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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