just
led me into my box after my daily exercise, and was
strapping my cloth on, and James was coming in
from the corn chamber with some oats, when the
master came into the stable ; he looked rather serious,
and held an open letter in his hand. John fastened
the door of my box, touched his cap, and waited for
orders.
" Good morning, John," said the master ; " I want
to know if you have any complaint to make of
James."
" Complaint, sir ? No, sir."
"Is he industrious at his work and respectful to
you? "
" Yes, sir, always."
" You never find he slights his work when your
back is turned? "
" Never, sir."
" That's well ; but I must put another question ;
have you no reason to suspect when he goes out with
the horses to exercise them, or to take a message,
that he stops about talking to his acquaintances, or
goes into houses where he has no business, leaving
the horses outside ? "
68 BLACK BEAUTY.
" No, sir, certainly not, and if anybody has been
saying that about James, I don't believe it, and I
don't mean to believe it unless I have it fairly proved
before witnesses ; it's not for me to say who has
been trying to take away James' character, but I
will say this, sir, that a steadier, pleasanter, honester,
smarter young fellow I never had in this stable. I
can trust his word and I can trust his work ; he is
gentle and clever with the horses, and I would rather
have them in charge with him, than with half
the young fellows I know of in laced hats and
liveries ; and whoever wants a character of James
Howard," said John, with a decided jerk of his head,
"let them come to John Manly."
The master stood all this time grave and attentive,
but as John finished his speech, a broad smile spread
over his face, and looking kindly across at James,
who, all this time had stood still at the door, he
said, " James, my lad, set down the oats and come
here ; I am very glad to find that John's opinion of
your character agrees so exactly with my own. John
is a cautious man," he said, with a droll smile, " and it
is not always easy to get his opinion about people, so
I thought if I beat the bush on this side, the birds
would fly out, and I should learn what I wanted to
know quickly ; so now we will come to business. I
have a letter from my brother-in-law, Sir Clifford
Williams, of Clifford Hall ; he wants me to find him
a trustworthy young groom, about twenty or twenty-
one, who knows his business. His old coachman,
who has lived with him thirty years, is getting feeble,
JAMES HOWARD G9
and lie wants a man to work with him and get into
his ways, who would be able, when the old man was
pensioned off, to step into his place. He would have
eighteen shillings a week at first, a stable suit, a
driving suit, a bedroom over the coach-house, and a
boy under him. Sir Clifford is a good master, and
if you could get the place, it would be a good start
for you. I don't want to part with you, and if you
left us, I know John would lose his right hand."
" That I should, sir," said John, " but I would not
stand in his light for the world."
" How old are you, James ? " said master.
" Nineteen next May, sir."
" That's young ; what do you think, John ? "
" Well, sir, it is young : but he is as steady as a
man, and is strong, and well grown, and though he
has not had much experience in driving, he has a
light firm hand, and a quick eye, and he is very
careful, and I am quite sure no horse of his will be
ruined for want of having his feet and shoes looked
after."
" Your word will go the furthest, John," said the
master, " for Sir Clifford adds in a postcript, ' If I
could find a man trained by your John, I should
like him better than any other ; ' so James, lad, think
it over, talk to your mother at dinner time, and then
let me know what you wish."
In a few days after this conversation, it was fully
settled that James should go to Clifford Hall in a
month or six weeks, as it suited his master, and in the
mean time he was to get all the practice in driving that
70 BLACK BEAUTY.
could be given to him. I never knew the carriage go
out so often before : when the mistress did not go
out, the master drove himself in the two-wheeled
chaise ; but now, whether it was master or the
young ladies, or only an errand, Ginger and I were
put into the carriage and James drove us. At the
first, John rode with him on the box, telling him this
and that, and after that James drove alone.
Then it was wonderful what a number of places
the master would go to in the city on Saturday, and
what queer streets we were driven through. He was
sure to go to the railway station just as the train was
coming in, and cabs and carriages, carts and
omnibusses were all trying to get over the bridge
together ; that bridge wanted good horses and good
drivers when the railway bell was ringing, for it was
narrow, and there was a very sharp turn up to the
station, where it would not have been at all difficult
for people to run into each other, if they did not
look sharp and keep their wits about them.
CHAPTER XV.
THE OLD OSTLER.
AFTER this, it was decided by my master and
mistress to pay a visit to some friends who lived
about forty- six miles from our home, and James was
to drive them. The first day we travelled thirty- two
miles ; there were some long heavy hills, but James
drove so carefully and thoughtfully that we were
not at all harassed. He never forgot to put on the
drag as we went downhill, nor to take it off at the
right place. He kept our feet on the smoothest part
of the road, and if the uphill was very long, he set
the carriage wheels a little across the road, so as not
to run back, and gave us a breathing. All these
little things help a horse very much, particularly if
they get kind words into the bargain.
We stopped once or twice on the road, and just as
the sun was going down, we reached the town where
we were to spend the night. We stopped at the
principal hotel, which was in the Market Place ; it was
a very large one ; we drove under an arch-way into a
long yard, at the further end of which were the
stables and coach-houses. Two ostlers came to
take us out. The head ostler was a pleasant, active
little man, with a crooked leg, and a yellow striped
72 ELACK BEAUTY.
waistcoat. I never saw a man unbuckle harness so
quickly as he did, and with a pat and a good word
he led me to a long stable, with six or eight stalls in
it, and two or three horses. The other man brought
Ginger ; James stood by whilst we were rubbed down
and cleaned.
I never was cleaned so lightly and quickly as by
that little old man. When he had done, James
stepped up and felt me over, as if he thought I could
not be thoroughly done, but he found my coat as
clean and smooth as silk.
" Well, " he said, " I thought I was pretty quick,
and our John quicker still, but you do beat all I ever
saw for being quick and thorough at the same
time."
" Practice makes perfect," said the crooked little
ostler, " and 'twould be a pity if it didn't ; forty years'
practice, and not perfect ! ha, ha ! that would be a
pity ; and as to being quick, why, bless you ! that is
only a matter of habit ; if you get into the habit of
being quick, it is just as easy as being slow ; easier, I
should say ; in fact, it don't agree with my health to
be hulking about over a job twice as long as it need
take. Bless you ! I couldn't whistle if I crawled over
my work as some folks do ! You see, I have been
about horses ever since I was twelve years old, in
hunting stables, and racing stables ; and being small,
ye see, I was a jockey for several years ; but at the
Goodwood, ye see, the turf was very slippery and my
poor Larkspur got a fall, and I broke my knee, and so
of course I was of no more use there ; but I could not
THE OLD OSTLER. 73
live without horses, of course I couldn't, so I took to
the Hotels, and I can tell ye it is a downright
pleasure to handle an animal like this, well-bred,
well-rnannered, well-cared for ; bless ye ! I can tell
how a horse is treated. Give me the handling of a
horse for twenty minutes, and I'll tell you what sort
of a groom he has had ; look at this one, pleasant,
quiet, turns about just as you want him, holds up
his feet to be cleaned out, or anything else you please
to wish ; then you'll find another, fidgetty, fretty,
won't move the right way, or starts across the stall,
tosses up his head as soon as you come near him,
lays his ears, and seems afraid of you ; or else squares
about at you with his heels. Poor things ! I know
what sort of treatment they have had. If they are
timid, it makes them start or shy ; if they are high-
mettled, it makes them vicious or dangerous ; their
tempers are mostly made when they are young.
Bless 3 T ou ! they are like children, train 'em up in the
way they should go, as the good book says, and
when they are old they will not depart from it, if
they have a chance, that is."
" I like to hear you talk," said James, " that's the
way we lay it down at home, at our master's."
" Who is your master, young man ? if it be a proper
question. I should judge he is a good one, from what
I see."
" He is Squire Gordon, of Birtwick Park, the other
side the Beacon hills," said James.
" Ah ! so, so, I have heard tell of him ; fine judge
of horses, ain't he ? the best rider in the county ? "
74 BLACK BEAUTY.
" I believe he is," said James, " but lie rides very
little now, since the poor young master was killed."
" Ah ! poor gentleman ; I read all about it in the
paper at the time ; a bad job it was ; a fine horse
killed too, wasn't there ? "
"Yes," said James, "he was a splendid creature,
brother to this one, and just like him."
"Pity! pity!" said the old man, "'twas a bad
place to leap, if I remember ; a thin fence at top, a
steep bank down to the stream, wasn't it ? no chance
for a horse to see where he is going. Now, I am for
bold riding as much as any man, but still there are
some leaps that only a very knowing old huntsman
has any right to take ; a man's life and a horse's life
are worth more than a fox's tail, at least I should
say they ought to be."
During this time the other man had finished
Ginger, and had brought our corn, and James and
the old man left the stable together.
CHAPTEE XVi.
THE FIRE!
LATER on in the evening, a traveller's horse was
"brought in by the second ostler, and whilst he was
cleaning him, a young man with a pipe in his mouth
lounged into the stable to gossip.
" I say, Towler," said the ostler, "just run up the
ladder into the loft and put some hay down into this
horse's rack, will you ? only lay down your pipe."
"All right," said the other, and went up through
the trap door ; and I heard him step across the floor
overhead and put down the hay. James came in to
look at us the last thing, and then the door was
locked.
I cannot say how long I had slept, nor what time
in the night it was, but I woke up very uncomfortable,
though I hardly knew why. I got up, the air seemed
all thick and choking. I heard Ginger coughing,
and one of the other horses seemed very restless ; it
was quite dark, and I could see nothing, but the
stable seemed full of smoke and I hardly knew how
to breathe. The trap door had been left open, and I
thought that was the place it came through. I
listened and heard a soft rushing sort of noise, and a
low crackling and snapping. I did not know what it
70 ELACK BEAUTY.
was, but there was something in the sound so strange,
that it made me tremble all over. The other horses
were now all awake, some were pulling at their halters,
others were stamping.
At last I heard steps outside, and the ostler who
had put up the traveller's horse, burst into the
stable with a lantern, and began to untie the horses,
and try to lead them out ; but he seemed in such a
hurry, and so frightened himself that he frightened
me still more. The first horse would not go with
him ; he tried the second and third, they too would
not stir. He came to me next and tried to drag me
out of the stall by force ; of course that was no use.
He tried us all by turns and then left the stable.
No doubt we were very foolish, but danger seemed to
be all round, and there was nobody we knew to trust in,
and all was strange and uncertain. The fresh air
that had come in through the open door made it easier
to breathe, but the rushing sound overhead grew louder,
and as I looked upward, through the bars of my
empty rack, I saw a red light flickering on the wall.
Then I heard a cry of " Fire " outside, and the old
ostler quietly and quickly came in ; he got one
horse out, and went to another, but the flames were
playing round the trap door, and the roaring overhead
was dreadful.
The next thing I heard was James's voice, quiet
and cheery, as it always was.
" Come, my beauties, it is time for us to be off, so
wake up and come along." I stood nearest the
door, so he came to me first, patting me as he came
in.
77
" Come, Beauty, on with your bridle, my boy, we'll
soon be out of this smother." It was on in no time ;
then he took the scarf off his neck, and tied it lightly
over my eyes, and patting and coaxing he led me
out of the stable. Safe in the yard, he slipped the
scarf off my eyes, and shouted, "Here, somebody!
take this horse while I go back for the other."
A tall broad man stepped forward and took me,
and James darted back into the stable. I set up a
shrill whinny as I saw him go. Ginger told me
afterwards, that whinny was the best thing I could
have done for her, for had she not heard me outside,
she would never have had courage to come out.
There was much confusion in the yard ; the horses
being got out of other stables, and the carriages and
gigs being pulled out of houses and sheds, lest the
flames should spread further. On the other side
the yard, windows were thrown up, and people were
shouting all sorts of things ; but I kept my eye
fixed on the stable door, where the smoke poured
out thicker than ever, and I could see flashes of red
light ; presently I heard above all the stir and din
a loud clear voice, which I knew was master's :
" James Howard ! James Howard ! are you there ? "
There was no answer, but I heard a crash of some-
thing falling in the stable, and the next moment I
gave a loud joyful neigh, for I saw James coming
through the smoke leading Ginger with him ; she was
coughing violently and he was not able to speak.
" My brave lad ! " said master, laying his hand
on his shoulder, " are you hurt ? "
78 BLACK BEAUTY.
James shook his head, for he could not yet
speak.
" Aye," said the big man who held me ; " he is a
brave lad and no mistake."
" And now," said master, " when you have got
your breath, James, we'll get out of this place as
quickly as we can," and we were moving towards the
entry, when from the Market Place there came a
sound of galloping feet and loud rumbling wheels.
" Tis the fire engine ! the fire engine 1 " shouted
two or three voices, " stand back, make way! " and
clattering and thundering over the stones two horses
dashed into the yard with the heavy engine behind
them. The fireman leaped to the ground ; there was
no need to ask where the fire was it was torching up
in a great blaze from the roof.
We got out as fast as we could into the broad
quiet Market Place: the stars were shining, and
except the noise behind us, all was still. Master led
the way to a large Hotel on the other side, and as
soon as the ostler came, he said, " James, I must now
hasten to your mistress ; I trust the horses entirely to
you, order whatever you think is needed," and with
that he was gone. The master did not run, but I
never saw mortal man walk so fast as he did that
night.
There was a dreadful sound before we got into our
stalls ; the shrieks of those poor horses that were
left burning to death in the stable it was very terrible !
and made both Ginger and me feel very bad. We,
however, were taken in and well done by.
THE FIKE. 79
The next morning the master came to see how we
were and to speak to James. I did not hear much,
for the ostler was rubbing me down, but I could see
that James looked very happy, and I thought the
master was proud of him. Our mistress had been so
much alarmed in the night, that the journey was put
off till the afternoon, so James had the morning on
hand, and went first to the Inn to see about our
harness and the caniage, and then to hear more
about the fire. When he came back, we heard him
tell the ostler about it. At first no one could guess
how the fire had been caused, but at last a man said
he saw Dick Towler go into the stable with a pipe in
his mouth, and when he came out he had not one, and
went to the tap for another. Then the under ostler
said he had asked Dick to go up the ladder to put
down some hay, but told him to lay down his pipe
first. Dick denied taking the pipe with him, but no
one believed him. I remembered ^our John Manly 's
rule, never to allow a pipe in the stable, and thought
it ought to be the rule everywhere.
James said the roof and floor had all fallen in,
and that only the black walls were standing ; the
two poor horses that could not be got out, were buried
under the burnt rafters and tiles.
CHAPTER XVII.
JOHN MANLY'S TALK.
THE rest of our journey was very easy, and a
little after sunset we reached the house of my
master's friend. We were taken into a clean snug
stable ; there was a kind coachman, who made us
very comfortable, and who seemed to think a good
deal of James when he heard about the fire.
" There is one thing quite clear, young man," he
said; "your horses know who they can trust; it is
one of the hardest things in the world to get horses
out of a stable, wUfen there is either fire or flood. I
don't know why they won't come out, but they won't
not one in twenty."
We stopped two or three days at this place and
then returned home. All went well on the journey ;
we were glad to be in our own stable again, and John
was equally glad to see us.
Before he and James left us for the night, James
said, " I wonder who is coming in my place."
" Little Joe Green at the Lodge," said John.
" Little Joe Green ! why he's a child ! "
" He is fourteen and a half," said John.
" But he is such a little chap ! "
JOHN MANLY'S TALK. 81
" Yes, he is small, but he is quick, and willing,
and kind-hearted too, and then he wishes very much to
come, and his father would like it ; and I know the
master would like to give him the chance. He said,
if I thought he would not do, he would look out for
a bigger boy ; but I said I was quite agreeable to
try him for six weeks."
"Six weeks!" said James, "why it will be six
months before he can be of much use ! it will make
you a deal of work, John."
" Well," said John with a laugh, " work and I
are very good friends ; I never was afraid of work
yet."
" You are a very good man," said James, " I wish
I may ever be like you."
" I don't often speak of myself," said John, "but as
you are going away from us out into the world, to
shift for yourself, I'll just tell you how I look on
these things. I was just as old as Joseph when my
father and mother died of the fever, within ten days
of each other, and left me and my crippled sister
Nelly alone in the world, without a relation that we
could look to for help. I was a farmer's boy, not
earning enough to keep myself, much less both of us,
and she must have gone to the workhouse, but for
our mistress (Nelly calls her, her angel, and she has
good right to do so). She went and hired a room
for her with old widow Mallet, and she gave her
knitting and needlework, when she was able to do it ;
and when she was ill, she sent her dinners and many
nice comfortable things, and was like a mother to
82 BLACK BEAUTY.
her. Then the master, he took me into the stable
under old Norman, the coachman that was then.
I had my food at the house, and my bed in the loft,
and a suit of clothes and three shillings a week, so
that I could help Nelly. Then there was Norman,
he might have turned round and said, at his age he
could not be troubled with a raw boy from the plough-
tail, but he was like a father to me, and took no end
of pains with me. When the old man died some
years after, I stepped into his place, and now of
course I have top wages, and can lay by for a rainy
day or a sunny day as it may happen, and Nelly is as
happy as a bird. So you see, James, I am not the
man that should turn up his nose at a little boy, and
vex a good kind master. No ! no ! I shall miss you
ivery much, James, but we shall pull through, and
there's nothing like doing a kindness when 'tis put
in your way, and I am glad I can do it."
" Then," said James, " you don't hold with that
saying, 'Everybody look after himself, and take
care of number one.' "
"No, indeed," said John, "where should I and
Nelly have been, if master and mistress and old
Norman had only taken care of number one ? Why
she in the workhouse and I hoeing turnips ! Where
would Black Beauty and Ginger have been if you had
only thought of number one ? why, roasted to death !
No, Jim, no ! that is a selfish heathenish saying,
whoever uses it, and any man who thinks he has
nothing to do, but take care of number one, why, it's
pity but what he had been drowned like a puppy or
JOHN MANLY S TALE. OO
a kitten, before he got his eyes open, that's what I
think," said John, with a very decided jerk of his
head.
James laughed at this ; hut there was a thickness
in his voice when he said, "You have heen my best
friend except my mother; I hope you won't forget
me."
" No, lad, no! " said John, " and if ever I can do
you a good turn, I hope you won't forget me."
The next day Joe came to the stables to learn all
he could before James left. He learned to sweep the
stable, to bring in the straw and hay ; he began to
clean the harness, and helped to wash the carriage,
as he was quite too short to do anything in the way
of grooming Ginger and me, James taught him upon
Merrylegs, for he was to have full charge of him ;
under John. He' was a nice little bright fellow, and
always came whistling to his work.
Merrylegs was a good deal put out, at being
"mauled about," as he said, '-by a boy who knew
nothing ; " but towards the end of the second week, he
told me confidentially, that he thought the boy
would turn out well.
At last the day came when James had to leave
us : cheerful as he always was, he looked quite down-
hearted that morning.
" You see," he said to John, " I am leaving a great
deal behind ; my mother and Betsey, and you, and a
good master and mistress, and then the horses, and
my old Merrylegs. At the new place, there will not
be a soul that I shall know. If it were not that I
84 BLACK BEAUTY.
shall get a higher place, and be able to help my mother
better, I don't think I should have made up my mind
to it : it is a real pinch, John."
" Aye James, lad, so it is, but I should not think
much of you, if you could leave your home for the
first time and not feel it ; cheer up, you'll make
friends there , and if you get on well as I'm sure you
will, it will be a fine thing for your mother, and she
will be proud enough that you have got into such a
good place as that."
So John cheered him up, but every one was sorry to
lose James ; as for Merrylegs, he pined after him for
several days, and went quite off his appetite. So
John took him out several mornings with a leading
rein, when he exercised me, and trotting and
galloping by my side, got up the Little fellow's spirits
again, and he was soon all right.
Joe's father would often come in and give a little
help, as he understood the work, and Joe took a
great deal of pains to learn, and John was quite
encouraged about him.
CHAPTER XVIH.
GOING FOB THE DOCTOR.
ONE night, a few days after James had left, I had
eaten my hay and was laid down in my straw fast
asleep, when I was suddenly awoke by the stable
bell ringing very loud. I heard the door of John's
house open, and his feet running up to the Hall.
He was back again in no time; he unlocked the
stable door, and came in, calling out, " Wake up,
Beauty, you must go well now, if ever you did; " and
almost before I could think, he had got the saddle on
my back and the bridle on my head; he just ran
round for his coat, and then took me at a quick trot
up to the Hall door. The Squire stood there with a
lamp in his hand.
" Now John," he said, " ride for your life, that is,
for your mistress's life ; there is not a moment to lose ;
give this note to Dr. White ; give your horse a rest
at the Inn, and be back as soon as you can."
John said, " Yes, sir," and was on my back in a
minute. The gardener who lived at the lodge had
heard the be)l ring, and was ready with the gate
open, and away we went through the Park, and
through the village, and down the hill till we -came to
86 BLACK BEAUTY.
the toll-gate. John called very loud and thumped
upon the door : the man was soon out and flung open
the gate. "Now," said John, "do you keep the
gate open for the Doctor; here's the money," and
off we went again. There was hefore us a long piece
of level road by the river side ; John said to me, " Now
Beauty, do your best," and so I did ; I wanted no
whip nor spur, and for two miles I galloped as fast
as I could lay my feet to the ground ; I don't believe
that my old grandfather who won the race at
Newmarket, could have gone faster. When we came
to the bridge, John pulled me up a little and patted
my neck. "Well done, Beauty! good old fellow,"
he said. He would have let me go slower, but my
spirit was up, and I was off again as fast as before.
The air was frosty, the moon was bright, it was very
pleasant ; we came through a village, then through a
dark wood, then uphill, then downhill, till after an
eight miles run we came to the town, through the
streets and into the Market Place. It was all quite
still except the clatter of my feet on the stones every-
body was asleep. The church clock struck three as
we drew up at Doctor White's door. John rung the
bell twice, and then knocked at the door like thunder.
A window was thrown up, and Doctor White in his
nightcap, put his head out and said, " What do you
want?"
" Mrs. Gordon is very ill, sir ; master wants
you to go at once, he thinks she will die if you cannot
get there here is a note."
" Wait," he said, " I will come."
GOING FOR THE DOCTOH. 87
He shut the window and was soon at the door.
" The worst of it is," he said, " that my horse
has been out all day and is quite done up ; my
son has just been sent for and he has taken the other.
What is to be done ? can I have your horse ? "
" He has come at a gallop nearly all the way, sir,
and I was to give him a rest here ; but I think my
master would not be against it if you think fit, sir."
" All right," he said, " I will soon be ready."
John stood by me and stroked my neck, I was very-
hot. The Doctor came out with his riding whip,
" You need not take that, sir," said John, " Black
Beauty will go till he drops; take care of him, sir,
if you can ; I should not like harm to come to
him."
" No ! no ! John," said the Doctor, " I hope not,' t
and in a minute we had left John far behind.
I will not tell about our way back ; the Doctor was
a heavier man than John, and not so good a rider ;
however, I did my very best. The man at the toll-
gate had it open. When we came to the hill, the Doctor
drew me up, " Now, my good fellow," he said, " take
some breath." I was glad he did, for I was nearly
spent, but that breathing helped me on, and soon we
were in the Park. Joe was at the lodge gate, my
master was at the Hall door, for he had heard us
coming. He spoke not a word ; the Doctor went
into the house with him, and Joe led me to the stable.
I was glad to get home, my legs shook under me,
and I could only stand and pant. I had not a dry
hair on my body, the water ran down my legs, and I
88 BLACK BEAUTY.
steamed all over Joe used to say, like a pot on the
fire. Poor Joe ! He was young and small, and as
yet, he knew very little, and his father, who would
have helped him, had been sent to the next village ;
but I am sure he did the very best he knew. He
rubbed my legs and my chest, but he did not put my
warm cloth on me ; he thought I was so hot I should
not like it, then he gave me a pail full of water to
drink ; it was cold and very good, and I drank it all ;
then he gave me some hay and some corn, and
thinking he had done all right, he went away. Soon
I began to shake and tremble, and turned deadly cold,
my legs ached, and my loins ached, and my chest
ached, and I felt sore all over. Oh ! how I wished
for my warm thick cloth as I stood and trembled. I
wished for John, but he had eight miles to walk, so I
laid down in my straw and tried to go to sleep.
After a long while I heard John at the door ; I gave
a low moan, for I was in great pain. He was at my
side in a moment, stooping down by me ; I could
not tell him how I felt ; but he seemed to know it all ;
he covered me up with two or three warm cloths,
and then ran to the house for some hot water ; he
made me some warm gruel which I drank, and then
I think I went to sleep.
John seemed to be very much put out. I heard
him say to himself, over and over again, " Stupid
boy ! stupid boy ! no cloth put on, and I dare sav
the water was cold too ; boys are no good," but Joe
was a good boy after all.
I was now very ill ; a strong inflammation had
GOING FOR THE DOCTOR. 89
attacked my lungs, and I could not draw my breath
without pain. John nursed me night and day, he
would get up two or three times in the night to
come to me ; my master too, often came to see
me. " My poor Beauty," he said one day, " my
good horse, you saved your mistress's life, Beauty !
yes, you saved her life." I was very glad to hear
that, for it seems the Doctor had said if we had
been a little longer it would have been too late.
John told my master, he never saw a horse go so
fast in his life, it seemed as if the horse knew what
was the matter. Of course I did, though John
thought not ; at least I knew as much as this, that
John and I must go at the top of our speed, and that
it was for the sake of the mistress.
CHAPTEE XIX.
ONLY IGNORANCE.
I DO not know how long I was ill. Mr. Bond, the
horse Doctor, came every day. One day he hied
me ; John held a pail for the hlood ; I felt very faint
after it, and thought I should die, and I believe they
all thought so too.
Ginger and Merrylegs had been moved into the
other stable, so that I might be quiet, for the fever
made me very quick of hearing ; any little noise
seemed quite loud, and I could tell every one's foot-
step going to and from the house. I knew all that
was going on. One night John had to give me a
draught; Thomas Green came in to help him.
After I had taken it and John had made me as
comfortable as he could, he said he should stay half-
an-hour to see how the medicine settled. Thomas
said he would stay with him, so they went and sat
down on a bench that had been brought into
Merrylegs' stall, and put down the lantern at their
feet, that I might not be disturbed with the light.
For awhile both men sat silent, and then Tom
Green said in a low voice,
" I wish, John, you'd say a bit of a kind word to
Joe, the boy is quite broken-hearted, he can't eat his
ONLY IGNORANCE. 91
meals, and he can't smile, he says he knows it was
all his fault, though he is sure he did the best he
knew, and he says, if Beauty dies, no oae will
ever speak to him again; 'it goes to my heart to
hear him ; I think you might give him just a word,
he is not a had boy."
After a short pause, John said slowly, " You must
not be too hard upon me, Tom. I know he meant
no harm, I never said he did ; I know he is not a
bad boy, but you see I am sore myself ; that horse is
the pride of my heart, to say nothing of his being
such a favorite with the master and mistress ; and to
think that his life may be flung away in this manner,
is more than I can bear ; but if you think I am hard
on the boy, I will try to give him a good word
to-morrow that is, I mean if Beauty is better."
" Well, John ! thank you, I knew you did not
wish to be too hard, and I am glad you see it was
only ignorance."
" John's voice almost startled me as he answered,"
" Only ignorance ! only ignorance ! how can you
talk about only ignorance ? don't you know that it is
the worst thing in the world, next to wickedness
and which does the most mischief heaven only knows.
If people can say, Oh ! I did not know, I did not
mean any harm, they think it is all right. I suppose
Martha Mulwash did not mean to kill that baby,
when she dosed it with Dalby and soothing syrups ;
but she did kill it, and was tried for manslaughter."
" And serve her right too," said Tom, " a woman
should not undertake to nurse a tender little child
92 BLACK BEAUTY.
without knowing what is good and what is bad for
it."
" Bill Starkey," continued John, " did not mean to
frighten his brother into fits, when he dressed up like
a ghost, and ran after him in the moonlight ; but he
did; and that bright handsome little fellow, that
might have been the pride of any mother's heart, is
just no better than an idiot, and never will be, if he
live to be eighty years old. You were a good deal
cut up yourself, Tom, two weeks ago, when those
young ladies left your hothouse door open, with a
frosty east wind blowing right in ; you said it killed
a good many of your plants."
" A good many ! " said Tom, " there was not one
of the tender cuttings that was not nipped off ; I
shall have to strike all over again, and the worst of
it is, that I don't know where to go to get fresh ones.
I was nearly mad when I came in and saw what was
done."
" And yet," said John, " I am sure the young
ladies did not mean it, it was only ignorance ! "
I heard no more of this conversation, for the
medicine did well and sent me to sleep, and in the
morning I felt much better : but I often thought of
John's words when I came to know more of the
world.
CHAPTEE XX.
JOE GREEN.
JOE GREEN went on very well, lie learned quickly,
and was so attentive and careful, that John began to
trust him in many things ; but as I have said, he
was small of his age, and it was seldom that he was
allowed to exercise either Ginger or me ; but it so
happened one morning that John was out with
" Justice " in the luggage cart, and the master wanted
a note to be taken immediately to a gentleman's
house, about three miles distant, and sent his orders
for Joe to saddle me and take it ; adding the caution
that he was to ride steadily.
The note was delivered, and we were quietly
returning till we came to the brickfield ; here we saw
a cart heavily laden with bricks ; the wheels had
stuck fast in the stiff mud of some deep ruts ; and
the carter was shouting and flogging the two horses
unmercifully. Joe pulled up. It was a sad sight.
There were the two horses straining and struggling
with all their might to drag the cart out, but they
could not move it ; the sweat streamed from their
legs and flanks, their sides heaved, and every muscle
was strained, whilst the man, fiercely pulling at the
head of the forehorse, swore and lashed most
brutally.
94 BLACK BEAUTY.
" Hold hard," said Joe, " don't go on flogging the
horses like that, the wheels are so stuck, that they
cannot move the cart." The man took no heed, but
went on lashing.
" Stop ! pray stop," said Joe, " I'll help you to
lighten the cart, they can't move it now."
" Mind your own business, you impudent young
rascal, and I'll mind mine." The man was in a
towering passion, and the worse for drink, and laid
on the whip again. Joe turned my head, and the
next moment we were going at a round gallop
towards the house of the master brickmaker. I
cannot say if John would have approved of our pace,
but Joe and I were both of one mind, and so angry,
that we could not have gone slower.
The house stood close by the roadside. Joe
knocked at the door and shouted, " Hulloa ! is Mr.
Clay at home ? " The door was opened, and Mr.
Clay himself came out.
" Hulloa ! young man ! you seem in a hurry ; any
orders from the Squire this morning ? "
" No, Mr. Clay, but there's a fellow in your brick-
yard flogging two horses to death. I told him to
stop and he wouldn't ; I said I'd help him to lighten
the cart, and he wouldn't ; so I've come to tell you ;
pray sir, go." Joe's voice shook with excitement.
" Thank ye, my lad," said the man, running in for
his hat ; then pausing for a moment " Will you give
evidence of what you saw if I should bring the fellow
up before a magistrate ? "
" That I will," said Joe, " and glad too." The
JOE GREEN. 95
man was gone ; and we were on our way home at a
smart trot.
" Why, what's the matter with you, Joe ? you look
angry all over," said John, as the boy flung himself
from the saddle.
" I am angry all over, I can tell you," said the boy,
and then in hurried excited words he told all that had
happened. Joe was usually such a quiet gentle little
fellow, that it was wonderful to see him so roused.
" Eight, Joe ! you did right, my boy, whether the
fellow gets a summons or not. Many folks would
have ridden by and said 'twas not their business to
interfere. Now I say, that with cruelty and oppres-
sion, it is everybody's business to interfere when
they see it; you did right, my boy."
Joe was quite calm by this time, and proud that
John approved of him, and he cleaned out my
feet, and rubbed me down with a firmer hand than
usual.
They were just going home to dinner when the
footman came down to the stable to say, that, Joe
was wanted directly in master's private room ; there
was a man brought up for ill-using horses, and Joe's
evidence was wanted. The boy flushed up to his
forehead, and his eyes sparkled. " They shall have
it," said he.
"Put yourself a bit straight," said John. Joe
gave a pull at his necktie and a twitch at his jacket,
and was off in a moment. Our master being one of
the county magistrates, cases were often brought to
him to settle, or say what should be done. In the
96 BLACK BEAUTY.
stable we heard no more for some time, as it was the
men's dinner hour, but when Joe came next into the
stable I saw he was in high spirits ; he gave me a
good-natured slap and said, " We won't see such
things done, will we, old fellow ? " We heard after-
wards, that he had given his evidence so clearly, and
the horses were in such an exhausted state, bearing
marks of such brutal usage, that the carter was
committed to take his trial, and might possibly be
sentenced to two or three months in prison.
It was wonderful what a change had come over
Joe. John laughed and said, he had grown an inch
taller in that week, and I believe he had. He was
just as kind and gentle as before, but there was more
purpose and determination in all that he did as if he
had jumped at once from a boy into a man.
CHAPTER XXI.
THE PARTING.
I HAD now lived in this happy place three years,
but sad changes were about to come over us. \Ve
heard from time to time that our mistress was ill.
The Doctor was often at the house, and the master
looked grave and anxious. Then we heard that she
must leave her home at once and go to a warm
country for two or three years. The news fell upon the
^ household like the tolling of a death-bell, everybody
was sorry ; but the master began directly to make
arrangements for breaking up his establishment and
leaving England. We used to hear it talked about
in our stable ; indeed nothing else was talked about.
John went about his work silent and sad, and Joe
scarcely whistled. There was a great deal of coming
and going ; Ginger and I had full work.
The first of the party who went were Miss Jessie
and Flora with their governess. They came to bid
us good bye. They hugged poor Merrylegs like an
old friend, and so indeed he was. Then we heard
what had been arranged for us. Master had sold
Ginger and me to his old friend the Earl of W ,
for he thought we should have a good place there.
98 BTACK BEAUTY.
Mem-lugs he had given to the Vicar, who was wanting
a pony for Mrs. Bloomfield, but it was on the
condition, that he should never be sold, and when he
was past work that he should be shot and buried.
Joe was engaged to take care of him, and to help
in the house, so I thought that Merrylegs was well
off. John had the offer of several good places, but he
said he should wait a little and look round.
The evening before they left, the master came into
the stable to give some directions and to give his
horses the last pat. He seemed very low-spirited;
I knew that by his voice. I believe we horses can
tell more by the voice than many men can.
" Have you decided what to do, John ? " he said.
" I find you have not accepted either of those offers."
"No, sir, I have made up my mind that if I could
get a situation with some first-rate colt-breaker and
horse- trainer, that it would be the right thing for me.
Many young animals are frightened and spoiled by
wrong treatment, which need not be, if the right man
took them in hand. I always get on well with horses,
and if I could help some of them to a fair start, I
should feel as if I was doing some good. What do
you think of it, sir ? "
"I don't know a man anywhere," said master,
" that I should think so suitable for it as yourself.
You understand horses, and somehow they under-
stand you, and in time you might set up for yourself ;
I think you could not do better. If in any way I can
help you, write to me ; I shall speak to nay agent in
London, and leave your character with him."
THE PARTING. 99
Master gave John the name and address, and then
he thanked him for his long and faithful service ;
but that was too much for John. " Pray don't, sir,
I can't hear it ; you and my dear mistress have done
so much for me that I could never repay it ; but we
shall never forget you, sir, and please God we may
some day see mistress back again like herself; we
must keep up hope, sir." Master gave John his
hand, but he did not speak, and they both left the
stable.
The last sad day had come ; the footman and the
heavy luggage had gone off the day before, and there
was only master and mistress and her maid. Ginger
and I brought the carriage up to the Hall door for
the last time. The servants brought out cushions
and rugs and many other things, and when all were
arranged, master came down the steps carrying the
mistress in his arms (I was on the side next the
house and could see all that went on) ; he placed her
carefully in the caniage, while the house servants
stood round crying. " Good bye again," he said,
" we shall not forget any of you," and he got in
"Drive on, John." Joe jumped up, and we trotted
slowly through the Park, and through the village,
where the people were standing at their doors to have
a last look and to say, " God bless them."
When we reached the railway station, I think
mistress walked from the carriage to the waiting
room. I heard her say in her own sweet voice, " Good
bye, John, God bless you." I felt the rein twitch,
but John made no answer, perhaps he could not
100 BLACK BEAUTY.
speak. As soon as Joe had taken the things out of
the carriage, John called him to stand by the horses,
while he went on the platform. Poor Joe ! he stood
close up to our heads to hide his tears. Very soon
the train came puffing up into the station ; then two
or three minutes, and the doors were slammed to ;
the guard whistled and the train glided away, leaving
behind it only clouds of white smoke, and some very
heavy hearts.
When it was quite out of sight, John came back
"We shall never see her again," he said, "never."
He took the reins, mounted the box, and with Joe
drove slowly home ; but it was not our home now.
PART II.
CHAPTER XXII.
EARLSHALL.
THE next morning after breakfast, Joe put Merrylegs
into the mistress's low chaise to take him to the
vicarage ; he came first and said good bye to us, and
Merrylegs neighed to us from the yard. Then John
put the saddle on Ginger and the leading rein on me,
and rode us across the country, about fifteen miles to
Earlshall Park, where the Earl of W lived. There
was a very fine house and a great deal of stabling ;
we went into the yard through a stone gateway, and
John asked for Mr. York. It was some time before
he came. He was a fine-looking middle-aged man,
and his voice said at once that he expected to be
obeyed. He was very friendly and polite to John,
and after giving us a slight look, he called a groom
to take us to our boxes, and invited John to take
some refreshment.
We were taken to a light airy stable, and placed in
boxes adjoining each other, where we were rubbed
down and fed. In about half-an-hour John and Mr.
York, who was to be our new coachman, came in to
102 BLACK BEAUTY.
see us. " Now Mr. Manly," he said, after carefully
looking at us both, "I can see no fault in these
horses, but we all know that horses have their
peculiarities as well as men, and that sometimes
they need different treatment ; I should like to know
if there is anything particular in either of these, that
you would like to mention."
"Well," said John, "I don't believe there is a
better pair of horses in the country, and right grieved
I am to part with them, but they are not alike ; the
black one is the most perfect temper I ever knew ; I
suppose he has never known a hard word or a blow
since he was foaled, and all his pleasure seems to be
to do what you wish ; but the chestnut I fancy must
have had bad treatment ; we heard as much from the
dealer. She came to us snappish and suspicious,
but when she found what sort of place ours was, it
all went off by degrees; for three years I have
never seen the smallest sign of temper, and if she is
well treated there is not a better, more willing
animal than she is ; but she is naturally a more
irritable constitution than the black horse ; flies tease
her more ; anything wrong in the harness frets her
more ; and if she were illused or unfairly treated she
would not be unlikely to give tit for tat ; you know
that many high mettled horses will do so."
" Of course," said York, " I quite understand, but
you know it is not easy in stables like these to have
all the grooms just what they should be ; I do my
best, and there I must leave it. I'll remember what
you have said about the mare."
EAKLSHALL. 103
They were going out of the stable, when John
stopped and said, "I had better mention that we
have never used' the ' bearing rein ' with either oi
them ; the black horse never had one on, and the
dealer said it was the gag-bit that spoiled the other's
temper."
" Well," said York, " if they come here, they must
wear the bearing rein. I prefer a loose rein myself,
and his lordship is always very reasdnable about
horses; but my lady that's another thing, she will
have style ; and if her carriage horses are not reined
up tight, she wouldn't look at them. I always stand
out against the gag-bit, and shall do so, but it must
be tight up when my lady rides ! "
" I am sorry for it, very sorry," said John, " but I
must go now, or I shall lose the train."
He came round to each of us to pat and speak to
us for the last time ; his voice sounded very sad.
I held my face close to him, that was all I could
do to say good bye ; and then he was gone, and I
have never seen him since.
The next day Lord W came to look at us ; he
seemed pleased with our appearance.
" I have great confidence in these horses," he said,
" from the character my friend Mr. Gordon has
given me of them. Of course they are not a match
in colour, but my idea is, that they will do very
well for the carnage whilst we are in the country.
Before we go to London I must try to match
Baron ; the black horse, I believe, is perfect for
riding."
104 BLACK BEAUTY.
York then told him what John had said about us.
"Well," said he, "you must keep an eye to the
mare, and put the bearing rein easy ; I dare say they
will do very well with a little humouring at first. I'll
mention it to your lady."
In the afternoon we were harnessed and put in the
carriage, and as the stable clock struck three we
were led round to the front of the house. It was all
very grand, and three or four times as large as the old
house at Birtwick, but not half so pleasant, if a horse
may have an opinion. Two footmen were standing
ready, dressed in drab livery, with scarlet breeches
and white stockings. Presently we heard the rustling
sound of silk as my lady came down the flight of
stone steps. She stepped round to look at us ;
she was a tall, proud-looking woman, and did -not
seem pleased about something, but she said nothing,
and got into the carnage. This was the first time of
wearing a bearing rein, and I must say though it
certainly was a nuisance not to be able to get my
head down now and then, it did not pull my head
higher than I was accustomed to carry it. I felt
anxious about Ginger, but she seemed to be quiet
and content.
The next day at three o'clock we were again at the
door, and the footmen as before ; we heard the silk
dress rustle, and the lady came down the steps and
in an imperious voice, she said, "York, you must
put those horses' heads higher, they are not fit to be
seen." York got down and said very respectfully,
" I beg your pardon, my lady, but these horses have
EARLSHALL. 105
not been reined up for three years, and my lord said
it would be safer to bring them to it by degrees ; but
if your ladyship pleases, I can take them up a little
more."
" Do so," she said.
York came round to our heads and shortened the
rein himself, one hole I think ; every little makes a
difference, be it for better or worse, and that day we
had a steep hill to go up. Then I began to under-
stand what I had heard of. Of course I wanted to
put my head forward and take the carnage up with a
will, as we had been used to do ; but no, I had to
pull with my head up now, and that took all the
spirit out of me, and the strain came on my back and
legs. When we came in, Ginger said, " Now you
see what it is like, but this is not bad, and if it does
not get much worse than this, I shall say nothing
about it, for we are veiy well treated here ; but if
they strain me up tight, why, let 'em look out ! I
can't bear it, and I won't."
Day by day, hole by hole our bearing reins were
shortened, and instead of looking forward with
pleasure to having my harness put on as I used to
do, I began to dread it. Ginger too seemed restless,
though she said very little. At last I thought the
worst was over ; for several days there was no more
shortening, and I determined to make the best of it
and do my duty, though it was now a constant
harass instead of a pleasure ; but the worst was not
come.
CHAPTEE XXIII.
A STRIKE FOR LIBERTY.
ONE day my lady came down later than usual, and
the silk rustled more than ever.
" Drive to the Duchess of B's," she said, and then
after a pause " Are you never going to get those
horses' heads up, York ? Raise them up at once, and
let us have no more of this humouring and nonsense."
York came to me first, whilst the groom stood at
Ginger's head. He drew my head hack and fixed
the rein so tight that it was almost intolerable ; then
he went to Ginger, who was impatiently jerking her
head up and down against the bit, as was her way
now. She had a good idea of what was coming, and
the moment York took the rein off the terret in order
to shorten it, she took her opportunity, and reared
up so suddenly, that York had his nose roughly hit,
and his hat knocked off; the groom was nearly
thrown off his legs. At once they both flew to her
head, but she was a match for them, and went on
plunging, rearing, and kicking in a most desperate
manner ; at last she kicked right over the carriage
pole and fell down, after giving me a severe blow on
my near quarter. There is no knowing what further
A STRIKE FOR LIBERTY. 107
mischief she might have done, had not York promptly
sat himself down flat on her head, to prevent her
struggling, at the same time calling out, " Unbuckle
the black horse ! run for the winch and unscrew the
carriage pole ; cut the trace here somebody, if you
can't unhitch it." One of the footmen ran for the
winch, and another brought a knife from the house.
The groom soon set me free from Ginger and the
caniage, and led me to my box. He just turned me
in as I was, and ran back to York. I was much
excited by what had happened, and if I had ever been
used to kick or rear, I am sure I should have done it
then ; but I never had, and there I stood angry, sore
in my leg, my head still strained up to the terret on
the saddle, and no power to get it down. I was very
miserable, and felt much inclined to kick the first
person who came near me.
Before long, however, Ginger was led in by two
grooms, a good deal knocked about and bruised.
York came with her and gave his orders, and then
came to look at me. In a moment he let down my head.
" Confound these bearing reins ! " he said to him-
self; " I thought we should have some mischief soon
master will be sorely vexed ; but there if a woman's
husband can't rule her, of course a servant can't ; so I
wash my hands of it, and if she can't get to the
Duchess' garden party, I can't help it." York did
not say this before the men ; he always spoke respect-
fully when they were by. Now, he felt me all over,
and soon found the place above my hock where I
had been kicked. It was swelled and painful ; he
108 BLACK BEAUTY.
ordered it to be sponged with hot water, and then
some lotion was put on.
Lord W was much put out when he learned what
had happened ; he blamed York for giving way to
his mistress, to which he replied, that in future he
would much prefer to receive his orders only from
his lordship ; but I think nothing came of it, for
things went on the same as before. I thought York
might have stood up better for his horses, but perhaps
I am no judge.
Ginger was never put into the carriage again, but
when she was well of her bruises, one of Lord Ws
younger sons said he should like to have her ; he
was sure she would make a good hunter. As for me,
I was obliged still to go in the carriage, and had a
fresh partner called Max ; he had always been used
to the tight rein. I asked him how it was he bore
it. " Well," he said, " I bear it because I must, but
it is shortening my life, and so it will yours, if you
have to stick to it."
"Do you think," I said, that our masters know
how bad it is for us ? "
" I can't say," he replied, " but the dealers and the
horse doctors know it very well. I was at a dealer's
once, who was training me and another horse to go
as a pair ; he was getting our heads up as he said,
a little higher and a little higher every day. A
gentleman who was there asked him why he did so ;
' Because,' said he, ' people won't buy them unless
we do. The London people always want their horses
to carry their heads high, and to step high; of
A STRIKE FOE LIBERTY. 109
course it is very bad for the horses, but then it is
good for trade. The horses soon wear up, or get
diseased, and they come for another pair.' That,"
said Max, " is what he said in my hearing, and you
can judge for yourself."
What I suffered with that rein for four long
months in my lady's carriage, it would be hard to
describe, but I am quite sure that, had it lasted
much longer, either my health or my temper
would have given way. Before that, I never knew
what it was to foam at the mouth, but now the
action of the sharp bit on my tongue and jaw, and
the constrained position of my head and throat,
always caused me to froth at the mouth more or less.
Some people think it very fine to see this, and say,
" What fine- spirited creatures ! " But it is just as
unnatural for horses as for men, to foam at the
mouth. It is a sure sign of something wrong, and
generally proceeds from suffering. Besides this,
there w r as a pressure on my windpipe, which
often made my breathing very uncomfortable ;
when I returned from my work, my neck and
chest were strained and painful, my mouth and
tongue tender, and I felt worn and depressed.
In my old home, I always knew that John and
my master were my friends ; but here, although in
many ways I was well treated, I had no friend.
York might have known, and very likely did
know, how that rein harassed me ; but I suppose he
took it as a matter of course that could not be helped ;
at any rate nothing was done to relieve me.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE LADY ANNE, OB A RUNAWAY HORSE.
EARLY in the spring, Lord "W and part of his
family went up to London, and took York with them.
I and Ginger and some other horses were left at
home for use, and the head groom was left in
charge.
The Lady Harriet, who remained at the Hall, was a
great invalid, and never went out in the carriage, and
the Lady Anne preferred riding on horseback with her
brother, or cousins. She was a perfect horse-woman,
and as gay and gentle as she was beautiful. She
chose me for her horse, and named me "Black Auster."
I enjoyed these rides very much in the clear cold air,
sometimes with Ginger, sometimes with Lizzie.
This Lizzie was a bright bay mare, almost thorough-
bred, and a great favorite with the gentlemen, on
account of her fine action and lively spirit ; but
Ginger, who knew more of her than I did, told me
she was rather nervous.
There was a gentleman of the name of Blantyre
staying at the Hall ; he always rode Lizzie, and
praised her so much, that one day Lady Anne ordered
the side-saddle to be put on her, and the other
THE LADY ANNE, OR A RUNAWAY HORSE. Ill
saddle on me. When we came to the door, the
gentleman seemed very uneasy. " How is this ? " he
said, " are you tired of your good Black Auster ? "
''Oh! no, not at all," she replied, "but I am
amiable enough to let you ride him for once, and I
will try your charming Lizzie. You must confess
that in size and appearance she is far more like a
lady's horse than my own favourite."
" Do let me advise you not to mount her," he said ;
"she is a charming creature, but she is too nervous
for a lady. I assure you she is not perfectly safe ;
let me beg you to have the saddles changed."
" My dear cousin," said Lady Anne, laughing,
" pray do not trouble your good careful head about
me ; I have been a horse-woman ever since I was
a baby, and I have followed the hounds a great
many times, though I know you do not approve of
ladies hunting ; but still that is the fact, and I
intend to try this Lizzie that you gentlemen are all
so fond of ; so please help me to mount like a good
friend as you are."
There was no more to be said, he placed her
carefully on the saddle, looked to the bit and curb,
gave the reins gently into her hand, and then
mounted me. Just as we were moving off, a footman
came out with a slip of paper and message from the
Lady Harriet " Would they ask this question for
her at Dr. Ashley's, "and bring the answer ? "
The village was about a mile off, and the Doctor's
house was the last in it. We went along gaily enough
till we came to his gate. There was a short drive
112 BLACK BEAUTY.
up to the house between tall evergreens. Blantyre
alighted at the gate and was going to open it for Lady
Anne, hut she aid, " I will wait for you here, and you
can hang Auster's rein on the gate."
He looked at her doubtfully " I will not be five
minutes," he said.
" Oh, do not hurry yourself; Lizzie and I shall not
run away from you."
He hung my rein on one of the iron spikes, and
was soon hidden amongst the trees. Lizzie was
standing quietly by the side of the road a few paces
off, with her back to me. My young mistress was
sitting easily with a loose rein, humming a little
song. I listened to my rider's footsteps until they
reached the house, and heard him knock at the door.
There was a meadow on the opposite side of the road,
the gate of which stood open ; just then, some cart
horses and several young colts came trotting out in
a very disorderly manner, whilst a boy behind was
cracking a great whip. The colts were wild and
frolicksome, and one of them bolted across the road,
and blundered up against Lizzie's hind legs ; and
whether it was the stupid colt, or the loud cracking
of the whip, or both together, I cannot say, but
she gave a violent kick, and dashed off into a
headlong gallop. It was so sudden, that Lady
Anne was nearly unseated, but she soon recovered
herself. I gave a loud shrill neigh for help : again
and again I neighed, pawing the ground impatiently,
and tossing my head to get the rein loose. I had
not long to wait. Blantyre came running to the
THE LADY ANNE, OR A RUNAWAY HORSE. 113
gate ; he looked anxiously about, and just caught
sight of the flying figure, now, far away on the road.
In an instant he sprang to the saddle. I needed no
whip, or spur, for I was as eager as my rider : he saw
it, and giving me a free rein, and leaning a little
forward, we dashed after them. *
For about a mile and a half, the road ran straight,
and then bent to the right, after which it divided into
two roads. Long before we came to the bend, she was
out of sight. Which way had she turned ? A woman
was standing at her garden gate, shading her eyes
with her hand, and looking eagerly up the road.
Scarcely drawing the rein, Blantyre shouted, " Which
way ? " " To the right," cried the woman, pointing
with her hand, and away we went up the right-hand
road ; then, for a moment we caught sight of her ;
another bend, and she was hidden again. Several
times we caught glimpses, and then lost them. We
scarcely seemed to gain ground upon them at all.
An old road- mender was standing near a heap of
stones his shovel dropped, and his hands raised.
As we came near he made a sign to speak. Blantyre
drew the rein a little. " To the common, to the
common, sir ; she has turned off there." I knew this
common very well; it was for the most part very
uneven ground, covered with heather and dark
green furze bushes, with here and there a scrubby
old thorn tree ; there were also open spaces of fine
short grass, with anthills and mole turns everywhere ;
the worst place I ever knew for a headlong gallop.
We had hardly turned on the common, when we
H
114 BLACK BEAUTY.
caught sight again of the green habit flying on before
us. My lady's hat was gone, and her long brown
hair was streaming behind her. Her head and body
were thrown back, as if she were pulling with all her
remaining strength, and as if that strength were
nearly exhausted. It was clear that the roughness
of the ground had very much lessened Lizzie's speed,
and there seemed a chance that we might overtake
her.
Whilst we were on the high road, Blantyre had
given me my head ; but now with a light hand and a
practised eye, he guided me over the ground in such
a masterly manner, that my pace was scarcely slack-
ened, and we were decidedly gaining on them.
About half way across the heath there had been a
wide dyke recently cut, and the earth from the
cutting was cast up roughly on the other side.
Surely this would stop them ! but no ; with scarcely
a pause Lizzie took the leap, stumbled among the
rough clods, and fell. Blantyre groaned, " Now
Auster, do your best ! " he gave me a steady rein, I
gathered myself well together, and with one deter-
mined leap cleared both dyke and bank.
Motionless among the heather, with her face to the
earth, lay my poor young mistress. Blantyre kneeled
down and called her name there was no sound ; gently
he turned her face upward, it was ghastly white, and
the eyes were closed. "Annie, dear Annie, do
speak ! " but there was no answer. He unbuttoned
her habit, loosened her collar, felt her hands and
wrist, then started up and looked wildly round him
for help.
THE LADY ANNE, OR A RUNAWAY HORSE. 115
At no great distance there were two men cutting
turf, who seeing Lizzie running wild without a rider
had left their work to catch ner.
Blantyre's halloo soon brought them to the spot.
The foremost man seemed much troubled at the
sight, and asked what he could do.
" Can you ride ?"
" Wejl, sir, I bean't much of a horseman, but I'd
risk my neck for the Lady Anne ; she was uncommon
good to my wife in the winter."
" Then mount this horse, my friend ; your neck
will be quite safe, and ride to the Doctor's, and ask
him to come instantly then on to the Hall tell them
all that you know, and bid them send the carriage
with Lady Anne's maid and help. I shall stay
here."
" All right, sir, I'll do my best, and I pray God the
dear young lady may open her eyes soon." Then
seeing the other man, he called out, " Here, Joe, run
for some water, and tell my missis to come as quick
as she can to the Lady Anne." He then somehow
scrambled into the saddle, and with a " Gee up "
and a clap on my sides with both his legs, he started
on his journey, making a little circuit to avoid the
dyke. He had no whip, which seemed to trouble him,
but my pace soon cured that difficulty, and he found
the best thing he could do was to stick to the saddle,
and hold me in, which he did manfully. I shook him
as little as I could help, but once or twice on the
rough ground he called out, " Steady ! Woah !
Steady." On the high road we were all right; and
116 BLACK BEAUTY.
at the Doctor's, and the Hall, he did his errand like
a good man and true. They asked him in to take a
drop of something. " No ! no," he said, " I'll be back
to 'em again by a short cut through the fields, and be
there afore the carriage."
There was a great deal of hurry and excitement
after the news became known. I was just turned
into my box, the saddle and bridle were taken off,
and a cloth thrown over me.
Ginger was saddled and sent off in great haste for
Lord George, and I soon heard the carriage roll out
of the yard.
It seemed a long time before Ginger came back,
and before we were left alone ; then she told me all
that she had seen.
" I can't tell much," she said ; " we went a gallop
nearly all the way, and got there just as the Doctor
rode up. There was a woman sitting on the ground
with the lady's head in her lap. The Doctor poured
something into her mouth, but all that I heard was,
' she is not dead.' Then I was led off by a man to
a little distance. After awhile she was taken to
the carnage, and we came home together. I heard
my master say to a gentleman who stopped him to
enquire, that he hoped no bones were broken, but
that she had not spoken yet."
When Lord George took Ginger for hunting, York
shook his head ; he said it ought to be a steady hand
to train a horse for the first season, and not a
random rider like Lord George.
Ginger used to like it very much, but sometimes
THE LADY ANNE, OR A RUNAWAY HORSE. 117
when she came back, I could see that she had been
very much strained, and now and then she gave a
short cough. She had too much spirit to complain,
but I could not help feeling anxious about her.
Two days after the accident, Blantyre paid me a
visit : he patted me and praised me very much, he
told Lord George that he was sure the horse knew of
Annie's danger as well as he did. " I could not have
held him in, if I would," said he; " she ought never to
ride any other horse." I found by their conversation,
that my young mistress was now out of danger, and
would soon be able to ride again. This was good
news to me, and I looked forward to a happy life.
CHAPTER XXV.
REUBEN SMITH.
I MUST now say a little about Reuben Smith, who
was left in charge of the stables when York went to
London. No one more thoroughly understood his
business than he did, and when he was all right,
there could not be a more faithful or valuable man.
He was gentle and very clever in his management of
horses, and could doctor them almost as well as a
farrier, for he had lived two years with a veterinary
surgeon. He was a first-rate driver ; he could take
a four-in-hand, or a tandem, as easily as a pair.
He was a handsome man, a good scholar, and had
very pleasant manners. I believe everybody liked
him; certainly the horses did ; the only wonder was,
that he should be in an under situation, and not in
the place of a head coachman like York : but he had
one great fault, and that was the love of drink. He
was not like some men, always at it ; he used to
keep steady for weeks or months together, and then
he would break out and have a " bout" of it, as York
called it, and be a disgrace to himself, a terror to
his wife, and a nuisance to all that had to do with
him. He was, however, so useful, that two or
REUBEN SMITH. 119
three times York had hushed the matter up, and
kept it from the Earl's knowledge ; hut one night,
when Eeuhen had to drive a party home from a ball, he
was so drunk that he could not hold the reins, and a
gentleman of the party had to mount the box and
drive the ladies home. Of course this could not be
hidden, and Eeuben was at once dismissed ; his poor
wife and little children had to turn out of the pretty
cottage by the Park gate and go where they could.
Old Max told me all this, for it happened a good
while ago ; but shortly before Ginger and I came,
Smith had been taken back again. York had
interceded for him with the Earl, who is very kind-
hearted, and the man had promised faithfully that
he would never taste another drop as long as he
lived there. He had kept his promise so well,
that York thought he might be safely trusted to fill
his place whilst he was away, and he was so clever
and honest, that no one else seemed so well fitted for
it.
It was now early in April, and the family was
expected home some time in May. The light
brougham was to be fresh done up, and as Colonel
Blantyre was obliged to return to his regiment, it
was arranged that Smith should drive him to the
town in it, and ride back ; for this purpose, he took
the saddle with him, and I was chosen for the journey.
At the station the Colonel put some money into
Smith's hand and bid him good bye, saying, " Take
care of your yoiing mistress, Eeuben, and don't
let Black Auster be hacked about by any random
120 BLACK BEAUTY.
young prig that wants to ride him keep him for the
lady."
We left the carriage at the maker's, and Smith
rode me to the White Lion, and ordered the ostler to
feed me well and have me ready for him at four
o'clock. A nail in one of my front shoes had
started as I came along, but the ostler did not notice
it till just about four o'clock. Smith did not come
into the yard till five, and then he said he should not
leave till six, as he had met with some old friends.
The man then told him of the nail and asked if he
should have the shoe looked to. " No," said Smith,
" that will be all right till we get home." He spoke
in a very loud off-hand way, and I thought it very
unlike him, not to see about the shoe, as he was
generally wonderfully particular about loose nails in
their shoes. He did not come at six, nor seven, nor
eight, and it was nearly nine o'clock before he called
for me, and then it was with a loud rough voice.
He seemed in a very bad temper, and abused the
ostler, though I could not tell what for.
The landlord stood at the door and said, " Have a
care, Mr. Smith!" but he answered angrily with an
oath ; and almost before he was out of the town he
began to gallop, frequently giving me a sharp cut with
his whip, though I was going at full speed. The moon
had not yet risen, and it was very dark. The roads
were stony, having been recently mended; going
over them at this pace, my shoe soon became looser,
and when we were near the turnpike gate, it came
off.
REUBEN SMITH. 121
If Smith had been in his right senses, he would
have been sensible of something wrong in my pace ;
but he was too madly drunk to notice anything.
Beyond the turnpike was a long piece of road, upon
which fresh stones had just been laid ; large sharp
stones, over which no horse could be driven quickly
without risk of danger. Over this road, with one
shoe gone, I was forced to gallop at my utmost speed,
my rider meanwhile cutting into me with his whip,
and with wild curses urging me to go still faster.
Of course my shoeless foot suffered dreadfully ; the
hoof was broken and split down to the very quick,
and the inside was terribly cut by the sharpness of
the stones.
This could not go on ; no horse could keep his
footing under such circumstances, the pain was too
great. I stumbled, and fell with violence on both my
knees. Smith was flung off by my fall, and owing
to the speed I was going at, he must have fallen with
great force. I soon recovered my feet and limped to
the side of the road, where it was free from stones.
The moon had just risen above the hedge, and by its
light I could see Smith lying a few yards beyond me.
He did not rise, he made one slight effort to do so,
and then, there was a heavy groan. I could have
groaned too, for I was suffering intense pain both
from my foot and knees ; but horses are used to bear
their pain in silence. I uttered no sound, but I stood
there and listened. One more heavy groan from
Smith ; but though he now lay in the full moonlight,
I could see no motion. I could do nothing for him
BLACK BEAUTY.
nor myself, but, oh ! how I listened for the sound of
horse, or wheels, or footsteps. The road was not
much frequented, and at this time of the night, we
might stay for hours before help came to us. I stood
watching and listening. It was a calm sweet April
night ; there were no sounds, but a few low notes of a
nightingale, and nothing moved but the white clouds
near the moon, and a brown owl that flitted over the
hedge. It made me think of the summer nights
long ago, when I used to lie beside my mother in the
green pleasant meadow at Farmer Grey's.
CHAPTER XXVI.
HOW IT ENDED.
IT must have been nearly midnight, when I heard
at a great distance the sound of a horse's feet. Some-
times the sound died away, then it grew clearer again
and nearer. The road to Earlshall led through
plantations that belonged to the Earl : the sound
came in that direction, and I hoped it might be some
one coming in search of us. As the sound came
nearer and nearer, I was almost sure I could dis-
tinguish Ginger's step ; a little nearer still, and I
could tell she was in the dog- cart. I neighed loudly,
and was overjoyed to hear an answering neigh
from Ginger, and men's voices. They came slowly
over the stones, and stopped at the dark figure that
lay upon the ground.
One of the men jumped out, and stooped down over
it. "It is Reuben ! " he said, "and he does not
stir."
The other man followed and bent over him, " He's
dead," he said; "feel how cold his hands are."
They raised him up, but there was no life, and his
hair was soaked with blood. They laid him down
again and came and looked at me. They soon saw
my cut knees.
124 BLACK BEAUTY.
" Why, the horse has been down and thrown him !
who would have thought the black horse would have
done that ? nobody thought he could fall. Eeuben
must have been lying here for hours ! Odd too, that
the horse has not moved from the place."
Eobert then attempted to lead me forward. I made
a step, but almost fell again. Halloo ! he's bad in
his foot as well as his knees ; look here his hoof is
cut all to pieces, he might well come down, poor
fellow ! I tell you what, Ned, I'm afraid it hasn't
been all right with Eeuben ! Just think of him riding
a horse over these stones without a shoe ! why, if he
had been in his right senses, he would just as soon
have tried to ride him over the moon ; I'm afraid it
has been the old thing over again. Poor Susan !
she looked awfully pale when she came to my house
to ask if he had not come home. She made believe
she was not a bit anxious, and talked of a lot of things
that might have kept him. But for all that, she
begged me to go and meet him but what must we
do ? There's the horse to get home as well as the
body and that will be no easy matter."
Then followed a conversation between them, till it
was agreed that Eobert as the groom should lead me,
and that Ned must take the body. It was a hard
job to get it into the dog-cart, for there was no one
to hold Ginger ; but she knew as well as I did,
what was going on, and stood as still as a stone.
I noticed that, because, if she had a fault, it was that
she was impatient in standing.
Ned started off very slowly with his sad load, and
HOW IT ENDED. 125
Robert came and looked at niy foot again ; then he
took his handkerchief and bound it closely round,
and so he led me home. I shall never forget that
night walk ; it was more than three miles. Eobert
led me on very slowly, and I limped and hobbled
on as well as I could with great pain. I am sure he
was sorry for me, for he often patted and encouraged
me, talking to me in a pleasant voice.
At last I reached my own box, and had some corn,
and after Robert had wrapped up my knees in wet
cloths, he tied up my foot in a bran poultice to draw
out the heat, and cleanse it before the horse doctor
saw it in the morning, and I managed to get myself
down on the straw, and slept in spite of the pain.
The next day, after the farrier had examined my
wounds, he said he hoped the joint was not injured,
and if so, I should not be spoiled for work, but I
should never lose the blemish. I believe they did
the best to make a good cure, but it was a long and
painful one ; proud flesh, as they called it, came up in
my knees, and was burnt out with caustic, and when
at last it was healed, they put a blistering fluid over
the front of both knees to bring all the hair off : they
had some reason for this, and I suppose it was all
right.
As Smith's death had been so sudden and no one
was there to see it, there was an inquest held.
The landlord and ostler at the White Lion, with
several other people, gave evidence that he was
intoxicated when he started from the inn. The
keeper of the tollgate said he rode at a hard gallop
126 BLACK BEAUTY.
through the gate ; and my shoe was picked up
amongst the stones, so that the case was quite plain
to them, and I was cleared of all blame.
Everybody pitied Susan ; she was nearly out of
her mind : she kept saying over and over again, " Oh !
he was so good so good ! it was all that cursed
drink ; why will they sell that cursed drink ? Oh
Eeuben, Eeuben ! " so she went on till after he was
buried ; and then, as she had no home or relations,
she, with her six little children, were obliged once
more to leave the pleasant home by the tall oak
trees, and go into that great gloomy Union House.
CHAPTER XXVII.
EUINED, AND GOING DoWN-HILL.
As soon as my knees were sufficiently healed, I
was turned into a small meadow for a month or two ;
no other creature was there, and though I enjoyed
the liberty and the sweet grass, yet I had heen so
long used to society that I felt very lonely. Ginger
and I had become fast friends, and now I missed her
company extremely. I often neighed when I heard
horses' feet passing in the road, but I seldom got an
answer ; till one morning the gate was opened, and
who should come in but dear old Ginger. The man
slipped off her halter and left her there. With a
joyful whinny I trotted up to her; we were both glad
to meet, but I soon found that it was not for our
pleasure that she was brought to be with me. Her
story would be too long to tell, but the end of it was
that she had been ruined by hard riding, and was
now turned off to see what rest would do.
Lord George was young and would take no warn-
ing ; he was a hard rider, and would hunt whenever
he could get the chance, quite careless of his horse.
Soon after I left the stable there was a steeple chase,
and he determined to ride, though the groom told
128 BLACK BEAUTY.
him she was a little strained, and was not fit for the
race. He did not believe it, and on the day of the
race, urged Ginger to keep up with the foremost
riders. With her high spirit, she strained herself
to the utmost ; she came in with the first three
horses, but her wind was touched, beside which,
he was too heavy for her, and her back was strained ;
"And so," she said, "here we are ruined in
the prime of our youth and strength you by a
drunkard, and I by a fool; it is very hard." We
both felt in ourselves that we were not what we had
been. However, that did not spoil the pleasure we
had in each other's company; we did not gallop
about as we once did, but we used to feed, and
lie down together, and stand for hours under one
of the shady lime trees with our heads close to each
other ; and so we passed our time till the family
returned from town.
One day we saw the Earl come into the meadow,
and York was with him. Seeing who it was, wa
stood still under our lime tree, and let them come
up to us. They examined us carefully. The Earl
seemed much annoyed. " There is three hundred
pounds flung away for no earthly use," said he, "but
what I care most for is, that these horses of my old
friend, who thought they would find a good home
with me, are ruined. The mare shall have a twelve-
month's run, and we shall see what that will do for
her ; but the black one, he must be sold : 'tis a great
pity, but I could not have knees like these in my
stables."
RUINED, AND GOING DOWN-HILL. 129
" No, my lord, of course not," said York,
" but he might get a place where appearance is not
of much consequence, and still be well treated. I
know a man in Bath, the master of some livery
stables, who often wants a good horse at a low
figure ; I know he looks well after his horses. The
inquest cleared the horse's character, and your
lordship's recommendation, or mine, would be
sufficient warrant for him."
" You had better write to him, York : I should be
more particular about the place than the money he
would fetch." After this they left us.
" They'll soon take you away," said Ginger, and I
shall lose the only friend I have, and most likely
we shall never see each other again ; 'tis a hard
world ! "
About a week after this, Eobert came into the
field with a halter, which he slipped over my head
and led me away. There was no leave-taking of
Ginger ; we neighed to each other as I was led off,
and she trotted anxiously along by the hedge, calling
to me as long as she could hear the sound of my
feet.
Through the recommendation of York, I was
bought by the master of the livery stables. I had to
go by Train, which was new to me, and required a
good deal of courage the first time ; but as I found
the puffing, rushing, whistling, and more than all,
the trembling of the horse box in which I stood did me
no real harm, I soon took it quietly.
When I reached the end of my journey, I found
130 BLACK BEAUTY.
myself in a tolerably comfortable stable and well
attended to. These stables were not so airy and
pleasant as those I had been used to. The stalls
were laid on a slope instead of being level, and as
my head was kept tied to the manger I was obliged
always to stand on the slope, which was very
fatiguing. Men do not seem to know yet, that horses
can do more work if they can stand comfortably and
can turn about : however, I was well fed and well
cleaned, and on the whole, I think our master took as
much care of us as he could. He kept a good many
horses and carriages of different kinds, for hire. Some-
times his own men drove them ; at others, the horse
and chaise were let to gentlemen or ladies who drove
themselves.
CHAPTEE XXVHI.
A JOB HORSE AND ms DRIVERS.
HITHERTO I had always been driven by people who
at least knew how to drive ; but in this place, I was
to get my experience of all the different kinds of bad
and ignorant driving to which we horses are sub-
jected; for I was a "job-horse," and was let out to
all sorts of people, who wished to hire me ; and as
I was good-tempered and gentle, I think I was oftener
let out to the ignorant drivers, than some of the
other horses, because I could be depended upon. It
would take a long time to tell of all the different
styles in which I was driven, but I will mention a
few of them.
First, there were the tight- rein drivers men, who
seemed to think that all depended on holding the
reins as hard as they could, never relaxing the pull
on the horse's mouth, or giving him the least liberty
of movement. They are always talking about " keep-
ing the horse well in hand," and " holding a horse
up," just as if a horse was not made to hold himself
up.
Some poor broken-down horses, whose mouths
have been made hnrl and insensible by just such
drivers as these, m ;/, perhaps, find some support in
132 BLACK BEAUTY.
it : but, for a horse who can depend upon his own
legs, and who has a tender mouth, and is easily guided,
it is not only tormenting, but it is stupid.
Then there are the loose-rein drivers, who let the
reins lie easily on our backs, and their own hand
rest lazily on their knees. Of course, such gentlemen
have no control over a horse, if anything happens
suddenly. If a horse shys, or starts, or stumbles,
they are nowhere, .and cannot help the horse or
themselves, till the mischief is done. Of course, for
myself, I had no objection to it, as I was not in the
habit either of starting or stumbling, and had only
been used to depend on my driver for guidance and
encouragement; still, one likes to feel the rein a
little in going down-hill, and likes to know, that one's
driver is not gone to sleep.
Besides, a slovenly way of driving gets a horse into
bad, and often lazy habits ; and when he changes
hands, he has to be whipped out of them with more
or less pain and trouble. Squire Gordon always
kept us to our best paces, and our best manners.
He said that spoiling a horse, and letting him get
into bad habits, was just as cruel as spoiling a child,
and both had to suffer for it afterwards.
Besides, these drivers are often careless altogether,
and will attend to anything else more than their
horses. I went out in the phaeton one day with one
of them ; he had a lady, and two children behind.
He flopped the reins about as we started, and of
course, gave me several unmeaning cuts with the
whip, though I was fairly off. There had been a
A JOB HORSE AND HIS DRIVERS. 133
good deal of road- mending going on, and even where
the stones were not freshly laid down, there were
a great many loose ones about. My driver was
laughing and joking with the lady and the children,
and talking about the country to the right and the
left ; but he never thought it worth while to keep an
eye on his horse, or to drive on the smoothest parts
of the road ; and so it easily happened, that I got a
stone in one of my fore feet.
Now if Mr. Gordon, or John, or in fact, any good
driver had been there, he would have seen that
something was wrong, before I had gone three paces.
Or even if it had been dark, a practised hand would
have felt by the rein that there was something
wrong in the step, and they would have got down
and picked out the stone. But this man went on
laughing and talking, whilst at every step the stone
became more firmly wedged between my shoe and
the frog of my foot. The stone was sharp on the
inside and round on the outside, which as every one
knows, is the most dangerous kind that a horse can
pick up ; at the same time cutting his foot, and
making him most liable to stumble and fall.
Whether the man was partly blind, or only very
careless, I can't say; but he drove me with that
stone in my foot for a good half mile before he saw
anything. By that time I was going so lame with
the pain, that at last he saw it and called out,
"Well, here's a go! Why they have sent us out
with a lame horse ! What a shame! "
He then chucked the reins and nipped about with
134 BLACK BEAUTY.
the whip, saying, " Now then, it's no use playing the
old soldier with me ; there's the journey to go, and
it's no use turning lame and lazy."
Just at this time a farmer came riding up on a
brown cob ; he lifted his hat and pulled up. " I beg
your pardon, sir," he said, " but I think there is
something the matter with your horse, he goes very
much as if he had a stone in his shoe. If you
will allow me, I will look at his feet ; these loose
scattered stones are confounded dangerous things
for the horses."
"He's a hired horse," said my driver; "I don't
know what's the matter with him, but it is a great
shame to send out a lame beast like this."
The farmer dismounted, and slipping his rein over
his arm, at once took up my near foot. " Bless me,
there's a stone ! lame ! I should think so ! "
At first he tried to dislodge it with his hand, but,
as it was now very tightly wedged, he drew a stone-
pick out of his pocket, and very carefully, and with
some trouble, got it out. Then holding it up, he
said, " There, that's the stone your horse had picked
up ; it is a wonder he did not fall down and break
hi? knees into the bargain ! "
" Well, to be sure ! " said my driver, " that is a
queer thing 1 I never knew that horses picked up
stones before."
"Didn't you?" said the farmer, rather con-
temptuously ; " but they do, though, and the best of
them will do it, and can't help it sometimes on such
roads as these. And if you don't want to lame
A JOB fiORSE AND HIS DRIVERS. 135
your horse, you must look sharp and get them
out quickly. This foot is very much hruised," he
said, setting it gently down and patting me. " If
I might advise, sir, you had better drive him
gently for a while ; the foot is a good deal hurt, and
the lameness will not go off directly." Then, mount-
ing his cob and raising his hat to the lady, he trotted
off.
When he was gone, my driver began to flop the
reins about, and whip the harness, by which I
understood that I was to go on, which of course I
did, glad that the stone had gone ; but still in a good
deal of pain.
This was the sort of experience we job-horses
often came in for.
CHAPTEE XXIX.
COCKNEYS.
THEN there is the steam-engine style of driving ;
these drivers were mostly people from towns, who
never had a horse of their own, and generally
travelled by rail.
They always seemed to think that a horse was
something like a steam-engine, only smaller. At
any rate, they think that if only they pay for it, a
horse is bound to go just as far, and just as fast,
and with just as heavy a load as they please. And
be the roads heavy and muddy, or dry and good ;
be they stony or smooth, up-hill or down-hill, it is
all the same on, on, on, one must go at the same
pace, with no relief, and no consideration.
These people never think of getting out to walk up
a steep hill. Oh, no, they have paid to ride, and
ride they will ! The horse ? Oh, he's used to it !
What were horses made for, if not to drag
people up-hill ? Walk ! A good joke indeed ! And
so the whip is plied and the rein is chucked, and
often a rough scolding voice cries out ; " Go along,
you lazy beast ! " And then another slash of the
whip, when all the time we are doing our very best
COCKNEYS. 137
to get along, uncomplaining and obedient, though
often sorely harassed and down-hearted.
This steam-engine style of driving wears us up
faster than any other kind. I would far rather go
twenty miles with a good considerate driver, than I
would go ten with some of these ; it would take less
out of me.
Another thing they scarcely ever put on the drag,
however steep the down-hill may he, and thus bad
accidents sometimes happen ; or if they do put it on,
they often forget to take it off at the bottom of the
hill : and more than once, I have had to pull half
way up the next hill, with one of the wheels lodged
fast in the drag-shoe, before my driver chose to
think about it; and that is a terrible strain on a
horse.
Then these Cockneys, instead of starting at an easy
pace as a gentleman would do, generally set off at
full speed from the very stable yard ; and when they
want to stop, they first whip us, and then pull up so
suddenly, that we are nearly thrown on our haunches,
and our mouths jagged with the bit ; they call that
pulling up with a dash ! and when they turn a
corner, they do it as sharply as if there were no
right side or wrong side of the road.
I well remember one spring evening I and Eory
had been out for the day. (Eory was the horse that
mostly went with me when a pair was ordered, and a
good honest fellow he was.) We had our own
driver, and as he was always considerate and
gentle with us, we had a very pleasant day.
138 BLACK BEAUTY.
We were coming home at a good smart pace
about twilight ; our road turned sharp to the left ;
but as we were close to the hedge on our own
side, and there w.as plenty of room to pass, our
driver did not pull us in. As we neared the corner
I heard a horse and two wheels coming rapidly down
the hill towards us. The hedge was high and I
could see nothing, but the next moment we were
upon each other. Happily for me I was on the side
next the hedge. Eory was on the right side of the
pole, and had not even a shaft to protect him. The
man who was driving, was making straight for the
corner, and when he came in sight of us, he had no
time to pull over to his own side. The whole shock
came upon Eory. The gig shaft ran right into the
chest, making him stagger back with a cry that I
shall never forget. The other horse was thrown upon
his haunches, and one shaft broken. It turned out
that it was a horse from our own stables, with the
high- wheeled gig, that the young men were so fond
of.
The driver was one of those random, ignorant
fellows, who don't even know which is their own side
of the road, or if they know, don't care. And there
was poor Kory with his flesh torn open and bleeding,
and the blood streaming down. They said if it had
been a little more to one side, it would have killed
him ; and a good thing for him, poor fellow, if it
had.
As it was, it was a long time before the wound
healed, and then he was sold for coal carting ; and
COCKNEYS. 139
what that is, up and down those steep hills, only
horses know. Some of the sights I saw there, where
a horse had to come down-hill with a heavily-loaded
two- wheel cart behind him, on which no drag could
be placed, make me sad even now to think of.
After Eory was disabled, I often went in the
carriage with a mare named Peggy, who stood in
the next stall to mine. She was a strong, well-made
animal, of a bright dun colour, beautifully dappled,
and with a dark-brown mane and tail. There was
no high breeding about her, but she was very pretty,
and remarkably sweet-tempered and willing. Still
there was an anxious look about her eye, by which I
knew that she had some trouble. The first time we
went out together I thought she had a very odd pace ;
she seemed to go partly a trot, partly a canter
three or four paces, and then a little jump forward.
It was very unpleasant for any horse who pulled
with her, and made me quite fidgetty. When we
got home, I asked her what made her go in that odd,
awkward way.
"Ah," she said in a troubled manner, "I know
my paces are very bad, but what can I do ? it really
is not my fault, it is just because my legs are so
short. I stand nearly as high as you, but your legs
are a g:>od three inches longer above your knee than
mine, and of course you can take a much longer step,
and go much faster. You see I did not make my-
self ; I wish I could have done so, I would have had
long legs then ; all my troubles come from my short
legs ; " said Peggy, in a desponding tone.
140 BLACK BEAUTY.
" But how is it," I said, " when you are so strong
and good-tempered and willing? "
" Why, you see," said she, " men will go so fast,
and if one can't keep up to other horses, it is nothing
but whip, whip, whip, all the time. And so I have
had to keep up as I could, and have got into this
ugly shuffling pace. It was not always so ; when I
lived with my first master I always went a good
regular trot, hut then he was not in such a hurry.
He was a young clergyman in the country, and a good
kind master he was. He had two churches a
good way apart, and a great deal of work, but he
never scolded or whipped me for not going faster.
He was very fond of me. I only wish I was
with him now ; but he had to leave and go to a
large town, and then I was sold to a farmer.
" Some farmers, you know, are capital masters ; but
I think this one was a low sort of man. He cared
nothing about good horses, or good driving, he only
cared for going fast. I went as fast as I could, but
that would not do, and he was always whipping ; so
I got into this way of making a spring forward
to keep up. On market nights he used to stay
very late at the inn, and then drive home at a gallop.
One dark night he was galloping home as usual,
when all on a sudden the wheel came against some
great heavy thing in the road, and turned the gig
over in a minute. He was thrown out and his arm
broken, and some of his ribs, I think. At any rate, it
was the end of my living with him, and I was not
sorry. But you see it will be the same every where for
COCKNEYS. 141
me, if men must go so fast. I wish my legs were
longer! "
Poor Peggy ! I was very sorry for her, and I could
not comfort her, for I knew how hard it was upon
slow-paced horses to be put with fast ones ; all the
whipping comes to their share, and they can't help
it.
She was often used in the phaeton, and was very
much liked by some of the ladies, because she was so
gentle ; and some time after this she was sold to two
ladies who drove themselves, and wanted a safe good
horse.
I met her several times out in the country, going
a good steady pace, and looking as gay and contented
as a horse could be. I was very glad to see her, for
she deserved a good place.
After she left us, another horse came in her stead.
He was young, and had a bad name for shying and
starting, by which he had lost a good place. I asked
him what made him shy.
" Well, I hardly know," he said, " I was timid
when I was young, and was a good deal frightened
several times, and if I saw anything strange, I used
to turn and look at it you see with our blinkers,
one can't see or understand what a thing is unless
one looks round ; and then my master always
gave me a whipping, which of course made me
start on, and did not make me less afraid. I think
if he would have let me just look at things quietly,
and see that there was nothing to hurt me, it
would have been all right, and I should have got
142 BLACK BEAUTY.
used to them. One day an old gentleman was riding
with him, and a large piece of white paper or rag,
blew across just on one side of me ; I shied and
started forward my master as usual whipped me
smartly, but the old man cried out, ' You're wrong !
you're wrong ! you should never whip a horse for
shying : he shys because he is frightened, and you
only frighten him more, and make the habit worse.'
So I suppose all men don't do so. I am sure I don't
want to shy for the sake of it ; but how should one
know what is dangerous and what is not, if one is
never allowed to get used to anything ? I am never
afraid of what I know. Now I was brought up in a
park where there were deer ; of course, I knew them
as well as I did a sheep or a cow, but they are not
common, and I know many sensible horses who are
frightened at them, and who kick up quite a shindy
before they will pass a paddock where there are
deer."
I knew what my companion said was true, and I
wished that every young horse had as good masters
as Farmer Grey and Squire Gordon.
Of course we sometimes came in for good driving
here. I remember one morning I was put into the
light gig, and taken to a house in Pultney Street.
Two gentlemen came out ; the taller of them came
round to my head, he looked at the bit and bridle,
and just shifted the collar with his hand, to see if it
fitted comfortably.
"Do you consider this horse wants a curb?" he
said to the ostler.
COCKNEYS. . 143
" Well," said the man, " I should say he would
go just as well without, he has an uncommon good
mouth, and though he has a fine spirit, he has
no vice ; but we generally find people like the curb."
" I don't like it," said the gentleman ; "be so good
as to take it off, and put the rein in at the cheek ;
an easy mouth is a great thing on a long journey, is
it not, old fellow ? " he said, patting my neck.
Then he took the reins, and they both got up.
I can remember now how quietly he turned me round,
and then with a light feel of the rein, and drawing
the whip gently across my back, we were off.
I arched my neck and set off at my best pace.
I found I had some one behind me, who knew how
a good horse ought to be driven. It seemed like old
times again, and made me feel quite gay.
This gentleman took a great liking to me, and
after trying me several times with the saddle, he
prevailed upon my master to sell me to a friend of
his, who wanted a safe pleasant horse for riding.
And so it came to pass that in the summer I was
sold to Mr. Barry.
CHAPTER XXX.
A THIEF!
MY new master was an unmarried man. He lived
at Bath, and was much engaged in business. His
doctor advised him to take horse exercise, and for
this purpose he bought me. He hired a stable a
short distance from his lodgings, and engaged a man
named Filcher as groom. My master knew very
little about horses, but he treated me well, and I
should have have had a good and easy place, but for
circumstances of which he was ignorant. He ordered
the best hay with plenty of oats, crushed beans, and
bran, with vetches, or rye grass, as the man might
think needful. I heard the master give the order, so I
knew there was plenty of good food, and I thought I
was well off.
For a few days all went on well ; I found that my
groom understood his business. He kept the stable
clean and airy, and he groomed me thoroughly ; and
was never otherwise than gentle. He had been an
ostler in one of the great hotels in Bath. He had
given that up, and now cultivated fruit and vegetables
for the market ; and his wife bred and fattened poultry
and rabbits for sale. After awhile it seemed to me
A THIEF. 145
that rny oats came very short ; I had the beans, but
bran was mixed with them instead of oats, of which
there were very few ; certainly not more than a
quarter of what there should have been. In two
or three weeks this began to tell upon my strength
and spirits. The grass food, though very good, was
not the thing to keep up my condition without corn.
However, I could not complain, nor make known my
wants. So it went on for about two months ; and I
wondered my master did not see that something was
the matter. However, one afternoon he rode out
into the country to see a friend of his a gentleman
farmer, who lived on the road to Wells. This
gentleman had a very quick eye for horses ; and
after he had welcomed his friend, he said, casting his
eye over me, " It seems to me, Barry, that your horse
does not look so well as he did when you first had
him ; has he been well ? "
"Yes, I believe so," said my master, "but he is
not nearly so lively as he was ; my groom tells me
that horses are always dull and weak in the autumn,
and that I must expect it."
" Autumn ! fiddlestick ! " said the farmer ; " why
this is only August ; and with your light work and
good food he ought not to go down like this, even if
it was autumn. How do you feed him ? "
My master told him. The other shook his head
slowly, and began to feel me over, " I can't say who
eats your corn, my dear fellow, but I am much mis-
taken if your horse gets it. Have you ridden very
fast?"
K
146 BLACK BEAUTY.
" No ! very gently."
" Then just put your hand here," said he, passing
his hand over my neck and shoulder; "he is as
warm and damp as a horse just come up from grass.
I advise you to look into your stable a little more.
I hate to be suspicious, and, thank heaven, I have no
cause to be, for I can trust my men, present or absent ;
but there are mean scoundrels, wicked enough to rob a
dumb beast of his food ; you must look into it." And
turning to his man who had come to take me, "Give
this horse a right good feed of bruised oats, and
don't stint him."
" Dumb beasts ! " yes, we are ; but if I could have
spoken, I could have told my master where his oats
went to. My groom used to come every morning
about six o'clock, and with him a little boy, who
always had a covered basket with him. He used to
go with his father into the harness room where the
corn was kept, and I could see them when the door
stood ajar, fill a little bag with oats out of the bin,
and then he used to be off.
Five or six mornings after this, just as the boy
had left the stable, the door was pushed open and a
policeman walked in, holding the child tight by the
arm ; another policoman followed, and locked the door
on the inside, saying, " Shew me the place where
your father keeps his rabbits' food."
The boy looked very frightened and began to cry ;
but there was no escape, and he led the way to the
cornbin. Here, the policeman found another empty
bag like that which was found full of oats in the boy's
basket.
A THIEF. 147
Filcher was cleaning my feet at the time, but they
soon saw him, and though he blustered a good deal,
they walked him off to the " lock-up," and his boy
with him. I heard afterwards, that the boy was not
held to be guilty, but the man was sentenced to prison
for two months.
CHAPTER XXXI.
A HUMBUG !
MY master was not immediately suited, but in a
few days my new groom came. He was a tall, good-
looking fellow enough ; but if ever there was a
humbug in the shape of a groom, Alfred Smirk was
the man. He was very civil to me, and never used
me ill ; in fact, he did a great deal of stroking and
patting, when his master was there to see it. He
always brushed my mane and tail with water, and
my hoofs with oil before he brought me to the door,
to make me look smart ; but as to cleaning my feet,
or looking to my shoes, or grooming me thoroughly,
he thought no more of that, than if I had been a cow.
He left my bit rusty, my saddle damp, and my
crupper stiff.
Alfred Smirk considered himself very handsome ;
he spent a great deal of time about his hair,
whiskers, and necktie, before a little looking-glass
in the harness room. When his master was
speaking to him, it was always "Yes, sir, yes, sir,"
touching his hat at every word; and every one
thought he was a very nice young man, and that
Mr. Barry was very fortunate to meet with him.
I should say he was the laziest, most conceited
A HUMBUG. 149
fellow I ever came near. Of course it was a great
thing not to be ill-used, but then a horse wants
more than that. I had a loose box, and might have
been veiy comfortable if he had not been too indolent
to clean it out. He never took ah 1 the straw away,
and the smell from what lay underneath was very
bad ; while the strong vapours that rose up, made my
eyes smart and inflame, and I did not feel the same
appetite for my food.
One day his master came in and said, " Alfred,
the stable smells rather strong ; should not you give
that stall a good scrub, and throw down plenty of
water?"
" "Well, sir," he said, touching his cap, " I'll do so
if you please, sir, but it is rather dangerous, sir,
throwing down water in a horse's box, they are very
apt to take cold, sir. I should not like to do him an
injury, but I'll do it if you please, sir."
" Well," said his master, " I should not like him
to take cold, but I don't like the smell of this stable ;
do you think the drains are all right ? "
" Well, sir, now you mention it, I think the drain
does sometimes send back a smell; there may be
something wrong, sir."
" Then send for the bricklayer and have it seen to,"
said his master."
" Yes, sir, I will."
The bricklayer came and pulled up a great many
bricks, and found nothing amiss ; so he put
down some lime, and charged the master five
shillings, and the smell in my box was as bad as
150 ELACK BEAUTY.
ever : but that was not all standing as I did on a
quantity of moist straw, my feet grew unhealthy,
and tender, and the master used to say,
" I don't know what is the matter with this horse,
he goes very fumble-footed. I am sometimes afraid
he will stumble."
" Yes, sir," said Alfred, " I have noticed the same
myself, when I have exercised him."
Now the fact was, that he hardly ever did
exercise me, and when the master was busy, I often
stood for days together without stretching my legs at
all, and yet being fed just as high as if I were at
hard work. This often disordered my health, and
made me sometimes heavy and dull, but more often
restless and feverish. He never even gave me a meal
of green meat, or a bran mash, which would have
cooled me, for he was altogether as ignorant as he
was conceited ; and then instead of exercise or change
of food, I had to take horse balls and draughts ;
which, beside the nuisance of having them poured
down my throat, used to make me feel ill and
uncomfortable.
One day my feet were so tender, that trotting over
some fresh stones with my master on my back, I
made two such serious stumbles, that as he came
down Lansdown into the city, he stopped at the
farrier's, and asked him to see what was the matter
with me. The man took up my feet one by one and
examined them; then standing up and dusting his
hands one against the other, he said, " Your horse
has got the * thrush,' and badly too ; his feet are
A HUMBUG. 151
very tender; it is fortunate that he has not been
down. I wonder your groom has not seen to it
before. This is the sort of thing we find in foul
stables, where the litter is never properly cleared
out. If you will send him here to-morrow, I will
attend to the hoof, and I will direct your man how
to apply the liniment which I will give him." The
next day I had my feet thoroughly cleansed and
stuffed with tow, soaked in some strong lotion ; and
a very unpleasant business it was.
The farrier ordered all the Utter to be taken out
of my box day by day, and the floor kept very clean.
Then I was to have bran mashes, a little green meat,
and not so much corn, till my feet were well again.
With this treatment I soon regained my spirits, but
Mr. Barry was so much disgusted at being twice
deceived by his grooms, that he determined to give
up keeping a horse, and to hire when he wanted
one. I was therefore kept till my feet were quite sound,
and was then sold again.
PART III.
CHAPTER XXXII.
A HORSE FAIE.
No doubt a horse fair is a very amusing place to
those who have nothing to lose ; at any rate there is
plenty to see.
Long strings of young horses out of the country,
fresh from the marshes ; and droves of shaggy little
Welsh ponies, no higher than Merrylegs ; and
hundreds of cart horses of all sorts, some of them
with their long tails braided up, and tied with scarlet
cord ; and a good many like myself, handsome and
highbred, but fallen into the middle class, through
some accident or blemish, unsoundness of wind, or
some other complaint. There were some splendid
animals quite in their prime, and fit for anything ;
they were throwing out their legs, and shewing off
their paces in high style, as they were trotted out
with a leading rein, the groom running by the side.
But round in the back ground, there were a number
of poor things, sadly broken down with hard work ;
with their knees knuckling over, and their hind legs
A H02SE FAIB. 153
swinging out at every step ; and there were some
very dejected-looking old horses, with the under lip
hanging down, and the ears laying back heavily, as
if there was no more pleasure in life, and no more
hope ; there were some so thin, you might see all
their ribs, and some with old sores on their backs
and hips ; these were sad sights for a horse to look
upon, who knows not but he may come to the same
state.
There was a great deal of bargaining ; of running up
and beating down, and if a horse may speak his
mind so far as he understands, I should say, there
were more lies told, and more trickery at that horse fair,
than a clever man could give an account of. I was
put with two or three other strong useful-looking
horses, and a good many people came to look at us.
The gentlemen always turned from me when they
saw the broken knees ; though the man who had me
swore it was only a slip in the stall.
The first thing was to pull my mouth open, then
to look at my eyes, then feel all the way down my
legs, and give me a hard feel of the skin and flesh,
and then try my paces. It was wonderful what a
difference there was in the way these things were
done. Some did it in a rough off-hand way, as if one
was only a piece of wood ; while others would take
their hands gently over one's body, with a pat now
and then, as much as to say, " by your leave." Of
course I judged a good deal of the buyers by their
manners to myself.
There was one man, I thought, if he would buy me,
151 ELACK BEAUTY.
I should be happy. He was not a gentleman, nor
yet one of the loud flashy sort, that called themselves
so. He was rather a small man; but well made,
and quick in all his motions. I knew in a moment
by the way he handled me, that he was used to
horses; he spoke gently, and his grey eye had a
kindly cheery look in it. It may seem strange to
say but it is true all the same, that the clean fresh
smell there was about him made me take to him ;
no smell of old beer and tobacco, which I hatod, but
a fresh smell as if he had come out of a hayloft.
He offered twenty-three pounds for me ; but that
was refused, and he walked away. I looked after
him, but he was gone, and a very hard-looking loud-
voiced man came ; I was dreadfully afraid he would
have me ; but he walked off. One or two more
came who did not mean business. Then the hard-
faced man came back again and offered twenty-three
pounds. A very close bargain was being driven;
for rny salesman began to think he should not get
all he asked, and must come down ; but just then
the grey-eyed man came back again. I could not
help reaching out my head towards him. He stroked
my face kindly. " Well, old chap," he said, " I think
we should suit each other." " I'll give twenty-four
for him."
" Say twenty-five and you shall have him."
" Twenty-four ten," said my friend, in a very
decided tone, " and not another sixpence yes or
no?"
" Done," said the salesman, " and you may depend
A HORSE FAO. 155
upon it there's a monstrous deal of quality in that
horse, and if you want him for cab work, he's a
bargain."
The money was paid on the spot, and my new
master took my halcer, and led me out of the fair to
an inn, where he had a saddle and bridle ready.
He gave me a good feed of oats, and stood by whilst
I ate it, talking to himself, and talking to me. Half-
an-hour after we were on our way to London,
through pleasant lanes and country roads, until we
came into the great London thoroughfare, on which we
travelled steadily, till in the twilight, we reached the
great City. The gas lamps were already lighted;
there were streets to the right, and streets to
the left, and streets crossing each other for
mile upon mile. I thought we should never come
to the end of them. At last, in passing through
one, we came to a long cab stand, when my
rider called out in a cheery voice, " Good night,
governor ! "
" Halloo ! " cried a voice, " Have you got a good
one ? "
" I think so," replied my owner.
" I wish you luck with him*"
" Thank ye, governor," and he rode on ; we
soon turned up one of the side streets, and about
half way up that, we turned into a very narrow street,
with rather poor-looking houses on one side, and
what seemed to be coach-houses and stables on the
other.
My owner pulled up at one of the houses and
156 ELACK BEAUTY.
whistled. The door flew open, and a young woman,
followed by a little girl and boy, ran out. There was
a very lively greeting as my rider dismounted.
"Now then, Harry my boy, open the gates, and
mother will bring us the lantern." The next minute
they were all standing round me in a small stable
yard.
" Is he gentle, father ? "
" Yes, Dolly, as gentle as your own kitten ; come
and pat him."
At once the little hand was patting about all over
my shoulder without fear ; how good it felt !
" Let me get him a bran mash while you rub him
down," said the mother.
"Do, Polly, it's just what he wants, and I know
you've got a beautiful mash ready for me."
" Sausage dumpling and apple turnover," shouted
the boy, which set them all laughing. I was led
into a comfortable clean- smelling stall with plenty of
dry straw, and after a capital supper, I laid down,
thinking I was going to be happy.
CHAPTER XXXHL
A LONDON CAB HORSE.
MY new master's name was Jeremiah Barker, but
as every one called him Jerry, I shall do the same.
Polly, his wife, was just as good a match as a man
could have. She was a plump, trim, tidy little woman,
with smooth dark hair, dark eyes, and a merry little
mouth. The boy was nearly twelve years old; a
tall, frank, good-tempered lad ; and little Dorothy,
(Dolly, they called her), was her mother over again,
at eight years old. They were all wonderfully fond
of each other ; I never knew such a happy, merry
family before, or since. Jerry had a cab of his own,
and two horses, which he drove and attended to
himself. His other horse was a tall, white, rather
large-boned animal, called Captain ; he was old
now, but when he was young, he must have been
splendid ; he had still a proud way of holding his
head, and arching his neck ; in fact, he was a high-
bred, fine-mannered, noble old horse, every inch of
him. He told me that in his early youth he went
to the Crimean War ; he belonged to an officer in
the Cavalry, and used to lead the regiment ; I will
tell more of that hereafter.
158 BLACK BEAUTY.
The next morning, when I was well groomed,
Polly and Dolly came into the yard to see me, and
make friends. Harry had been helping his father
since the early morning, and had stated his opinion
that I should turn out "a regular brick." Polly
brought me a slice of apple, and Dolly a piece of
bread, and made as much of me as if I had been the
"Black Beauty" of olden time. It was a great
treat to be petted again, and talked to in a gentle
voice, and I let them see as well as I 'could that I
wished to be friendly. Polly thought I was very
handsome, and a great deal too good for a cab, if it
was not for the broken knees. " Of course, there's
no one to tell us whose fault that was," said Jerry,
" and as long as I don't know, I shall give him the
benefit of the doubt ; for a firmer, neater stepper, I
never rode ; we'll call him Jack,' after the old one
shall we, Polly?"
"Do," she said, "for I like to keep a good name
going."
Captain went out in the cab all the morning.
Harry came in after school to feed me and give me
water. In the afternoon I was put into the cab.
Jerry took as much pains to see if the collar and
bridle fitted comfortably, as if he had been John
Manly over again. When the crupper was let out a
hole or two, it all fitted well. There was no bearing
rein no curb nothing but a plain ring snaffle.
What a blessing that was !
After driving through the side street we came to
the large cab stand, where Jerry had said " Good-
A LONDON CAB HOESE. 159
night." On one side of this wide street were high
houses with wonderful shop fronts, and on the other,
was an old church and churchyard, surrounded by
iron pallisades. Alongside these iron rails a
number of cabs were drawn up, waiting for passen-
gers : bits of hay were lying about on the ground ;
some of the men were standing together talking;
some were sitting on their boxes reading the news-
paper; and one or two were feeding their horses
with bits of hay, and a drink of water. We pulled
up in the rank at the back of the last cab. Two or
three men came round and began to look at me and
pass their remarks.
" Very good for a funeral," said one.
" Too smart-looking," said another, shaking his
head in a very wise way ; " you'll find out something
wrong one of these fine mornings, or my name isn't
Jones."
" Well," said Jerry pleasantly, "I suppose I need
not find it out till it finds me out ; eh ? and if so,
I'll keep up my spirits a little longer." Then came
up a broad- faced man, dressed in a great grey coat
with great grey capes, and great white buttons, a
grey hat, and a blue comforter loosely tied round his
neck ; his hair was grey too, but he was a jolly-
looking fellow, and the other men made way for
him. He looked me all over, as if he had been going
to buy me ; and then straightening himself up with a
grunt, he said, " He's the right sort for you, Jerry ; I
don't care what you gave for him, he'll be worth it."
Thus my character was established on the stand.
1C*) BLACK BEAUTY.
This man's name was Grant, but he was called
" Grey Grant," or " Governor Grant ; " he had been
the longest on that stand of any of the men, and he
took it upon himself to settle matters, and stop
disputes. He was generally a good-humoured, sensi-
ble man ; but if his temper was a little out, as it was
sometimes, when he had drank too much, nobody
liked to come too near his fist, for he could deal a
very heavy blow.
The first week of my life as a cab horse was very
trying ; I had never been used to London, and the
noise, the hurry, the crowds of horses, carts, and
carriages, that I had to make my way through, made
me feel anxious and harassed ; but I soon found that
I could perfectly trust my driver, and then I made
myself easy, and got used to it.
Jerry was as good a driver as I had ever known ;
and what was better, he took as much thought for
his horses, as he did for himself. He soon found out
that I was willing to work, and do my best ; and he
never laid the whip on me, unless it was gently
drawing the end of it over my back, when I was to
go on ; but generally I knew this quite well by the
way in which he took up the reins ; and I believe his
whip was more frequently stuck up by his side, than
in his hand.
In a short time I and my master understood each
other, as well as horse and man can do. In the
stable too, he did all that he could for our comfort.
The stalls were the old-fashioned style, too much on
the slope ; but he had two moveable bars fixed across
A LONDON CAB HORSE. 161
the back of our stalls, so that at night, and when we
were resting, he just took off our halters, and put up
the bars, and thus we could turn about and stand
whichever way we pleased ; and as the stall divisions
were lower at the back, Captain and I were able to
touch each other's noses in a friendly way, as we
horses always do with those we like.
Jerry kept us very clean, and gave us as much
change of food as he could, and always plenty of it.
But the best thing we had was, our Sundays for rest ;
we worked so hard in the week, that I do not think
*we could have kept up to it, but for that day ; besides
we had then a little time to enjoy each other's
company, and chat a bit. It was on these days that
I learned my companion's history.
CHAPTER XXXTV.
AN OLD WAR HORSE.
CAPTAIN had been broken in and trained for an
army horse ; his first owner was an officer of cavalry
going out to the Crimean War. He said he quite
enjoyed the training with all the other horses, trotting
together, turning together, to the right hand or to
the left, halting at the word of command, or dashing
forward at full speed at the sound of the trumpet, or
signal of the officer. He was, when young, a dark
dappled iron grey, and considered very handsome.
His master, a young, high-spirited gentleman, was
very fond of him, and treated him from the first with
the greatest care and kindness. He told me he
thought the life of an army horse was very pleasant ;
but when it came to being sent abroad, over the sea
in a great ship, he almost changed his mind.
" That part of it," said he, " was dreadful ! Of
course we could not walk off the land into the ship ;
so they were obliged to put strong straps under our
bodies, and then we were lifted off our legs, in spite
of our struggles, and were swung through the air
over the water, to the deck of the great vessel.
There we were placed in small close stalls, and
never for a long time saw the sky, or were able to
AN OLD WAR HORSE. 163
stretch our legs. The ship sometimes rolled about
in high winds, and we were knocked about, and felt
bad enough. However, at last, it came to an end,
and we were hauled up, and swung over again to the
land ; we were very glad, and snorted, and neighed
for joy, when we once more felt firm ground under
our feet.
We soon found that the country we had come to
was very different to our own, and that we had
many hardships to endure besides the fighting ; but
many of the men were so fond of their horses, that
they did every thing they could to make them com-
fortable, in spite of snow, wet, and all things out of
order.
" But what about the fighting ? " said I ; " was not
that worse than anything else ? "
"Well," said he, "I hardly know; we always
liked to hear the trumpet sound, and to be called out,
and were impatient to start off, though sometimes we
had to stand for hours, waiting for the word of
command ; and when the word was given, we used
to spring forward as gaily and eagerly as if there
were no cannon balls, bayonets, or bullets. I
believe so long as we felt our rider firm in the saddle,
and his hand steady on the bridle, not one of us gave
way to fear, not even when the terrible bombshells
whirled through the air and burst into a thousand
pieces.
" I, with my noble master went into many actions
together without a wound ; and though I saw horses
shot down with bullets, pierced through with lance,
164 BLACK BEAUTY.
and gashed with fearful sabre- cuts ; though we left
them dead on the field, or dying in agony of their
wounds, I don't think I feared for myself. My
master's cheery voice, as he encouraged his men, made
me feel as if he and I could not be killed. I had
such perfect trust in him, that whilst he was guiding
me, I was ready to charge up to the very cannon's
mouth. I saw many brave men cut down, many fall
mortally wounded from their saddles. I had heard
the cries and groans of the dying, I had cantered
over ground slippery with blood, and frequently had
to turn aside to avoid trampling on wounded man or
horse, but, until one dreadful day, I had never felt
terror; that day, I shall never forget."
Here old Captain paused for awhile and drew a
long breath ; I waited, and he went on.
" It was one autumn morning, and as usual, an
hour before day-break our cavalry had turned out,
ready caparisoned for the day's work, whether it
might be fighting or waiting. The men stood by
their horses waiting, ready for orders. As the light
increased, there seemed to be some excitement among
the officers ; and before the day was well begun, we
heard the firing of the enemy's guns.
" Then one of the officers rode up and gave the word
for the men to mount, and in a second, every man
was in his saddle, and every horse stood expecting the
touch of the rein, or the pressure of his rider's heels, all
animated, all eager ; but still we had been trained so
well, that except by the champing of our bits, and
the restive tossing of our heads from time to time, it
could not be said that we stirred.
AN OLD WAR HORSE. 165
" My dear master and I were at the head of the line,
and as all sat motionless and watchful, he took a
little stray lock of my mane which had turned over
on the wrong side, laid it over on the right, and
smoothed it down with his hand ; then patting my
neck, he said, ' We shall have a day of it to-day,
Bayard, my beauty ; but we'll do our duty as we have
done.' He stroked my neck that morning, more
I think, than he had ever done before ; quietly on and
on, as if he were thinking of something else. I loved
to feel his hand on my neck, and arched my crest
proudly and happily ; but I stood very still, for I
knew all his moods, and when he liked me to be
quiet, and when gay.
" I cannot tell all that happened on that day, but I
will tell of the last charge that we made together ; it
was across a valley right in front of the enemy's
cannon. By this time we were well used to the roar
of heavy guns, the rattle of musket fire, and the
flying of shot near us ; but never had I been under
such a fire as we rode through on that day. From
the right, from the left, and from the front, shot and
shell poured in upon us. Many a brave man went
down, many a horse fell, flinging his rider to the
earth ; many a horse without a rider ran wildly out
of the ranks ; then terrified at being alone with no
hand to guide him, came pressing in amongst his old
companions, to gallop with them to the charge.
" Fearful as it was, no one stopped, no one turned
back. Every moment the ranks were thinned, but
as our comrades fell, we closed in to keep them
1C6 BLACK BEAUTY.
together ; and instead of being shaken or staggered
in our pace, our gallop became faster and faster as
we neared the cannon, all clouded in white smoke,
while the red fire flashed through it.
" My master, my dear master ! was cheering on his
comrades with his right arm raised on high, when
one of the balls, whizzing close to my head, struck
him. I felt him stagger with the shock, though he
uttered no cry ; I tried to check my speed, but the
sword dropped from his right hand, the rein fell
loose from the left, and sinking backward from the
saddle he fell to the earth ; the other riders swept
past us, and by the force of their charge I was driven
from the spot where he fell.
" I wanted to keep my place by his side, and not
leave him under that rush of horses' feet, but it was
in vain ; and now without a master or Mend, I was
alone on that great slaughter ground; then, fear took
hold on me, and I trembled as I had never trembled
before ; and I too, as I had seen other horses do,
tried to join in the ranks and gallop with them ; but
I was beaten off by the swords of the soldiers. Just
then, a soldier whose horse had been killed under
him, caught at my bridle and mounted me; and
with this new master I was again going forward:
but our gallant company was cruelly overpowered,
and those who remained alive after the fierce fight for
the guns, came galloping back over the same ground.
Some of the horses had been so badly wounded, that
they could scarcely move from the loss of blood;
other noble creatures were trying on three legs to
AN OLD WAR HORSE. 1G7
drag themselves along, and others were struggling to
rise on their fore feet, when their hind legs had
been shattered by shot. Their groans were piteous
to hear, and the beseeching look in their eyes as
those who escaped past by, and left them to their
fate, I shall never forget. After the battle the wound-
ed men were brought in, and the dead were buried."
" And what about the wounded horses ? " I said;
" were they left to die ? "
"No, the army farriers went over the field with,
their pistols, and shot all that were ruined ; some
that had only slight wounds were brought back and
attended to, but the greater part of the noble willing
creatures that went out that morning, never came
back ! In our stables there was only about one in
four that returned.
" I never saw my dear master again, I believe he
fell dead from the saddle. I never loved any other
master so well. I went into many other engage-
ments, but was only once wounded, and then not
seriously ; and when the war was over, I came back
again to England, as sound and strong as when I
went out."
I said, " I have heard people talk about war as if
it was a very fine thing."
" Ah ! " said he, " I should think they never saw
it. No doubt it is very fine when there is no enemy,
when it is just exercise and parade, and sham-fight.
Yes, it is very fine then ; but when thousands of good
brave men and horses are killed, or crippled for life,
it has a very different look."
168 BLACK BEAUTY.
" Do you know what they fought about ? " said I.
" No," he said, " that is more than a horse can
understand, but the enemy must have been awfully
wicked people, if it was right to go all that way over
the sea on purpose to kill them."
CHAPTER XXXV.
JERRY BARKER.
I NEVER knew a better man than my new master ;
he was kind and good, and as strong for the right as
John Manly ; and so good-tempered and merry, that
very few people could pick a quarrel with him. He
was very fond of making little songs, and singing
them to himself. One, he was very fond of, was
this,
" Come father and mother,
And sister and brother,
Come all of you turn to,
And help one another."
And so they did ; Harry was as clever at stablework
as a much older boy, and always wanted to do what
he could. Then, Polly and Dolly used to come in
the morning to help with the cab to brush and beat
the cushions, and rub the glass, while Jerry was
giving us a cleaning in the yard, and Harry was
rubbing the harness. There used to be a great deal
of laughing and fun between them, and it put
Captain and me in much better spirits, than if we
had heard scolding and hard words. They were
always early in the morning, for Jerry would say,
170 BLACK BEAUTY.
" If you in the morning
Throw minutes away,
You can't pick them up
In the course of the day.
You may hurry and scurry,
And flurry and worry,
You've lost them for ever,
For ever and aye."
He could not bear any careless loitering, and waste
of time ; and nothing was so near making him angry,
as to find people who were always late, wanting a cab-
horse to be driven hard, to make up for their idle-
ness.
One day, two wild-looking young men came out of
a tavern close by the stand, and called Jerry. " Here
cabby ! look sharp, we are rather late ; put on the
steam, will you, and take us to the Victoria in time
for the one o'clock train ? you shall have a shilling
extra."
" I will take you at the regular pace, gentlemen :
shillings don't pay for putting on the steam like
that."
Larry's cab was standing next to ours ; he
flung open the door, and said, "I'm your man,
gentlemen ! take my cab, my horse will get you there
all right ; " and as he shut them in, with a wink
towards Jerry, said, " It's against his conscience to
go beyond a jog-trot." Then slashing his jaded horse,
he set off as hard as he could. Jerry patted me on the
neck " No, Jack, a shilling would not pay for that
sort of thing, would it, old boy ? "
JERRY BABKER. 171
Although Jerry was determinately set against hard
driving, to please careless people, he always went a
good fair pace, and was not against putting on the
steam, as he said, if only he knew why.
I well remember one morning, as we were on the
stand waiting for a fare, that a young man, carrying
a heavy portmanteau, trod on a piece of orange peel
which lay on the pavement, and fell down with great
force.
Jerry was the first to rim and lift him up. He
seemed much stunned, and as they led him into a
shop, he walked as if he were in great pain. Jerry
of course came back to the stand, but in about ten
minutes one of the shopmen called him, so we drew
up to the pavement.
" Can you take me to the South Eastern Eailway ? "
said the young man ; " this unlucky fall has made me
late, I fear ; but it is of great importance that I should
not lose the twelve o'clock train. I should be most
thankful if you could get me there in time, and will
gladly pay you an extra fare."
" I'll do my very best," said Jerry heartily, " if
you think you are well enough, sir," for he looked
dreadfully white and ill.
"I must go," he said earnestly, "please to open
the door, and let us lose no time."
The next minute Jerry was on the box ; with a
cheery chirrup to me, and a twitch of the rein that I
well understood " Now then, Jack, my boy," said
he, " spin alcng, we'll shew them how we can get
over the ground, if we only know why."
172 BLACK BEAUTY.
It is always difficult to drive fast in the city in the
middle of the day, when the streets are full of traffic,
but we did what could be done ; and when a good
driver and a good horse, who understand each other,
are of one mind, it is wonderful what they can do. I
had a very good mouth that is, I could be guided
by the slightest touch of the rein, and that is a great
thing in London, amongst carriages, omnibusses,
carts,, vans, trucks, cabs, and great waggons
creeping along at a walking pace ; some going one
way, some another, some going slow, others wanting
to pass them, omnibusses stopping short every few
minutes to take up a passenger, obliging the horse
that is coming behind, to pull up too, or to pass, and
get before them ; perhaps you try to pass, but just
then, something else comes dashing in through the
narrow opening, and you have to keep in behind the
omnibus again ; presently you think you see a chance,
and manage to get to the front, going so near the
wheels on each side, that half-an-inch nearer and
they would scrape. Well you get along for a bit,
but soon find yourself in a long train of carts and
carriages all obliged to go at a walk ; perhaps you
come to a regular block-up, and have to stand still
for minutes together, till something clears out into a
side street, or tha policeman interferes : you have to
be ready for any chance to dash forward if there be
an opening, and be quick as a rat dog to see if there
be room, and if there be time, lest you get your
own wheels locked, or smashed, or the shaft of some
other vehicle run into your chest or shoulder. All
JERRY BARKER. 173
this, is what you have to be ready for. If you want
to get through London fast in the middle of the day,
it wants a deal of practice.
Jerry and I were used to it, and no one could beat
us at getting through when we were set upon it. I
was quick and bold, and could always trust my driver ;
Jerry was quick, and patient at the same time, and
could trust his horse, which was a great thing too.
He very seldom used the whip ; I knew by his voice,
and his click click, when he wanted to get on fast,
and by the rein where I was to go ; so there was
no need for whipping ; but I must go back to my
story.
The streets were very full that day, but we got on
pretty well as far as the bottom of Cheapside, where
there was a block for three or four minutes. The
young man put his head out, and said anxiously, " I
think I had better get out and walk, I shall never
get there if this goes on."
"I'll do all .that can be done, sir," said Jerry, "I
think we shall be in time ; this block-up cannot last
much longer, and your luggage is very heavy for
you to carry, sir."
Just then the cart in front of us began to move on,
and then we had a good turn. In and out in and
out we went, as fast as horseflesh could do it, and
for a wonder had a good clear time on London
Bridge, for there was a whole train of cabs and
carriages, all going our way at a quick trot perhaps
wanting to catch that very train ; at any rate we
whirled into the station with many more, just as the
174 BLACK BEAUTY.
great clock pointed to eight minutes to twelve o'clock.
44 Thank God ! we are in time," said the young man,
44 and thank you too, my friend, and your good horse ;
you have saved me more than money can ever pay
for ; take this extra half-crown."
44 No sir, no, thank you all the same ; so glad we
hit the time, sir, but don't stay now, sir, the bell is
ringing. Here ! porter ! take this gentleman's lug-
gage Dover line twelve o'clock train that's it,"
and without waiting for another word, Jerry wheeled
me round to make room for other cabs that were
dashing up at the last minute, and drew up on one
side till the crush was past.
44 ' So glad! ' he said, 4 so glad ! ' poor young fellow !
I wonder what it was that made him so anxious ! "
Jerry often talked to himself quite loud enough for
me to hear, when we were not moving.
On Jerry's return to the rank, there was a good
deal of laughing and chaffing at him, for driving
hard to the train for an extra fare, as they said, all
against his principles ; and they wanted to know how
much he had pocketed. 44 A good deal more than
I generally get," said he, nodding slily; "what he
gave me will keep me in little comforts for several
days."
44 Gammon ! " said one.
44 He's a humbug," said another, 44 preaching to us,
and then doing the same himself."
44 Look here, mates," said Jerry, 44 the gentleman
offered me half-a-crown extra, but I didn't take it ;
'twas quite pay enough for me, to see how glad ho
JERRY BARKER. 175
was to catch that train ; and if Jack and I choose to
have a quick run now and then, to please ourselves,
that's our business and not yours."
"Well," said Larry, "you'll never be a rich
man."
" Most likely not," said Jerry, " but I don't know
that I shall be the less happy for that. I have heard
the commandments read a great many times, and I
never noticed that any of them said, ' Thou shalt be
rich ; ' and there are a good many curious things
said in the New Testament about rich men, that I
think would make me feel rather queer if I was one
of them."
"If you ever do get rich," said Governor Gray,
looking over his shoulder across the top of his cab,
" you'll deserve it, Jerry, and you won't find a curse
come with your wealth. As for you, Larry, you'll die
poor, you spend too much in whipcord."
" Well," said Larry, " what is a fellow to do if his
horse won't go without it ? "
" You never take the trouble to see if he will go
without it ; your whip is always going as if you had
the St. Vitus' dance in your arm ; and if it does not
wear you out, it wears your horse out ; you know
you are always changing your horses, and why?
because you never give them any peace or encourage-
ment."
"Well, I have not had good luck," said La-ny,
" that's where it is."
" And you never will," said the Governor : " Good
Luck is rather particular who she rides with, and
170 BLACK BEAUTY.
mostly prefers those who have got common sense
and a good heart : at least, that is my experience."
Governor Gray turned round again to his news-
paper, and the other men went to their cabs.
CHAPTEB XXXVI.
THE SUNDAY CAB.
OXE morning, as Jerry had just put me into the
shafts and was fastening the traces, a gentleman
walked into the yard ; " Your servant, sir," said Jerry.
" Good morning, Mr. Barker," said the gentleman.
" I should he glad to make some arrangements with
you for taking Mrs. Briggs regularly to church on
Sunday morning. We go to the New Church now,
and that is rather further than she can walk."
" Thank you, sir," said Jerry, " hut I have only
taken out a six days' licence, * and therefore I could
not take a fare on a Sunday, it would not he legal."
" Oh ! " said the other, " I did not know yours was
a six days' cab ; hut of course it would be very easy to
alter your licence. I would see that you did not lose
by it : the fact is, Mrs. Briggs very much prefers you
to drive her."
"I should be glad to oblige the lady, sir, but I had
a seven days' licence once, and the work was too hard
for me, and too hard for my horses. Year in and
year out, not a day's rest, and never a Sunday with
* A few years since the annual charge for a cab licence
was very much reduced, and the difference between the six
and seven days' cabs was abolished.
M
178 BLACK BEAUTY.
my wife and children, and never able to go to a
place of worship, which I had always been used to
do before I took to the driving box ; so for the last
five years I have only taken a six days' licence, and
I find it better all the way round."
" Well, of course," replied Mr. Briggs, " it is very
proper that every person should have rest, and be
able to go to church on Sundays, but I should have
thought you would not have minded such a short
distance for the horse, and only once a day: you
would have all the afternoon and evening for your-
self, and we are very good customers, you know."
"Yes, sir, that is true, and I am grateful for all
favours, I am sure, and anything that I could do to
oblige you, or the lady, I should be proud and happy to
do ; but I can't give up my Sundays, sir, indeed I can't.
I read that God made man, and He made horses and
all the other beasts, and as soon as He had made
them, He made a day of rest, and bade that all
should rest one day in seven ; and I think, sir,
He must have known what was good for them,
and I am sure it is good for me ; I am stronger
and healthier altogether, now that I have a day
of rest; the horses are fresh too, and do not wear
up nearly so fast. The six day drivers all tell
me the same, and I have laid by more money in
the Savings' Bank than ever I did before ; and as for
the wife and children, sir why heart alive ! they
would not go back to the seven days for all they
could see."
" Oh, very well," said the gentleman. " Don't
THE SUNDAY CAB. 179
trouble yourself, Mr. Barker, any further, I will
enquire somewhere else ; " and he walked away.
" "Well," says Jerry to me, " we can't help it, Jack,
old boy, we must have our Sundays."
" Polly ! " he shouted, " Polly 1 come here." She
was there in a minute.
" What is it all about, Jerry ? "
"Why, my dear, Mr. Briggs wants me to take
Mrs. Briggs to church every Sunday morning. I say,
I have only a six days' licence. He says get a seven
days' licence, and I'll make it worth your while ; and
you know, Polly, they are very good customers to us.
Mrs. B often goes out shopping for hours, or
making calls, and then she pays down fair and
honourable like a lady ; there's no beating down, or
making three hours into two hours and a half as
some folks do ; and it is easy work for the horses,
not like tearing along to catch trains for people that
are always a quarter of an hour too late ; and if I
don't oblige her in this matter, it is very likely we
shall lose them altogether. What do you say, little
woman ? "
"I say, Jerry," says she, speaking very slowly, "I
say, if Mrs. Briggs would give you a sovereign every
Sunday morning, I would not have you a seven days'
cabman again. We have known what it was to have
no Sundays ; and now we know what it is to call them
our own. Thank God, you earn enough to keep us,
though it is sometimes close work to pay for all the
oats and hay, the licence, and the rent beside ; but
Harry will soon be earning something, and I would
180 BLACK BEAUTY.
rather struggle on harder than we do, than go back
to those horrid times, when you hardly had a minute
to look at your own children, and we never could go
to a place of worship together, or have a happy quiet
day. God forhid that we should ever turn back to
those times : that's what I say, Jerry."
"And that is just what I told Mr. Briggs, my
dear," said Jerry, " and what I mean to stick to ; so
don't go and fret yourself, Polly, (for she had begun
to cry,) I would not go back to the old times if I
earned twice as much, so that is settled, little woman.
Now cheer up, and I'll be off to the stand."
Three weeks had passed away after this conver-
sation, and no order had come from Mrs. Briggs ; so
there was nothing but taking jobs from the stand.
Jerry took it to heart a good deal, for of course the
work was harder for horse and man ; but Polly
would always cheer him up and say, " Never mind,
father, never mind,
Do your best,
And leave the rest,
'Twill all come right
Some day or night."
It soon became known that Jerry had lost his best
customer, and for what reason ; most of the men said
he was a fool, but two or three took his part.
"If working men don't stick to their Sunday,'
said Truman, "they'll soon have none left; it is
every man's right and every beast's right. By God's
law we have a day of rest, and by the law of England
we have a day of rest ; and I say we ought to hold to
THE SUNDAY CAB. 181
the rights these laws give us, and keep them for our
children."
" All very well for you religious chaps to talk so,"
said Larry, "but I'll turn a shilling when I can. I
don't believe in religion, for I don't see that your
religious people are any better than the rest."
"If they are not better," put in Jerry, "it is
because they are not religious. You might as well say
that our country's laws are not good, because some
people break them. If a man gives way to his
temper, and speaks evil of his neighbour, and does
not pay his debts, he is not religious ; I don't care
how much he goes to church. If some men are
shams and humbugs, that does not make religion
untrue. Eeal religion is the best, and the truest
thing in the world; and the only thing that can
make a man really happy, or make the world any
better."
"If religion was good for anything," said Jones,
" it would prevent your religious people from making
us work on Sundays as you know many of them do,
and that's why I say religion is nothing but a sham
why, if it was not for the church and chapel goers it
would be hardly worth while our coming out on a
Sunday ; but they have then* privileges as they call
them, and I go without. I shall expect them to answer
for my soul, if I can't get a chance of saving it."
Several of the men applauded this, till Jerry said,
" That may sound well enough, but it won't do :
every man must look after his own soul ; you can't
lay it down at another man's door like a foundling,
182 BLACK BEAUTY.
and expect him to take care of it ; and don't you see,
if you are always sitting on your box waiting for a
fare, they will say, * If we don't take him, some one
else will, and he does not look for any Sunday.'
Of course they don't go to the bottom of it, or they
would see if they never came for a cab, it would be
no use your standing there ; but people don't always
like to go to the botton of things ; it may not be
convenient to do it ; but if you Sunday drivers would
all strike for a day of rest, the thing would be
done."
" And what would all the good people do, if they
could not get to their favorite preachers ? " said
Larry.
" "Tis not for me to lay down plans for other
people," said Jerry, "but if they can't walk so far,
they can go to what is nearer ; and if it should rain
they can put on their macintoshes as they do on a
week-day. If a thing is right, it can be done, and if
it is wrong, it can be done without ; and a good man
will find a way ; and that is as true for us cabmen as
it is for the church goers."
CHAPTER XXXVII.
THE GOLDEN EULE.
Two or three weeks after this, as we came into the
yard rather late in the evening, Polly came running
across the road with the lantern (she always brought
it to him if it was not very wet).
" It has all come right, Jerry ; Mrs. Briggs sent
her servant this afternoon, to ask you to take her out
to-morrow at eleven o'clock. I said ' Yes, I thought
so, but we supposed she employed someone else
now.'
" ' Well,' says he, * the real fact is, master was put
out because Mr. Barker refused to come on Sundays,
and he has been trying other cabs, but there's some-
thing wrong with them all ; some drive too fast, and
some too slow, and the mistress says, there is not
one of them so nice and clean as yours, and nothing
will suit her but Mr. Barker's cab again.'
Polly was almost out of breath, and Jerry broke
out into a merry laugh
"All come right some day or night: you were
right, my dear ; you generally are. Bun in and get
the supper, and I'll have Jack's harness off and make
him snug and happy in no time."
184 BLACK BEAUTY.
After this, Mrs. Briggs wanted Jerry's cab quite as
often as before, never, however, on a Sunday ; but
there came a day when we had Sunday work, and
this was how it happened. We had all come home
on the Saturday night very tired, and very glad to
think that the next day would be all rest, but so it
was not to be.
On Sunday morning Jerry was cleaning me in the
yard, when Polly stepped up to him, looking very full
of something.
" What is it ? " said Jerry.
"Well, my dear," she said, " poor Dinah Brown
has just had a letter brought to say that her mother
is dangerously ill, and that she must go directly if
she wishes to see her alive. The place is more than
ten miles away from here, out in the country, and
she says if she takes the train she ' should still have
four miles to walk ; and so weak as she is, and the
baby only four weeks old, of course that would be
impossible ; and she wants to know if you would
take her in your cab, and she promises to pay you
faithfully as she can get the money."
" Tut, tut, we'll see about that. It was not
the money I was thinking about, but of losing our
Sunday ; the horses are tired, and I am tired too
that's where it pinches."
" It pinches all round for that matter," said Polly,
"for it's only half Sunday without you, but you
know we should do to other people as we should like
they should do to us ; and I know very well what I
should like if my mother was dying ; and Jerry, dear,
THE GOLDEN RULE. 1S5
I am sure it won't break the Sabbath ; for if pulling a
poor beast or a donkey out of a pit would not spoil
it, I am quite sure taking poor Dinah would not do
it."
" Why, Polly, you are as good as the minister, and
so, as I've had my Sunday morning sermon early to-
day, you may go and tell Dinah that I'll be ready for
her as the clock strikes ten; but stop just step
round to butcher Braydon's with my compliments,
and ask him if he would lend me his light trap ; I
know he never uses it on the Sunday, and it would
make a wonderful diffarenee to the horse."
Away she went, and soon returned saying that he
could have the trap and welcome. "All right,"
said he, " now put me up a bit of bread and cheese,
and I'll be back in the afternoon as soon as I can."
" And I'll have the meat pie ready for an early tea
instead of for dinner," said Polly, and away she went,
whilst he made his preparations to the tune of
" Polly's the woman and no mistake," 'of which tune
he was very fond.
I was selected for the journey, and at ten o'clock
we started, in a light high- wheeled gig, which ran so
easily, that after the four-wheeled cab, it seemed
like nothing.
It was a fine May day, and as soon as we were out
of the town, the sweet air, the smell of the fresh
grass, and the soft country roads were as pleasant as
they used to be in the old times, and I soon began to
feel quite fresh.
Dinah's family lived in a small farm house, up a
183 BLACK BEAUTY.
green lane, and close by a meadow with some fine
shady trees : there were two cows feeding in it. A
young man asked Jerry to bring his trap into the
meadow, and he would tie me up in the cowshed ; he
wished ha had a battar stable to offar.
" If your cows would not be offended," said Jerry,
" there is nothing my horse would like so well as to
have an hour or two in your beautiful meadow ; he's
quiet, and it would ba a rare treat for him."
"Do and welcome," said the young man ; "the
best we have is at your service for your kindness to
my sister; we shall be having some dinner in an
hour, and I hope you'll come in, though with mother
so ill, we are all out of sorts in the house."
Jerry thanked him kindly, but said as he had some
dinner with him, there was nothing he should like
so well as walking about in the meadow.
When my harness was taken off, I did not know
what I should do first whether to eat the grass, or
roll over on my back, or lie down and rest, or have
a gallop across the meadow out of sheer spirits at
being free ; and I did .all by turns. Jerry seemed to
be quite as happy as I was ; he sat down by a bank
under a shady tree, and listened to the birds, then
he sang himself, and read out of the little brown
book he is so fond of, then wandered round the
meadow and down by a little brook, where he picked
the flowers and the hawthorn, and tied them up with
long sprays of ivy ; then he gave me a good feed of
the oats which he had brought with him ; but the
time seemed all too short I had not been in a field
since I left poor Ginger at Earlshall.
THE GOLDEN RULE. 187
We came home gently, and Jerry's first words
were as we came into the yard, " Well, Polly, I have
not lost my Sunday after all, for the birds were
singing hymns in every bush, and I joined in the
service ; and as for Jack, he was like a young colt."
When he handed Dolly the flowers, she jumped about
for joy.
CHAPTER XXXVin.
DOLLY AND A REAL GENTLEMAN.
TrtE winter came in early, with a great deal of
cold and wet. There was snow, or sleet, or rain,
almost every day for weeks, changing only for keen
driving winds, or sharp frosts. The horses all felt it
very much. When it is a dry cold, a couple of good
thick rugs will keep the warmth in us ; but when it is
soaking rain, they soon get wet through and are no
good. Some of the drivers had a waterproof cover
to throw over, which was a fine thing ; but some of
the men were so poor that they could not protect
either themselves or their horses, and many of them
suffered very much that winter. When we horses had
worked half the day we went to our dry stables, and
could rest; whilst they had to sit on their boxes,
sometimes staying out as late as one or two o'clock
in the morning, if they had a party to wait for.
When the streets were slippery with frost or snow,
that was the worst of all for us horses ; one mile of
such travelling, with a weight to draw, and no firm
footing, would take more out of us than four on a
good road ; every nerve and muscle of our bodies is
on the strain to keep our balance ; and added to this,
the fear of falling is more exhausting than any-
DOLLY AND A REAL GENTLEMAN. 189
thing else. If the roads are very bad indeed, our
shoes are roughed, but that makes us feel nervous
at first.
When the weather was very bad, many of the
men would go and sit in the tavern close by, and
get some one to watch for them ; but they often lost a
fare in that way, and could not, as Jerry said, be
there without spending money. He never went to
the "Bising Sun;" there was a coffee-shop near,
where he now and then went or he bought of an old
man, who came to our rank with tins of hot coffee
and pies. It was his opinion that spirits and beer
made a man colder afterwards, and that dry clothes,
good food, cheerfulness, and a comfortable wife at
home, were the best things to keep a cabman warm.
Polly always supplied him with something to eat
when he could not get home, and sometimes he
would see little Dolly peeping from the corner of the
street, to make sure if "Father" was on the stand.
If she saw him, she would run off at full speed,
and soon come back with something in a tin, or
basket some hot soup, or pudding that Polly had
ready. It was wonderful how such a little thing could
get safely across the street, often thronged with
horses and carnages ; but she was a brave little maid,
and felt it quite an honour to biing " father's first
course," as he used to call it. She was a general
favorite on the stand, and there was not a man who
would not have seen her safely across the street, if
Jerry had not been able to do it.
One cold windy day, Dolly had brought Jerry a
190 BLACK BEAUTY.
basin of something hot, and was standing by him
whilst he ate it. He had scarcely begun, when a
gentleman, walking towards us very fast, held up his
umbrella. Jerry touched his hat in return, gave the
basin to Dolly, and was taking off my cloth, when
the gentleman, hastening up, cried out, " No, no,
finish your soup, my friend ; I have not much time to
spare, but I can wait till you have done, and set
your little girl safe on the pavement." So saying, he
seated himself in the cab. Jerry thanked him
kindly, and came back to Dolly.
" There Dolly, that's a gentleman ; that's a real
gentleman, Dolly, he has got time and thought for
the comfort of a poor cabman and a little girl."
Jerry finished his soup, set the child across,
and then took his orders to drive to " Clapham Rise.*'
Several times after that, the same gentleman took
our cab. I think he was very fond of dogs and
horses, for whenever we took him to his own door,
two or three dogs would come bounding out to meet
him. Sometimes he came round and patted me,
saying in his quiet, pleasant way, " This horse has
got a good master, and he deserves it." It was a
very rare thing for any one to notice the horse that
had been working for him. I have known ladies do
it now and then, and this gentleman, and one or two
others have given me a pat and a kind word ; but
ninety- nine out of a hundred, would as soon think of
patting the steam engine that drew the train.
This gentleman was not young, and there was a
forward stoop in Ms shoulders as if he was always
DOLLY AND A REAL GENTLEMAN. 1G1
going at something. His lips were thin, and close
shut, though they had a very pleasant smile ; his
eye was keen, and there was something in his jaw
and the motion of his head, that made one think he
was very determined in anything he set about. His
voice was pleasant and kind ; any horse would trust
that voice, though it was just as decided as every-
thing else about him.
One day, he and another gentleman took our cab ;
they stopped at a shop in E Street, and whilst
his friend went in, he stood at the door. A little
ahead of us on the other side of the street, a cart with
two very fine horses was standing before some wine
vaults ; the carter was not with them, and I cannot
tell how long they had been standing, but they seemed
to think they had waited long enough, and began to
move off. Before they had gone many paces, the
carter came running out and caught them. He
seemed furious at their having moved, and with whip
and rein punished them brutally, even beating them
about the head. Our gentleman saw it all, and
stepping quickly across the street, said in a decided
voice,
"If you don't stop that directly, I'll have you
summoned for leaving your horses, and for brutal
conduct."
The man, who had clearly been drinking, poured
forth some abusive language, but he left off knocking
the horses about, and taking the reins, got into his
cart ; meantime our friend had quietly taken a note-
book from his pocket, and looking at the name and
192 BLACK BEAUTY.
address painted on the cart, Lie wrote something
down.
"What do you want with that?" growled the
carter, as he cracked his whip and was moving on ;
a nod, and a grim smile, was the only answer he
got.
On returning to the cab, our friend was joined by
his companion, who said laughingly, " I should have
thought, Wright, you had enough business of your
own to look after, without troubling yourself about
other people's horses and servants."
Our friend stood still for a moment, and throwing
his head a little back, "Do you know why this
world is as bad as it is ?"
" No," said the other.
" Then I'll tell you ; it is because people think only
about their own business, and won't trouble them-
selves to stand up for the oppressed, nor bring the
wrong- doer to light. I never see a wicked thing like
this without doing what I can, and many a master
has thanked me for letting him know how his horses
have been used."
" I wish there were more gentlemen like you, sir,"
said Jerry, "for they are wanted badly enough in
this city."
After this we continued our journey, and as
they got out of the cab, our friend was saying,
" My doctiine is this, that if we see cruelty or
wrong that we have the power to stop, and do
nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt."
CHAPTEK XXXIX.
SEEDY SAM.
I SHOULD say, that for a cab-horse I was very well
off indeed ; my driver was my owner, and it was his
interest to treat me well, and not overwork me, even
had he not been so good a man as he was ; but there
were a great many horses which belonged to the
large cab- owners, who let them out to their drivers
for so much money a day. As the horses did not
belong to these men, the only thing they thought of
was, how to get their money out of them, first, to
pay the master, and then to provide for their own
living, and a dreadful time some of these horses had
of it. Of course I understood but little, but it was
often talked over on the stand, and the Governor, who
was a kind-hearted man, and fond of horses, would
sometimes speak up if one came in very much jaded
or ill-used.
One day, a shabby, miserable-looking driver, who
went by the name of " Seedy Sam," brought in his
horse looking dreadfully beat, and the Governor said,
" You and your horse look more fit for the police
station than for this rank."
The man flung his tattered rug over the horse,
turned full round upon the Governor, and said, in a
N
194 BLACK BEAUTY.
voice that sounded almost desperate, " If the police
have any business with the matter, it ought to be
with the masters who charge us so much, or with
the fares that are fixed so low. If a man has
to pay eighteen shillings a day for the use of a
cab and two horses, as many of us have to do in
the season, and must make that up before we earn
a penny for ourselves I say 'tis more than hard
work ; nine shillings a day to get out of each
horse, before you begin to get your own living ; you
know that's true, and if the horses don't work we
must starve, and I and my children have known what
that is before now. I've six of 'enij and only one
earns anything ; I am on the stand fourteen or
sixteen hours a day, and I haven't had a Sunday
these ten or twelve weeks ; you know Skinner never
gives a day if he can help it, and if I don't work
hard, tell me who does ! I want a warm coat and a
macintosh, but with so many to feed, how can a man
get it ? I had to pledge my clock a week ago to pay
Skinner, and I shall never see it again."
Some of the other drivers stood round nodding
their heads, and saying he was right ; the man went
on
"You that have your own horses and cabs, or
drive for good masters, have a chance of getting on,
and a chance of doing right ; I haven't. We can't
charge more than sixpence a mile after the first, within
the four mile radius. This very morning I had to go a
clear six miles and only took three shillings. I could
not get a return fare, and had to come all the way back ;
SEEDY SAM. 195
there's twelve miles for the horse and three shillings
for me. After that I had a three-mile fare, and
there were bags and boxes enough to have brought
in a good many twopences if they had been put
outside ; but you know how people do ; all that
could be piled up inside on the front seat, were put
in, and three heavy boxes went on the top, that was
sixpence, and the fare one and sixpence ; then I got
a return for a shilling ; now that makes eighteen
miles for the horse and six shillings for me ; there's
three shillings still for that horse to earn, and nine
shillings for the afternoon horse before I touch a
penny. Of course it is not always so bad as that,
but you know it often is, and I say 'tis a mockery to
tell a man that he must not overwork his horse, for
when a beast is downright tired, there's nothing but
the whip that will keep his legs agoing you can't
help yourself you must put your wife and children
before the horse, the masters must look to that, we
can't. I don't ill-use my horse for the sake of it,
none of you can say I do ; there's wrong lays some-
where never a day's rest never a quiet hour with
the wife and children. I often feel like an old man
though I'm only forty-five. You know how quick
some of the gentry are to suspect us of cheating, and
over-charging ; why, they stand with their purses in
their hands, counting it over to a penny, and looking
at us as if we were pick-pockets. I wish some of
'em had got to sit on my box sixteen hours a day,
and get a living out of it, and eighteen shillings
beside, and that in all weathers ; they would not be
196 BLACK BEAUTY.
so uncommon particular never to give us a sixpence
over, or to cram all the luggage inside. Of course,
some of 'em tip us pretty handsome now and then,
or else we could not live, but you can't depend upon
that."
The men who stood round, much approved this
speech, and one of them said,
"It is desperate hard, and if a man sometimes
does what is wrong, it is no wonder, and if he
gets a dram too much, who's to blow him up ? "
Jerry had taken no part in this conversation, but I
never saw his face look so sad before. The Governor
had stood with both his hands in his pockets ; now
he took his handkerchief out of his hat, and wiped
his forehead.
"You've beaten me, Sam," he said, "for it's all
true, and I won't cast it up to you any more about
the police ; it was the look in that horse's eye that
came over me. It is hard lines for man, and it's "
hard lines for beast, and who's to mend it I don't
know ; but any way you might tell the poor beast
that you were sorry to take it out of him in that
way. Sometimes a kind word is all we can give 'em,
poor brutes, and 'tis wonderful what they do under-
stand."
A few mornings after this talk, a new man came
on the stand with Sam's cab.
" Halloo ! " said one, " what's up with Seedy
Sam?"
"He's ill in bed," said the man, " he was taken
last night in the yard, and could scarcely crawl home.
SEEDY SAM. 197
His wife sent a boy this morning to say, his father
was in a high fever and could not get out ; so I'm
here instead."
The next morning the same man came again.
"How is Sam?" enquired the Governor, "He's
gone," said the man.
" What ? Gone ! you don't mean to say he's
dead ? "
" Just snuffed out," said the other ; "he died
at four o'clock this morning ; all yesterday he
was raving raving about Skinner, and having no
Sundays. ' I never had a Sunday's rest,' these were
his last words."
No one spoke for awhile, and then the Governor
said, " I tell you what, mates, this is a warning for
us."
CHAPTER XL.
POOR GINGER.
ONE day, whilst our cab and many others were
waiting outside one of the Parks, where music
was playing, a shabby old cab drove up beside
ours. The horse was an old worn-out chestnut,
with an ill-kept coat and bones that shewed
plainly through it, the knees knuckled over, and the
forelegs were very unsteady. I had been eating
some hay, the wind rolled a little lock of it that way,
and the poor creature put out her long thin neck and
picked it up, and then turned round and looked about
for more. There was a hopeless look in the dull eye
that I could not help noticing, and then, as I was
thinking where I had seen that horse before, she
looked full at me and said, " Black Beauty, is that
you? "
It was Ginger ! but how changed ! The beauti-
fully arched and glossy neck was now straight, and
lank, and fallen in, the clean straight legs and
delicate fetlocks were swelled ; the joints were grown
out of shape with hard work ; the face, that was once
so full of spirit and life, was now full of suffering,
and I could tell by the heaving of her sides, and her
frequent cough, how bad her breath was.
POOR GINGER. 199
Our drivers were standing together a little way off,
so I sided up to her a step or two, that we might
have a little quiet talk. It was a sad tale that she
had to tell.
After a twelvemonth's run off at Earlshall, she
was considered to be fit for work again, and was sold
to a gentleman. For a little while she got on very
well, but after a longer gallop than usual, the old
strain returned, and after being rested and doctored,
she was again sold. In this way she changed hands
several times, but always getting lower down. " And
so at last," said she, " I was bought by a man who
keeps a number of cabs and horses, and lets them out.
You look well off, and I am glad of it, but I could
not tell you what my life has been. When they found
out my weakness, they said I was not worth what
they gave for me, and that I must go into one of the
low cabs, and just be used up ; that is what they are
doing, whipping and working with never one thought
of what I suffer they paid for me, and must get it
out of me, they say. The man who hires me now,
pays a deal of money to the owner every day, and so
he has to get it out of me too ; and so it's all the
week round and round, with never a Sunday rest."
I said, " You used to stand up for yourself if you
were ill-used.'*
" Ah ! " she said, " I did once, but it's no use ;
men are strongest, and if they are cruel and have no
feeling, there is nothing that we can do, but just bear
it, bear it on and on to the end. I wish the end was
come, I wish I v^as dead. I have seen dead horses,
200 BLACK BEAUTY.
and I am sure they do not suffer pain ; I wish I may
drop down dead at my work, and not be sent off to
the knacker's."
I was very much troubled, and I put my nose up
to hers, but I could say nothing to comfort her.
I think she was pleased to see me, for she said,
" You are the only friend I ever had."
Just then her driver came up, and with a tug at
her mouth, backed her out of the line and drove off,
leaving me very sad indeed.
A short time after this, a cart with a dead horse in
it passed our cab-stand. The head hung out of the
cart-tail, the lifeless tongue was slowly dropping
with blood ; and the sunken eyes ! but I can't speak
of them, the sight was too dreadful. It was a chest-
nut horse with a long thin neck. I saw a white
streak down the forehead. I believe it was Ginger ;
I hoped it was, for then her troubles would be over.
Oh ! if men were more merciful, they would shoot us
before we came to such misery.
CHAPTEE XLI.
THE BUTCHER.
I SAW a great deal of trouble amongst the horses in
London, and much of it that might have been
prevented by a little common sense. We horses do
not mind hard work if we are treated reasonably ;
and I am sure there are many driven by quite poor
men who have a happier life than I had, when I used
to go in the Countess of W s carriage, with my
silver-mounted harness and high feeding.
It often went to my heart to see how the little ponies
were used, straining along with heavy loads, or
staggering under heavy blows from some low cruel
boy. Once I saw a little grey pony with a thick
mane and a pretty head, and so much like Merrylegs,
that if I had not been in harness, I should have
neighed to him. He was doing his best to pull a
heavy cart, while a strong rough boy was cutting
him under the belly with his whip, and chucking
cruelly at his little mouth. Could it be Merrylegs ?
It was just like him ; but then Mr. Blomefield was
never to sell him, and I think he would not do it ;
but this might have been quite as good a little fellow,
and had as happy a place when he was young.
202 BLACK BEAUTY.
I often noticed the great speed at which butchers'
horses were made to go, though I did not know why
it was so, till one day when we had to wait some
time in " St. John's Wood." There was a butcher's
shop next door, and as we were standing, a butcher's
cart came dashing up at a great pace. The horse
was hot, and much exhausted ; he hung his head down,
while his heaving sides and trembling legs showed
how hard he had been driven. The lad jumped
out of the cart and was getting the basket, when the
master came out of the shop much displeased. After
looking at the horse, he turned angrily to the lad ;
" How many times shall I tell you not to drive in
this way ? you ruined the last horse, and broke his
wind, and you are going to ruin this in the same
way. If you were not my own son, I would dismiss
you on the spot ; it is a disgrace to have a horse
brought to the shop in a condition like that ; you are
liable to be taken up by. the police for such driving,
and if you are, you need not look to me for bail, for
I have spoken to you till I am tired ; you must look
out for yourself."
During this speech, the boy had stood by,
sullen and dogged, but when his father ceased, he
broke out angrily. It wasn't his fault, and he
wouldn't take the blame, he was only going by orders
all the tune. "You always say, 'Now be quick,
now look sharp ! ' and when I go to the houses, one
wants a leg of mutton for an early dinner, and I
must be back with it in a quarter of an hour.
Another cook had forgotten to order the beef ; I must
THE BUTCHEB. 203
go and fetch it and be back in no time, or the
mistress will scold; and the housekeeper says
they have company coming unexpected, and must
have some chops sent up directly ; and the lady at
No. 4 in the Crescent, never orders her dinner till the
meat comes in for lunch, and it's nothing but hurry,
hurry, all the tune. If the gentry would think of
what they want, and order their meat the day before,
there need not be this blow up 1 "
"I wish to goodness they would," said the
butcher ; " 'twould save me a wonderful deal of
harass, and I could suit my customers much better
if I knew beforehand but there what's the use
of talking who ever thinks of a butcher's con-
venience, or a butcher's horse ? Now then, take
him in, and look to him well : mind, he does not go
out again to-day, and if anything else is wanted, you
must carry it yourself in the basket." With that he
went in, and the horse was led away.
But all boys are not cruel. I have seen some as
fond of their pony or donkey as if it had been a
favorite dog, and the little creatures have worked
away as cheerfully and willingly for their young
drivers as I work for Jerry. It may be hard work
sometimes, but a friend's hand and voice makes it
easy.
There was a young coster-boy who came up our
street with greens and potatoes ; he had an old pony,
not very handsome, but the cheerfullest and pluckiest
little thing I ever saw, and to see how fond those two
were of each other, was a treat. The pony followed
204 BLACK BEAUTY.
his master like a dog, and when he got into his cart,
would trot off without a whip or a word, and rattle
down the street as merrily as if he had come out of
the Queen's stahles. Jerry liked the boy, and called
him "Prince Charlie," for he said he would make a
king of drivers some day.
There was an old man, too, who used to come up
our street with a little coal cart ; he wore a coal-
heaver's hat, and looked rough and black. He and
his old horse used to plod together along the street,
like two good partners who understood each other ;
the horse would stop of his own accord, at the doors
where they took coal of him : he used to keep one ear
bent towards his master. The old man's cry could
be heard up the street long before he came near. I
never knew what he said, but the children called
him " Old Ba-a-ar Hoo," for it sounded like that.
Polly took her coal of him, and was very friendly,
and Jerry said it was a comfort to think how happy
an old horse might be in a poor place.
CHAPTEK XLII.
THE ELECTION.
As we came into the yard one afternoon, Polly
came out, " Jerry ! I've had Mr. B here asking
about your vote, and he wants to hire your cab for
the election : he will call for an answer."
" Well, Polly, you may say that my cab will be
otherwise engaged ; I should not like to have it
pasted over with their great bills, and as to make
Jack and Captain race about to the public-houses to
bring up half- drunken voters, why, I think 'twould be
an insult to the horses. No, I shan't do it."
" I suppose you'll vote for the gentleman ? he said
he was of your politics."
" So he is in some things, but I shall not vote for
him, Polly ; you know what his trade is ? "
"Yes."
" Well, a man who gets rich by that trade, may be
all very well in some ways, but he is blind as to what
working men want : I could not in my conscience
send him up to make the laws. I dare say they'll
be angry, but every man must do what he thinks to be
the best for his country."
On the morning before the election, Jerry was
putting me into the shafts, when Dolly came into the
206 BLACK BEAUTY.
yard sobbing and crying, with her little blue frock
and white pinafore spattered all over with mud.
" Why, Dolly, what is the matter ? "
" Those naughty boys," she sobbed, "have thrown
the dirt all over me, and called me a little ragga
ragga "
" They called her a little blue raggamuffin,
father," said Harry, who ran in, looking very angry;
" but I have given it to them, they won't insult my
sister again. I have given them a thrashing they will
remember ; a set of cowardly, rascally, orange black-
guards ! "
Jerry kissed the child and said, " Run in to mother,
my pet, and tell her I think you had better stay at
home to-day and help her."
Then turning gravely to Harry " My boy, I hope
you will always defend your sister, and give any-
body who insults her a good thrashing that is as it
should be ; but mind, I won't have any election
blackguarding on my premises. There are as many
blue blackguards as there are orange, and as many
white as there are purple, or any other colour, and I
won't have any of my family mixed up with it. Even
women and children are ready to quarrel for the sake
of a colour, and not one in ten of them knows what it
is about."
" Why, father, I thought blue was for Liberty."
" My boy, Liberty does not come from colours,
they only show party, and all the liberty you can get
out of them is, liberty to get drunk at other people's
expense, liberty to ride to the poll in a dirty old cab,
THE ELECTION. 207
liberty to abuse any one that does not wear your
colour, and to shout yourself hoarse at what you
only half understand that's your liberty ! "
" Oh, father, you are laughing."
" No, Harry, I am serious, and I am ashamed to
see how men go on that ought to know better. An
election is a very serious thing ; at least it ought to
be, and every man ought to vote according to his
conscience, and let his neighbour do the same."
CHAPTEE XLIII.
A FRIEND IN NEED.
AT last came the election day ; there was no lack
of work for Jerry and me. First, came a stout puffy
gentleman with a carpet bag ; he wanted to go to the
Bishopsgate Station : then we were called by a party
who wished to be taken to the Eegent's Park ; and
next we were wanted in a side street where a timid
anxious old lady was waiting to be taken to the Bank :
there we had to stop to take her back again, and
just as we had set her down, a red-faced gentleman
with a handful of papers, came running up out of
breath, and before Jerry could get down, he had
opened the door, popped himself in, and called out
" Bow Street Police Station, quick ! " so, off we
went with him, and when, after another turn or two
we came back, there was no other cab on the stand.
Jerry put on my nose-bag, for as he said, " We must
eat when we can on such days as these ; so munch
away, Jack, and make the best of your time, old
boy."
I found I had a good feed of crushed oats wetted
up with a little bran ; this would be a treat any day,
but very refreshing then. Jerry was so thoughtful
A FRIEND IN NEED. 209
and kind what horse would not do his best for such
a master ? Then he took out one of Polly's meat
pies, and standing near me, he began to eat it. The
streets were very full, and the cabs with the Candidates'
colours on them, were dashing about through the
crowds as if life and limb were of no consequence ;
we saw two people knocked down that day, and one
was a woman. The horses were having a bad time
of it, poor things ! but the voters inside thought
nothing of that, many of them were half drunk,
hurrahing out of the cab windows if their own party
came by. It was the first election I had seen, and I
don't want to be in another, though I have heard
things are better now.
Jerry and I had not eaten many mouthfuls, before
a poor young woman, carrying a heavy child, came
along the street. She was looking this way, and
that way, and seemed quite bewildered. Presently
she made her way up to Jerry, and asked if he could
tell her the way to St. Thomas's Hospital, and how
far it was to get there. She had come from the
country that morning, she said, in a market cart ;
she did not know about the election, and was quite
a stranger in London. She had got an order for the
Hospital for her little boy. The child was crying
with a feeble pining cry. " Poor little fellow ! " she
said, " he suffers a deal of pain, he is four years old,
and can't walk any more than a baby ; but the Doctor
said if I could get him into the Hospital, he might
get well ; pray, sir, how far is it ? and which way
is it?'*
210 BLACK BEAUTY.
" Why, missis," said Jerry, " you can't get there
walking through crowds like this ! why, it is three
miles away, and that child is heavy."
" Yes, hless him, he is, but I am strong, thank
God, and if I knew the way, I think I should get on
somehow : please tell me the way."
"You can't do it," said Jerry, "you might be
knocked down and the child be run over. Now, look
here, just get into this cab, and I'll drive you safe to
the Hospital : don't you see the rain is coming
on?"
" No sir, no, I can't do that, thank you, I have only
just money enough to get back with : please tell me
the way."
" Look you here, missis," said Jerry, " I've got a
wife and dear children at home, and I know a father's
feelings : now get you into that cab, and I'll take you
there for nothing ; I'd be ashamed of myself to let a
woman and a sick child run a risk like that."
" Heaven bless you 1 " said the woman, and burst
into tears.
" There, there, cheer up, my dear, I'll soon take
you there ; come, let me put you inside."
As Jerry went to open the door, two men with
colours in their hats and button-holes, ran up, calling
out, " Cab ! "
"Engaged," cried Jerry; but one of the men
pushing past the woman, sprang into the cab, fol-
lowed by the other. Jerry looked as stern as a
policeman : " This cab is already engaged, gentlemen,
by that lady."
A -FRIEND IN NEED. 211
14 Lady ! " said one of them ; " oh 1 she can wait :
our business is very important, beside we were in
first, it is our right, and we shall stay in."
A droll smile came over Jerry's face as he shut the
door upon them. " All right, gentlemen, pray stay
in as long as it suits you : I can wait whilst you rest
yourselves ; " and turning his back on them, he walked
up to the young woman, who was standing near me.
" They'll soon be gone," he said, laughing, don't
trouble yourself, my dear."
And they soon were gone, for when they understood
Jerry's dodge, they got out, calling him all sorts of
bad names, and blustering about his number, and
getting a summons. After this little stoppage we
were soon on our way to the Hospital, going as much
as possible through bye streets. Jerry rung the
great bell, and helped the young woman out.
" Thank you a thousand times," she said ; " I could
never have got here alone."
" You're kindly welcome, and I hope the dear child
will soon be better."
He watched her go in at the door, and gently he
said to himself " Inasmuch as ye have done it to
one of the least of these," then he patted my neck,
which was always his way when anything pleased
him.
The rain was now coming down fast, and just as
we were leaving the Hospital, the door opened again,
and the porter called out, " Cab ! " "We stopped, and
a lady came down the steps. Jerry seemed to know
her at once ; she put back her veil and said, " Barker I
212 BLACK BEAUTY.
Jeremiah Barker ! is it you ? I am very glad to find
you here ; you are just the fiiend I want, for it is very
dimcult to get a cab in this part of London to-
day."
" I shall be proud to serve you, ma'am, I am right
glad I happened to be here ; where may I take you
to, ma'am ? "
" To the Paddington Station, and then if we are in
good time, as I think we shall be, you shall tell me
all about Mary and the children."
We got to the station in good time, and being
under shelter, the lady stood a good while talking to
Jerry. I found she had been Polly's mistress, and
after many enquiries about her, she said, "How do
you find the cab -work suit you in winter ? I know
Mary was rather anxious about you last year."
" Yes, ma'am, she was ; I had a bad cough that
followed me up quite into the warm weather, and
when I am kept out late, she does worry herself a
^ood deal. You see, ma'am, it is all hours and all
weathers, and that does try a man's constitution ;
but I am getting on pretty well, and I should feel
quite lost if I had not horses to look after. I was
brought up to it, and I am afraid I should not do so
well at anything else."
" Well, Barker," she said, " it would be a great
ity that you should seriously risk your health in this
work, not only for your own, but for Mary and the
children's sake : there are many places, where good
drivers or good grooms are wanted ; and if ever you
think you ought to give up this cab-work, let me
A FRIEND IN NEED. 218
know. Then sending some kind messages to Mary^
she put something into his hand, saying, ' ' There is
five shillings each for the two children ; Mary will
know how to spend it." Jerry thanked her and
seemed much pleased, and turning out of the station,
we at last reached home, and I, at least, was tired.
CHAPTER XLIV.
OLD CAPTAIN AND HIS SUCCESSOR.
CAPTAIN and I were great friends. He was a noble
old fellow, and he was very good company. I never
thought that he would have to leave his home and go
down the hill, but his turn came : and this was how
it happened. I was not there, but I heard all about
it.
He and Jerry had taken a party to the great rail-
way station over London Bridge, and were coming
back, somewhere between the Bridge and the Monu-
ment, when Jerry saw a brewer's empty dray coming
along, drawn by two powerful horses. The drayman
was lashing his horses with his heavy whip ; the dray
was light, and they started off at a furious rate ; the
man had no control over them, and the street was
full of traffic ; one young girl was knocked down and
run over, and the next moment they dashed up
against our cab ; both the wheels were torn off, and
the cab was thrown over. Captain was dragged
down, the shafts splintered, and one of them ran
into his side. Jerry too was thrown, but was only
bruised ; nobody could tell how he escaped, he always
said 'twas a miracle. When poor Captain was got
up, he was found to be very much cut and knocked
about, Jerry led him home gently, and a sad sight
OLD CAPTAIN AND HIS SUCCESSOR. 215
it was to see the blood soaking into his white coat,
and dropping from his side and shoulder. The dray-
man was proved to be very drunk, and was fined,
and the brewer had to pay damages to our master ;
but there was no one to pay damages to poor
Captain.
The farrier and Jerry did the best they could to
ease his pain, and make him comfortable. The fly
had to be mended, and for several days I did not go
out, and Jerry earned nothing. The first time we
went to the stand after the accident, the Governor
came up to hear how Captain was.
" He'll never get over it," said Jerry, " at least
not for my work, so the farrier said this morning.
He says he may do for carting, and that sort of
work. It has put me out very much. Carting indeed !
I've seen what horses come to at that work round
London. I only wish all the drunkards could be
put in a lunatic asylum, instead of being allowed to
run foul of sober people. If they would break their
own bones, and smash their own carts, and lame their
own horses, that would be their own affair, and we
might let them alone, but it seems to me that the
innocent always suffer; and then they talk about
compensation ! You can't make compensation
there's all the trouble, and vexation, and loss of
time, besides losing a good horse that's like an old
friend it's nonsense talking of compensation 1 If
there's one devil, that I should like to see in the
bottomless pit more than another, it's the drink
devil.
216 BLACK BEAUTY.
" I say, Jerry," said the Governor, " you are
treading pretty hard on my toes, you know ; I'm not
so good as you are, more shame for me, I wish I
was."
" Well," said Jerry, " why don't you cut with it,
Governor ? you are too good a man to be the slave
of such a thing."
" I'm a great fool, Jerry, but I tried once for two
days, and I thought I should have died : how did you
do?"
" I had hard work at it for several weeks ; you see,
I never did get drunk, but I found that I was not my
own master, and that when the craving came on, it
was hard work to say 'no.' I saw that one of us
must knock under the drink devil, or Jerry Barker,
and I said that it should not be Jerry Barker, God
helping me : but it was a struggle, and I wanted all
the help I could get, for till I tried to break the
habit, I did not know how strong it was ; but then
Polly took such pains that I should have good food,
and when the craving came on, I used to get a cup
of coffee, or some peppermint, or read a bit in my
book, and that was a help to me : sometimes I had
to say over and over to myself, * Give up the drink
or lose your soul ? give up the drink or break Polly's
heart ? ' But thanks be to God, and my dear wife,
my chains were broken, and now for ten years I have
not tasted a drop, and never wish for it."
"I've a great mind to try at it," said Grant, " for
'tis a poor thing not to be one's own master."
" Do Governor, do, you'll never repent it, and
OLD CAPTAIN AND HIS SUCCESSOR. 217
what a help it would be to some of the poor fellows
in our rank if they saw you do without it. I know
there's two or three would like to keep out of that
tavern if they could."
At first Captain seemed to do well, but he was a
very old horse, and it was only his wonderful consti-
tution, and Jerry's care, that had kept him up at the
cab-work so long ; now he broke down very much.
The farrier said he might mend up enough to sell
for a few pounds, but Jerry said, no ! a few pounds
got by selling a good old servant into hard work and
misery, would canker all the rest of his money, and
he thought the kindest thing he could do for
the fine old fellow, would be to put a sure bullet
through his heart, and then he would never suffer
more; for he did not know where to find a kind
master for the rest of his. days.
The day after this was decided, Harry took me to
the forge for some new shoes ; when I returned.
Captain was gone. I, and the family all felt it very
much.
Jerry had now to look out for another horse, and
he soon heard of one through an acquaintance who
was under groom in a nobleman's stables. He was
a valuable young horse, but he had run away,
smashed into another carriage, flung his lordship
out, and so cut and blemished himself, that he was
no longer fit for a gentleman's stables, and the
coachman had orders to look round, and sell him as
well as he could.
"lean do with high spirits," said Jerry, "if a
horse is not vicious or hard-mouthed."
218 BLACK BEAUTY.
" There is not a bit of vice in him," said the man,
" his mouth is very tender, and I think myself, that
was the cause of the accident ; you see he had just
been clipped, and the weather was bad, and he had not
had exercise enough, and when he did go out, he was
as full of spring as a balloon. Our governor, (the
coachman I mean), had him harnessed in as tight
and strong as he could, with the martingale, and the
bearing rein, a very sharp curb, and the reins put in
at the bottom bar ; it is my belief that it made the
horse mad, being tender in the mouth and so full of
spirit."
"Likely enough; I'll come and see him," said
Jerry.
The next day, Hotspur that was his name, came
home ; he was a fine brown horse, without a white
hair in him, as tall as Captain, with a very hand-
some head, and only five years old. I gave him a
friendly greeting by way of good fellowship, but did
not ask him any questions. The first night he was
very restless ; instead of lying down, he kept jerking
his halter rope up and down through the ring, and
knocking the block about against the manger till I
could not sleep. However, the next day, after five or
six hours in the cab, he came in quiet and sensible.
Jerry patted and talked to him a good deal, and very
soon they understood each other, and Jerry said that
with an easy bit, and plenty of work, he would be as
gentle as a lamb ; and that it was an ill wind that
blew nobody gocd, for if his lordship had lost a
hundred-guinea favorite, the cabman had gained a
good horse with all his strength in him.
OLD CAPTAIN AND HIS SUCCESSOB. 219
Hotspur thought it a great come down to be a cab-
horse, and was disgusted at standing in the rank,
but he confessed to me at the end of the week, that
an easy mouth, and a free head, made up for a great
deal, and after all, the work was not so degrading as
having one's head and tail fastened to each other at
the saddle. In fact, he settled in well, and Jerry liked
him very much.
CHAPTEE XLV.
JERRY'S NEW YEAR.
CHRISTMAS and the New Year are very merry times
for some people ; but for cabmen and cabmen's horses,
it is no holiday, though it may be a harvest. There
are so many parties, balls, and places of amusement
open, that the work is hard and often late. Some-
times driver and horse have to wait for hours in the
rain or frost, shivering with cold, whilst the merry
people within are dancing away to the music. I
wonder if the beautiful ladies ever think of the
weary cabman waiting on his box, and his patient
beast standing, till his legs get stiff with cold.
I had now most of the evening work, as I was well
accustomed to standing, and Jerry was also more
afraid of Hotspur taking cold. We had a great deal
of late work in the Christmas week, and Jerry's
cough was bad ; but however late we were, Polly sat
up for him, and came out with the lantern to meet
him, looking anxious and troubled. On the evening
of the New Year, we had to take two gentlemen to a
house in one of the West End Squares; we set
them down at nine o'clock and were told to come
again at eleven, " But," said one of them, " as it is a
JERRY'S NEW YEAR. 221
card party, you may have to wait a few minutes, but
don't be late."
As the clock struck eleven we were at the door, for
Jerry was always punctual. The clock chimed the
quarters one, two, three, and then struck twelve,
but the door did not open.
The wind had been very changeable, with squalls
of raia during the day, but now it came on sharp
driving sleet, which seemed to come all the way
round ; it was very cold, and there was no shelter.
Jerry got off his box and came and pulled one of my
cloths a little more over my neck ; then he took a
turn or two up and down, stamping his feet ; then
he began to beat his arms, but that set him off
coughing ; so he opened the cab door and sat at the
bottom with his feet on the pavement, and was a
little sheltered. Still the clock chimed the quarters,
and no one came. At half-past twelve, he rang at
the bell and asked the servant if he would be wanted
that night.
" Oh ! yes, you'll be wanted safe enough," said
the man, "you must not go, it will soon be over,"
and again Jerry sat down, but his voice was so hoarse
I could hardly hear him.
At a quarter past one the door opened, and the
two gentlemen came out; they got into the cab
without a word, and told Jerry where to drive, that
was nearly two miles. My legs were numb with
cold, and I thought I should have stumbled. When
the men got out, they never said they were sorry to
have kept us waiting so long, but were angry at the
222 BLACK BEAUTY.
charge : however, as Jerry never charged more than
was his due, so he never took less, and they had to
pay for the two hours and quarter waiting ; but it
was hard-earned money to Jerry.
At last we got home ; he could hardly speak, and
his cough was dreadful. Polly asked no questions,
but opened the door and held the lantern for him.
" Can't I do something ? " she said.
" Yes, get Jack something warm, and then boil me
some gruel; " this was said in a hoarse whisper, he
could hardly get his breath, but he gave me a rub
down as usual, and even went up into the hayloft for
an extra bundle of straw for my bed. Polly brought
me a warm mash that made me comfortable, and
then they locked the door.
It was late the next morning before any one
came, and then it was only Harry. He cleaned us
and fed us, and swept out the stalls ; then he put
the straw back again as if it was Sunday. He was
very still, and neither whistled nor sang. At noon
he came again and gave us our food and water ; this
time Dolly came with him ; she was crying, and I
could gather from what they said, that Jerry was
dangerously ill, and the doctor said it was a bad
case. So two days passed, and there was great
trouble indoors. We only saw Harry and sometimes
Dolly. I think she came for company, for Polly was
always with Jerry, and he had to be kept very quiet.
On the third day, whilst Harry was in the stable,
a tap came at the door, and Governor Grant came in.
" I wouldn't go to the house, my boy," he said, " but
I want to know how your father is."
JERRY'S NEW YEAB. 223
" He is very bad," said Harry, " he can't be much
worse ; they call it ' bronchitis ; ' the doctor thinks it
will turn one way or another to-night."
" That's bad, very bad," said Grant, shaking his
head ; " I know two men who died of that last week ;
it takes 'em off in no time ; but whilst there's life
there's hope, so you must keep up your spirits."
" Yes," said Harry quickly, " and the doctor said
that father had a better chance than most men,
because he didn't drink. He said yesterday the fever
was so high, that if father had been a drinking man,
it would have burnt him up like a piece of paper ;
but I believe he thinks he will get over it ; don't you
think he will, Mr. Grant ? "
The Governor looked puzzled, "If there's any
rule that good men should get over these things, I
am sure he will, my boy ; he's the best man I know \
I'll look in early to-morrow."
Early next morning he was there. " Well ? " said he.
" Father is better," said Harry, " mother hopes he
will get over it."
" Thank God ! " said the Governor, " and now
you must keep him warm, and keep his mind
easy, and that brings me to the horses; you
soe, Jack will be all the better for the rest of a
week or two in a warm stable, and you can easily
take him a turn up and down the street to stretch
his legs ; but this young one, if he does not get
work, he will soon be all up on end as you may
say, and will be rather too much for you ; and when
he does go out, there'll be an accident."
224 BLACK BEAUTY.
"It is like that now," said Harry, "I have ; kept
him short of corn, but he is so full of spirit I don't
know what to do with him."
" Just so," said Grant ; " now look here, will you
tell your mother that if she is agreeable, I will come
for him every day till something is arranged, and
take him for a good spell of work, and whatever he
earns, I'll bring your mother half of it, and that will
help with the horses' feed. Your father is in a good
club, I know, but that won't keep the horses, and
they'll be eating their heads off all this time : I'll
come at noon and hear what she says," and without
waiting for Harry's thanks, he was gone.
At noon I think he went and saw Polly, for he
and Harry came to the stable together, harnessed
Hotspur, and took him out.
For a week or more he came for Hotspur, and
when Harry thanked him or said anything about his
kindness, he laughed it off, saying, it was all good
luck for him, for his horses were wanting a little
rest which they would not otherwise have had.
Jerry grew better steadily, but the doctor said that
he must never go back to the cab-work again if he
wished to be an old man. The children had many
consultations together about, what father and mother
would do, and how they could help to earn money.
One afternoon, Hotspur was brought in very wet
and dirty. " The streets are nothing but slush,"
said the Governor, " it will give you a good warming,
niy boy, to get him clean and dry."
"All right, Governor," said Harry, " I shall not
JERRY'S NEW YEAB. 225
leave him till he is ; you know I have been trained
by my father."
"I wish all the boys had been trained like you,"
said the Governor.
While Harry was sponging off the mud from
Hotspur's body and legs, Dolly came in, looking very
full of something.
" Who lives at Fairstowe, Harry ? Mother has got
a letter from Fairstowe ; she seemed so glad, and ran
upstairs to father with it."
" Don't you know ? Why it is the name of Mrs.
Fowler's place mother's old mistress, you know
the lady that father met last summer, who sent you
and me five shillings each."
" Oh ! Mrs. Fowler, of course I know all about
her, I wonder what she is writing to mother
about."
"Mother wrote to her last week," said Harry;
" you know she told father if ever he gave up the
cab-work, she would like to know. I wonder what
she says ; run in and see, Dolly."
Harry scrubbed away at Hotspur with a huish !
huish ! like any old ostler.
In a few minutes Dolly came dancing into the
stable. " Oh ! Harry ! there never was anything so
beautiful ; Mrs. Fowler says, we are all to go and
live near her ; there is a cottage now empty that will
just suit us, with a garden, and a hen house, and
apple trees, and everything ! and her coachman is
going away hi the spring, and then she will want
father in his place; and there are good families
226 BLACK BEAUTY.
round, where you can get a place in the garden, or
the stable, or as a page boy ; and there's a good
school for me ; and mother is laughing and crying by
turns, and father does look so happy ! "
" That's uncommon jolly," said Harry, " and just
the right thing, I should say ; it will suit father and
mother both ; but I don't intend to be a page boy with
tight clothes and rows of buttons. I'll be a groom
or a gardener."
It was quickly settled that as soon as Jerry was
well enough, they should remove to the country, and
that the cab and horses should be sold as soon as
possible. This was heavy news for me, for I was
not young now, and could not look for any improve-
ment in my condition. Since I left Birtwick I had
never been so happy as with my dear master Jerry ;
but three years of cab-work, even under the best
conditions, will tell on one's strength, and I felt that
I was not the horse that I had been.
Grant, said at once that he would take Hotspur ;
and there were men on the stand who would have
bought me ; but Jerry said I should not go to cab-
work again with just anybody, and the Governor
promised to find a place for me where I should be
comfortable.
The day came for going away. Jerry had not been
allowed to go out yet, and I never saw him after that
New Year's eve. Polly and the children came to bid
me good-bye. " Poor old Jack ! dear old Jack ! I
wish we could take you with us," she said, and then
laying ner hand on my mane, she put her face close
JERRY'S NEW YEAR. 227
to my neck and kissed me. Dolly was crying and
kissed me too. Harry stroked me a great deal, but
said nothing, only he seemed very sad, and so I was
led away to my new place.
PART IV.
CHAPTER XLVI.
JAKES AND THE LADY.
I WAS sold to a corn dealer and baker, whom Jerry
knew, and with him he thought I should have good
food and fair work. In the first he was quite right,
and if my master had always been on the premises,
I do not think I should have been over-loaded, but
there was a foreman who was always hurrying and
driving everyone, and frequently when I had quite a
full load, he would order something else to be taken
on. My carter, whose name was Jakes, often said it
was more than I ought to take, but the other always
overruled him, " 'twas no use going twice when once
would do, and he chose to get business forward."
Jakes, like the other carters, always had the bearing
rein up, which prevented me from drawing easily,
and by the time I had been there three or four
months, I found the work telling very much on my
strength.
One day, I was loaded more than usual, and part
of the road was a steep uphill : I used all my
JAKES AND THE LADY. 229
strength, but I could not get on, and was obliged
continually to stop. This did not please my driver,
and he laid his whip on badly, " Get on, you lazy
fellow," he said, " or I'll make you." Again I started
the heavy load, and struggled on a few yards ; again
the whip came down, and again I struggled forward.
The pain of that great cart whip was sharp, but my
mind was hurt quite as much as my poor sides. To
be punished and abused when I was doing my very
best was so hard, it took the heart out of me. A
third time he was flogging me cruelly, when a lady
stepped quickly up to him, and said in a sweet earnest
voice,
" Oh ! pray do not whip your good horse any
more ; I am sure he is doing all he can, and the road
is very steep, I am sure he is doing his best."
" If doing his best won't get this load up, he must
do something more than his best, that's all I know,
ma'am," said Jakes.
" But is it not a very heavy load ? " she said.
" Yes, yes, too heavy," he said, " but that's not
my fault, the foreman came just as we were starting,
and would have three hundred- weight more put on to
save him trouble, and I must get on with it as well
as I can." He was raising the whip again, when
the lady said,
11 Pray stop, I think I can help you if you will let
me."
The man laughed.
" You see," she said, " you do not give him a fair
chance ; he cannot use all his power with his head
230
BLACK BEAUTY.
held back as it is with that bearing rein ; if you would
take it off, I am sure he would do better do try it,"
she said persuasively, " I should be very glad if you
would."
" Well, well," said Jakes, with a short laugh,
" anything to please a lady of course. How far would
you wish it down, ma'am ? "
' Quite down, give him his head altogether."
The rein was taken off, and in a moment I put my
head down to my very knees. What a comfort it
was ! Then I tossed it up and down several times to
get the aching stiffness out of my neck.
" Poor fellow ! that is what you wanted," said she,
patting and stroking me with her gentle hand ; " and
now if you will speak kindly to him and lead him on,
I believe he will be able to do better."
Jakes took the rein " Come on, Blackie." I put
down my head, and threw my whole weight against
the collar ; I spared no strength ; the load moved on,
and I pulled it steadily up the hill, and then stopped
to take breath.
The lady had walked along the footpath, and now
came across into the road. She stroked and patted
my neck, as I had not been patted for many a long
day. " You see he was quite willing when you gave
him the chance ; I am sure he is a fine-tempered
creature, and I dare say has known better days ; you
won't put that rein on again, will you ? " for he was
just going to hitch it up on the old plan.
" Well, ma'am, I can't deny that having his head
has helped him up the hill, and I'll remember it
JAKES AND THE LADY. 231
another time, and thank you, ma'am ; but if he went
without a bearing rein, I should be the laughing
stock of all the carters ; it is the fashion, you see."
"Is it not better," she said, " to lead a good
fashion, than to follow a bad one ? A great many
gentlemen do not use bearing reins now ; our carriage
horses have not worn them for fifteen years, and
work with much less fatigue than those who have
them; besides," she added in a very serious voice,
" we have no right to distress any of God's creatures
without a very good reason ; we call them dumb
animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how
they feel, but they do not suffer less because they
have no words, but I must not detain you now ; I
thank you for trying my plan with your good horse,
and I am sure you will find it far better than the
whip. Good day," and with another soft pat on my
neck she stepped lightly across to the path, and I saw
her no more.
" That was a real lady, I'll be bound for it," said
Jak^s to himself, "she spoke just as polite as if I
was a gentleman, and I'll try her plan, uphill, at any
rate ; " and I must do him the justice to say, that he
let my rein out several holes, and going uphill after
that, he always gave me my head; but the heavy
loads went on. Good feed and fair rest will keep up
one's strength under full work, but no horse can
stand against over-loading; and I was getting so
thoroughly pulled down from this cause, that a
younger horse was bought in my place. I may as
well mention here, what I suffered at this time from
232 BLACK BEAUTY.
another cause. I had heard horses speak of it, but
had never myself had experience of the evil ; this
was a badly-lighted stable ; there was only one very
small window at the end, and the consequence was,
that the stalls were almost dark.
Besides the depressing effect this had on my spirits,
it very much weakened my sight, and when I was
suddenly brought out of the darkness into the glare
of daylight, it was very painful to my eyes. Several
times I stumbled over the threshold, and could
scarcely see where I was going.
I believe, had I stayed there very long, I should
have become purblind, and that would have been a
great misfortune, for I have heard men say, that a
stone-blind horse was safer to drive, than one which
had imperfect sight, as it generally makes them very
timid. However, I escaped without any permanent
injury to my sight, and was sold to a large cab owner.
CHAPTER XLVII.
HARD TIMES.
I SHALL never forget my new master, he had
black eyes and a hooked nose, his mouth was as full
of teeth as a hull dog's, and his voice was as harsh as
the grinding of cart wheels over gravel stones. His
name was Nicholas Skinner, and I believe he was
the same man that poor Seedy Sam drove for.
I have heard men say, that seeing is believing ;
but I should say that feeling is believing ; for much
as I had seen before, I never knew till now the utter
misery of a cab-horse's life.
Skinner had a low set of cabs and a low set of
drivers ; he was hard on the men, and the men were
hard on the horses. In this place we had no Sunday
rest, and it was in the heat of summer.
Sometimes on a Sunday morning, a party of fast
men would hire the cab for the day ; four of them
inside and another with the driver, and I had to take
them 10 or 15 miles out into the country, and back
again : never would any of them get down to walk
up a hill, let it be ever so steep, or the day ever so
hot unless indeed, when the driver was afraid I should
not manage it, and sometimes I was so fevered and
204 BLACK BEAUTY.
worn that I could hardly touch my food. How I
used to long for the nice bran mash with nitre in it
that Jerry used to give us on Saturday nights in
hot weather, that used to cool us down and make us
so comfortable ; when we had two nights and a
whole day for unbroken rest, and on Monday morn-
ing were as fresh as young horses again ; but here,
there was no rest, and my driver was just as hard as
his master. He had a cruel whip with something so
sharp at the end that it sometimes drew blood, and
he would even whip me under the belly, and flip the
lash out at my head. Indignities like these took the
heart out of me terribly, but still I did my best and
never hung back ; for as poor Ginger said, it was no
use ; men are the strongest.
My life was now so utterly wretched, that I wished
I might, like Ginger, drop down dead at my work,
and be out of my misery ; and one day my wish very
nearly came to pass. I went on the stand at eight
in the morning, and had done a good share of work,
when we had to take a fare to the railway. A long
train was just expected in, so my driver pulled up at
the back of some of the outside cabs, to take the
chance of a return fare. It was a very heavy train,
and as all the cabs were soon engaged, ours was
called for. There was a party of four ; a noisy blus-
tering man with a lady, a little boy and a young girl^
and a great deal of luggage. The lady and the boy
got into the cab, and while the man ordered about
the luggage, the young girl came and looked at me.
"Papa," she said, "I am sure this poor horse
HARD TIMES. 235
cannot take us and all our luggage so far, he is so
veiy weak and worn up ; do look at him."
" Oh ! he's all right, miss," said my driver, " he's
strong enough."
The porter, who was pulling about some heavy
boxes, suggested to the gentleman, as there was so
much luggage, whether he would not take a second
cab.
" Can your horse do it, or can't he ? " said the
blustering man.
" Oh ! he can do it all right, sir ; send up the boxes,
porter: he could take more than that," and he helped
to haul up a box so heavy, that I could feel the
springs go down.
"Papa, papa, do take a second cab," said the
young girl in a beseeching tone ; " I am sure we are
wrong, I am sure it is very cruel."
" Nonsense, Grace, get in at once and don't make
all this fuss ; a pretty thing it would be, if a man of
business had to examine every cab-horse before he
hired it the man knows his own business of course :
there, get in and hold your tongue!" My gentle
friend had to obey ; and box after box was dragged
up and lodged on the top of the cab, or settled by
the side of the driver. At last all was ready, and
with his usual jerk at the rein, and slash of the whip,
he drove out of the station.
The load was very heavy, and I had had neither
food nor rest since the morning ; but I did my best
as I always had done, in spite of cruelty and
injustice.
yi>b BLACK BEAUTY.
I got along fairly till we came to Ludgate Hill,
but there, the heavy load and my own exhaustion
were too much. I was struggling to keep on, goaded
by constant chucks of the rein and use of the whip,
when in a single moment I cannot tell how, my
feet slipped from under me, and I fell heavily to the
ground on my side ; the suddenness and the force
with which I fell, seemed to beat all the breath out
of my body. I lay perfectly still ; indeed I had no
power to move, and I thought now I was going to
die. I heard a sort of confusion round me, loud
angry voices, and the getting down of the luggage,
but it was all like a dream. I thought I heard that
sweet pitiful voice saying, " Oh ! that poor horse ! it
is all our fault." Some one came and loosened the
throat strap of my bridle, and undid the traces which
kept the collar so tight upon me. Some one said, " He's
dead, he'll never get up again." Then I could hear
a policeman giving orders, but I did not even open
my eyes ; I could only draw a gasping breath now
and then. Some cold water was thrown over my
head, and some cordial was poured into my mouth,
and something was covered over me. I cannot tell
how long I lay there, but I found my life coming
back, and a kind-voiced man was patting me and
encouraging me to rise. After some more cordial
had been given me, and after one or two attempts,
I staggered to my feet, and was gently led to some
stables which were close by. Here I was put into a
well-littered stall, and some warm gruel was brought
to me, which I drank thankfully.
HARD TIMES. 237
In the evening I was sufficiently recovered to be
led back to Skinner's stables, where, I think they did
the best for me that they could. In the morning
Skinner came with a farrier to look at me. He
examined me very closely, and said, " This is a case
of overwork more than disease, and if you could give
him a run off for six months, he would be able to
work again ; but now there is not an ounce of strength
in him."
" Then he must just go to the dogs," said
Skinner, " I have no meadows to nurse sick horses
in he might get well or he might not ; that
sort of thing don't suit my business, my plan is to
work 'em as long as they'll go, and then sell 'em for
what they'll fetch, at the knacker's or elsewhere."
" If he was broken- winded," said the farrier, " you
had better have him killed out of hand, but he is not ;
there is a sale of horses coming off in about ten days ;
if you rest him and feed him up, he may pick up,
and you may get more than his skin is worth at any
rate." Upon this advice, Skinner rather unwillingly,
I think, gave orders that I should be well fed and
cared for, and the stable man, happily for me, carried
out the orders with a much better will than his
master had in giving them. Ten days of perfect rest,
plenty of good oats, hay, bran mashes, with boiled
linseed mixed in them, did more to get up my
condition than any thing else could have done ; those
linseed mashes were delicious, and I began to think
after all, it might be better to live than go to the
dogs. When the twelfth day after the accident
238 BLACK BEAUTY.
came, I was taken to the sale, a few miles out of
London. I felt that any change from my present
place must be an improvement, so I held up my
head, and hoped for the best.
CHAPTER XLVIH.
FARMER THOROUGHOOOD AND HIS GRANDSON WILLIE.
AT this sale, of course I found myself in company
with the old broken-down horses some lame, some
broken-winded, some old, and some, that I am sure it
would have been merciful to shoot. The buyers and
the sellers too, many of them, looked not much better
off than the poor beasts they were bargaining
about. There were poor old men, trying to get a
horse or a pony for a few pounds, that might drag
about some little wood or coal cart. There were
poor men trying to sell a worn-out beast for two or
three pounds, rather than have the greater loss of
killing him. Some of them looked as if poverty and
hard times had hardened them all over ; but there
were others, that I would have willingly used the last
of my strength in serving; poor and shabby, but
kind and human, with voices that I could trust.
There was one tottering old man that took a great
fancy to me, and I to him, but I was not strong
enough it was an anxious time ! Coming from the
better part of the fan*, I noticed a man who looked
like a gentleman farmer, with a young boy by his
side ; he had a broad back and round shoulders, a
240 BLACK BEAUTY.
kind, ruddy face, and he wore a broad-brimmed hat.
When he came up to me and my companions, he
stood still, and gave a pitiful look round upon us. I
saw his eye rest on me ; I had still a good mane and
tail, which did something for my appearance. I
pricked my ears and looked at him.
" There's a horse, Willie, that has known better
days."
" Poor old fellow ! " said the boy, " do you think,
grandpapa, he was ever a carriage horse ? "
" Oh yes ! my boy," said the farmer, coming closer,
" he might have been anything when he was young :
look at his nostrils and his ears, the shape of his
neck and shoulder ; there's a deal of breeding about
that horse." He put out his hand and gave me a
kind pat on the neck : I put out my nose in answer
to his kindness ; the boy stroked my face.
" Poor old fellow ! see, grandpapa, how well he
understands kindness. Could not you buy him and
make him young again as you did with Ladybird ? "
" My dear boy, I can't make all old horses young;
beside, Ladybird was not so very old, as she was run
down and badly used."
" Well, grandpapa, I don't believe that this one is
old ; look at his mane and tail. I wish you would
look into his mouth, and then you could tell ;
though he is so very thin, his eyes are not sunk like
some old horses."
The old gentleman laughed, " Bless the boy! he is
as horsey as his old grandfather."
" But do look at his mouth, grandpapa, and ask
FARMER THOROUGHGOOD. 241
the price ; I am sure he would grow young in our
meadows."
The man who had brought me for sale now put in
his word. " The young gentleman's a real knowing
one, sir : now the fact is, this 'ere hoss is just pulled
down with overwork in the eabs ; he's not an old one*
and I heerd as how the vetenary should say, that a
six months run off would set him right up, being as
how his wind was not broken. I've had the tending
of him these ten days past, and a gratefuller,
pleasanter animal I never met with, and 'twould
be worth a gentleman's while to give a five-pound
note for him, and let him have a chance. I'll be
bound he'd be worth twenty pounds next spring."
The old gentleman laughed, the little boy looked
up eagerly.
" Oh ! grandpapa, did you not say, the colt sold
for five pounds more than you expected ? you would
not be poorer if you did buy this one."
The farmer slowly felt my legs, which were much
swelled and strained ; then he looked at my mouth
" Thirteen or fourteen, I should say ; just trot him
out, will you ? "
I arched my poor thin neck, raised my tail a little,
and threw out my legs as well as I could, for they
were very stiff.
"What is the lowest you will take for him?"
said the farmer as I came back.
" Five pounds, sir ; that was the lowest price my
master set."
. " 'Tis a speculation," said the old gentleman,
242 BLACK BEAUTY.
shaking his head, but at the same time slowly
drawing out his purse " quite a speculation ! Have
you any more business here ? " he said, counting the
sovereigns into his hand.
" No, sir, I can take him for you to the inn, if you
" Do so, I am now going there."
They walked forward and I was led behind. The
boy could hardly control his delight, and the old
gentleman seemed to enjoy his pleasure. I had a
good feed at the inn, and was then gently ridden
home by a servant of my new master's, and turned
into a large meadow with a shed in one corner of
it.
Mr. Thoroughgood, for that was the name of my
benefactor, gave orders that I should have hay and
oats every night and morning, and the run of the
meadow during the day, and " you Willie," said he,
"must take the oversight of him; I give him in
charge to you." The boy was proud of his charge
and undertook it in all seriousness. There was not
a day when he did not pay me a visit ; sometimes
picking me out from amongst the other horses, and
giving me a bit of carrot, or something good, or
sometimes standing by me whilst I ate my oats. He
always came with kind words and caresses, and of
course I grew very fond of him. He called me Old
Crony, as I used to come to him in the field and
follow him about. Sometimes he brought his grand-
father, who always looked closely at my legs " This
is our point, Willie," he would say; "but he is
FARMER THOROUGHGOOD. 243
improving so steadily, that I think we shall see a
change for the better in the spring."
The perfect rest, the good food, the soft turf and
gentle exercise, soon began to tell on my condition
and my spirits. I had a good constitution from my
mother, and I was never strained when I was young,
so that I had a better chance than many horses, who
have been worked before they came to their full
strength. During the whiter my legs improved so
much, that I began to feel quite young again. The
spring came round, and one day in March, Mr.
Thoroughgood determined that he would try me in
the phaeton. I was well pleased, and he and Willie
drove me a few miles. My legs were not stiff now,
and I did the work with perfect ease.
" He's growing young, Willie ; we must give him a
little gentle work now, and by midsummer he will
be as good as Ladybird : he has a beautiful mouth,
and good paces, they can't be better."
" Oh ! grandpapa, how glad I am you bought
him ! "
" So am I, my boy, but he has to thank you more
than me ; we must now be looking out for a quiet
genteel place for him, where ho will be valued."
CHAPTER XLIX.
MY LAST HOME.
ONE day during this summer, the groom cleaned
and dressed me with such extraordinary care, that I
thought some new change must be at hand; he
trimmed my fetlocks and legs, passed the tarbrush
over my hoofs, and even parted my forelock. I
think the harness had an extra polish. Willie
seemed half anxious, half merry, as he got into the
chaise with his grandfather.
" If the ladies take to him," said the old gentleman,
" they'll be suited, and he'll be suited : we can but
try."
At the distance of a mile or two from the village,
we came to a pretty low house, with a lawn and
shrubbery at the front, and a drive up to the door.
Willie rang the bell, and asked if Miss Blomefield, or
Miss Ellen was at home. Yes, they were. So,
whilst Willie stayed with me, Mr. Thoroughgood
went into the house. In about ten minutes he
returned, followed by three ladies ; one tall pale lady
wrapped in a white shawl, leaned on a younger lady,
with dark eyes and a merry face ; the other, a very
stately-looking person, was Miss Blomefield. They
MY LAST HOME. 245
all came and looked at me and asked questions.
The younger lady that was Miss Ellen, took to me
very much ; she said she was sure she should like me,
I had such a good face. The tall pale lady said,
that she should always be nervous in riding behind a
horse that had once been down, as I might come
down again, and if I did, she should never get over
the fright.
" You see, ladies," said Mr. Thoroughgood, " many
first-rate horses have had their knees broken through
the carelessness of their drivers, without any fault of
their own, and from what I see of this horse, I should
say, that is his case ; but of course I do not wish to
influence you. If you incline, you can have him on
trial, and then your coachman will see what he thinks
of him."
" You have always been such a good adviser to us
about our horses," said the stately lady, " that your
recommendation would go a long way with me,
and if my sister Lavinia sees no objection, we will
accept your offer of a trial, with thanks." It was
then arranged that I should be sent for the next
day.
In the morning a smart-looking young man came
for me; at first, he looked pleased; but when he
saw my knees, he said in a disappointed voice,
" I didn't think, sir, you would have recommended
my ladies a blemished horse like that."
" ' Handsome is that handsome does,' " said my
master ; " you are only taking him on trial, and I am
sure you will do fairly by him, young man, and if he
246 BLACK BEAUTY.
is not as safe as any horse you ever drove, send him
back."
I was led home, placed in a comfortable stable,
fed, and left to myself. The next day, when my
groom was cleaning my face, he said, ''That is just
like the star that Black Beauty had, he is much the
same height too ; I wonder where he is now." A
little further on, he came to the place in my neck
where I was bled, and where a little knot was left in
the skin. He almost started, and began to look me
over carefully, talking to himself : " White star in
the forehead, one white foot on the off side, this
little knot just in that place ; then looking at the
middle of my .back " and as I am alive, there is that
little patch of white hair that John used to call
' Beauty's threepenny bit,' it must be Black Beauty !
Why Beauty ! Beauty ! do you know me ? little Joe
Green, that almost killed you ? " And he began
patting and patting me as if he was quite overjoyed.
I could not say that I remembered him, for now he
was a fine grown young fellow, with black whiskers
and a man's voice, but I was sure he knew me, and
that he was Joe Green, and I was very glad. I put
my nose up to him, and tried to say that we were
friends. I never saw a man so pleased."
" Give you a fair trial ! I should think so indeed ! I
wonder who the rascal was that broke your knees,
my old Beauty ! you must have been badly served
out somewhere ; well, well, it won't be my fault if
you haven't good times of it now. I wish John
Manly was here to see you."
MY LAST HOME. 247
In the afternoon I was put into a low Park chair
and brought to the door. Miss Ellen was going to
try me, and Green went with her. I soon found that
she was a good driver, and she seemed pleased with
my paces. I heard Joe telling her about me, and
that he was sure I was Squire Gordon's old Black
Beauty.
When we returned, the other sisters came out to
hear how I had behaved myself. She told them
what she had just heard, and said, " I shall certainly
write to Mrs. Gordon, and tell her that her favorite
horse has come to us. How pleased she will be ! "
After this I was driven every day for a week or so,
and as I appeared to be quite safe, Miss Lavinia at
last ventured out in the small close carriage. After
this it was quite decided to keep me and to call me
by my old name of " Black Beauty."
I have now lived in this happy place a whole year.
Joe is the best and kindest of grooms. My work is
easy and pleasant, and I feel my strength and spirits
all coming back again. Mr. Thoroughgood said to
Joe the other day, " In your place he will last till
he is twenty years old perhaps more. ' ' Willie always
speaks to me when he can, and treats me as his
special Mend. My ladies have promised that I shall
never be sold, and so I have nothing to fear ; and
here my story ends. My troubles are all over, and I
am at home ; and often before I am quite awake, I
fancy I am still in the orchard at Birtwick, standing
with my old friends under the apple trees.
IF any readers of this Autobiography, wish to know more
of the right treatment of horses, on the road, and in the
stable, the Translator would recommend them to procure
an admirable little book, price fourpence, entitled " The
Horse Book."
Its directions are short, clear, and full of common sense.
It has been revised by no less an authority than Mr.
Fleming, Royal Engineers, F.R.G.S., President of the
Central Veterinary Medical Society ; and Member of
Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
It has also been approved by other eminent Veterinarians.
It is published by the Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, and can be obtained through any
Bookseller.
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