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diff --git a/old/11860.txt b/old/11860.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f54aaa5 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11860.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2038 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Black Beauty, Young Folks' Edition, by Anna +Sewell + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Black Beauty, Young Folks' Edition + +Author: Anna Sewell + +Release Date: March 31, 2004 [eBook #11860] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: US-ASCII + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACK BEAUTY, YOUNG FOLKS' +EDITION*** + + +E-text prepared by Paul Murray and Project Gutenberg Distributed +Proofreaders from images provided by The Internet Archive Children's +Library + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 11860-h.htm or 11860-h.zip: + (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/8/6/11860/11860-h/11860-h.htm) + or + (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/8/6/11860/11860-h.zip) + + + + + +BLACK BEAUTY + +YOUNG FOLKS' EDITION + +1902 + + + + + + +[Illustration] + + + +BLACK BEAUTY + + + + +CHAPTER I + + +MY EARLY HOME + +The first place that I can well remember was a pleasant meadow with a +pond of clear water in it. Over the hedge on one side we looked into a +plowed field, and on the other we looked over a gate at our master's +house, which stood by the roadside. While I was young I lived upon my +mother's milk, as I could not eat grass. In the daytime 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 warm shed near the grove. + +There were six young colts in the meadow beside me; they were older than +I was. I used to run with them, and had great fun; we used to gallop all +together round the field, as hard as we could go. Sometimes we had +rather rough play, for they would bite and kick, as well as gallop. + +[Illustration] + +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. The colts who live here are very good colts, but they +are cart-horse colts, and 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 at the races; your grandmother 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." + +[Illustration] + +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 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 neigh 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 favorites. My mother always took him to town on a market-day in +a light gig. + +We had 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, 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 up nearer to see what went on. + +"Bad boy!" he said, "bad boy! to chase the colts. This is not the first +time, 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 II + + +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 woods and meadows. I and +the other colts were feeding at the lower part of the field when we +heard 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 +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 +ours. 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, o, o!" at the top of +their voices. After them came a number of men on horseback, all +galloping as fast as they could. The old horses snorted and looked +eagerly after them, 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 woods; 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!" +again, and back they came all together 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 woods. On came the dogs; they +burst over the bank, leaped the stream and came dashing across the +field, followed by the huntsmen. Several men leaped their horses clean +over, close upon the dogs. The hare tried to get through the fence; it +was too thick, and she turned sharp around to make for the road, but it +was too late; the dogs were upon her with their 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. + +[Illustration] + +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 broken," said my mother. + +"And serves 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." + +While my mother was saying this, we stood and looked on. Many of the +riders had gone to the young man; but my master 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 the squire's only son, a +fine, tall young man, and the pride of his family. + +They were now riding in all directions--to the doctor's, and to Squire +Gordon's, to let him know about his son. When Bond, the farrier, 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 Rob Roy; he was a good horse, and there was +no vice in him. She never would go to that part of the field afterwards. + +[Illustration] + +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 church-yard to +bury him. He would never ride again. What they did with Rob Roy I never +knew; but 'twas all for one little hare. + + + + +CHAPTER III + + +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 +forehead. 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, 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. Besides this, he has to learn to wear a collar, and a +breeching, and to stand still while they are put on; then to have a cart +or a buggy fixed behind, 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 horses, 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 lie down +for weariness. So you see this breaking in is a great thing. + +[Illustration] + +I had, of course, long been used to a halter and a head-stall, and to be +led about in the fields 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 and 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 coming 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! 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. + +Next came the saddle, but that was not half so bad; my master put it on +my back very gently, while 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 around 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 still 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 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 everything, 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 neighboring 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 among 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 +galloped to the further side of the meadow, 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; 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 fearless 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. "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." + +[Illustration] + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +BIRTWICK PARK + +It was early in May, when there came a man from 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 in +his hand; he patted me kindly, and I left my first home. I will describe +the stable into which I was taken; this was very roomy, with four good +stalls; a large swinging window opened into the yard, making it pleasant +and airy. + +The first stall was a large square one, shut in behind with a wooden +gate; the others were common 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 box stall, 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 box +stall. + +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, patted me, spoke kindly, and then went +away. + +When I had eaten my oats, I looked round. In the stall next to mine +stood a little fat gray 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 up his head, 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 +cart. 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 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 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." + +[Illustration] + +"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. 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 habit of biting and +snapping; that is why they call her Ginger, and when she was in the +box-stall, 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 dared 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. + +"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; 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 child, +and lived in the coachman's cottage, near the stables. + +[Illustration] + +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 around after breakfast; go by the +common and the Highwood, and back by the water-mill and the river; that +will show 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 a saddle, but it 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! my boy," he said, as he pulled me up, "you would like to follow +the hounds, I think." + +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 traveling 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 he 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?" + +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'?" + +[Illustration] + +"Black Beauty--why, yes, I think that is a very good name. If you like, +it shall be his name"; and so it was. + +When John went into the stable, he told James that the master and +mistress had chosen a good sensible name for me, that meant something. +They both laughed, and James said, "If it was not for bringing back the +past, I should have named him Rob 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 Rob 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, 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 me. + +A few days after this I had to go out with Ginger in the carriage. 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 out two or three times together we grew quite +friendly and sociable, which made me feel very much at home. + +[Illustration] + +As for Merrylegs, he and I soon became great friends; he was such a +cheerful, plucky, good-tempered 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. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +MERRYLEGS + +Mr. Blomefield, the vicar, 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 Merrylegs, 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 sent 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, Merrylegs?" 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 enough, so I just +pitched them off backwards; that was the only thing they could +understand." + +"What?" said I, "you threw the children off? I thought you did know +better than that! Did you throw Miss Jessie or Miss Flora?" + +[Illustration] + +He looked very much offended, and said: "Of course not; I would 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 +think a horse or pony is like a steam engine, and can go 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 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 were 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 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 as to anger our master or make James ashamed of me; besides, those +children are under my charge when they are riding; I tell you they are +entrusted 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 am sorry +for you; but I can tell you good places 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 he used to do in the +morning when he heard James' footstep at the door. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +GOING FOR THE DOCTOR + +One night I was lying down in my straw fast asleep, when I was suddenly +roused 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 around 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' 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 bell 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 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. + +[Illustration] + +There was before 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 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--everybody was asleep. The church clock struck three as we drew +up at Dr. White's door. John rang the bell twice, and then knocked at +the door like thunder. A window was thrown up, and the doctor, in his +night-cap, 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." + +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 any harm to come to him." + +"No, no, John," said the doctor, "I hope not," and in a minute we had +left John far behind. + +[Illustration] + +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 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 right, he went away. Soon I began to shake and +tremble, and turned deadly cold; my legs ached, my loins ached, and my +chest ached, and I felt sore all over. This developed into a strong +inflammation, and I could not draw my breath without pain. John nursed +me night and day. My master, too, often came to see me. "My poor +Beauty," he said one day, "my good horse, you saved your mistress' 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 seems 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. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +THE PARTING + +I had lived in this happy place three years, but sad changes were about +to come over us. We heard 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 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. The master arranged 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 an old friend. +Merrylegs he had given to the vicar, who was wanting a pony for Mrs. +Blomefield, but it was on the condition that he should never be sold, +and that when he was past work 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. + +[Illustration] + +"Have you decided what to do, John?" he said. + +"No, sir; I have made up my mind that if I could get a situation with +some first-rate colt-breaker and horse-trainer, 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 +understand you, and I think you could not do better." + +The last sad day had come; the footman and the heavy luggage had gone +off the day before, and there were 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 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 carriage, 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 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 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. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + + +EARLSHALL + +The next morning after breakfast, Joe put Merrylegs into the mistress' +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 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 York, who was to be our new coachman, came in to see us. + +"Now, 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 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 has naturally a more +irritable constitution than the black horse; flies tease her more; +anything wrong in her harness frets her more; and if she were ill-used +or unfairly treated she would not be unlikely to give tit for tat. You +know that many high-mettled horses will do so." + +[Illustration] + +"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." They were going out of the stable, when John stopped, +and said, "I had better mention that we have never used the check-rein +with either of 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 check-rein. I +prefer a loose rein myself, and his lordship is always very reasonable +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," 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 Gordon has given me of them. Of course they are +not a match in color, but my idea is that they will do very well for the +carriage while 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." + +York then told him what John had said about us. + +"Well," said he, "you must keep an eye to the mare, and put the +check-rein easy; I dare say they will do very well with a little +humoring at first. I'll mention it to your lady." + +In the afternoon we were harnessed and put in the carriage and led round +to the front of the house. It was all very grand, and three 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 carriage. This was the first time of wearing a +check-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. + +[Illustration] + +The next day 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 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 understand what I +had heard of. Of course, I wanted to put my head forward and take the +carriage 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 very 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, thought she said +very little. The worst was yet to come. + + + + +CHAPTER X + + +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 at once, and let us have no more of this humoring nonsense." + +York came to me first, while the groom stood at Ginger's head. He drew +my head back 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 +turret 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 mischief she might have done, +had not York 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!" The groom soon set me free from +Ginger and the carriage, 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 us orders, and +then came to look at me. In a moment he let down my head. + +"Confound these check-reins!" he said to himself; "I thought we should +have some mischief soon. Master will be sorely vexed. But here, 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 respectfully 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 ordered it +to be sponged with hot water, and then some lotion was put on. + +[Illustration] + +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. 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 W----'s 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 it will shorten yours too, 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, and 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 fashionable people want their horses to carry their +heads high and to step high. Of course, it is very bad for the horses, +but then it is good for trade. The horses soon wear up, 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 months in my lady's carriage +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 some discomfort, and should +be attended to. Besides this, there was 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. + +[Illustration] + +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 XI + + +A HORSE FAIR + +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 high-bred, 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 showing 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 background there were a number of poor +things, sadly broken down with hard work, with their knees knuckling +over and their hind legs swinging out at every step; and there were some +very dejected-looking old horses, with the under-lip hanging down and +the ears lying 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. I was put with some useful-looking horses, and a good many +people came to look at us. The gentlemen always turned from me when they +saw my 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, I should be happy. He +was not a gentleman. 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 gray 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 hated, 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 my salesman began to think he should not get all he asked, and must +come down; but just then the gray-eyed man came back again. I could not +help reaching out my head toward 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 then," said my +friend, in a very decided tone, "and not another sixpence--yes, or no?" + +"Done," said the salesman; "and you may depend upon it there's a +monstrous deal of quality in that horse, and if you want him for cab +work he's a bargain." + +[Illustration] + +The money was paid on the spot, and my new master took my halter, 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 while 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 thoroughfare, on which we traveled steadily, till in the +twilight we reached the great city. The gas lamps were already lighted; +there were streets 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!" + +"Hallo!" 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 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 round me in the 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." + +I was led into a comfortable, clean-smelling stall with plenty of dry +straw, and after a capital supper, I lay down, thinking I was going to +be happy. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + + +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. + +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." + +[Illustration] + +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. There was no +check-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 cabstand +where Jerry had said "Good-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 palisades. Alongside these +iron rails a number of cabs were drawn up, waiting for passengers; 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 +newspaper; and one or two were feeding their horses with bits of hay, +and giving them 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 +find me out, eh? And if so, I'll keep up my spirits a little longer." + +Then there came up a broad-faced man, dressed in a great gray coat with +great gray capes and great white buttons, a gray hat, and a blue +comforter loosely tied around his neck; his hair was gray, 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. This man's name was Grant, +but he was called "Gray 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. + +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. + +[Illustration] + +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 movable bars fixed across the back of our stalls, so that +at night, 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, which is a great comfort. + +Jerry kept us very clean, and gave us as much change of food as he +could, and always plenty of it; and not only that, but he always gave us +plenty of clean fresh water, which he allowed to stand by us both night +and day, except of course when we came in warm. Some people say that a +horse ought not to drink all he likes; but I know if we are allowed to +drink when we want it we drink only a little at a time, and it does us a +great deal more good than swallowing down half a bucketful at a time +because we have been left without till we are thirsty and miserable. +Some grooms will go home to their beer and leave us for hours with our +dry hay and oats and nothing to moisten them; then of course we gulp +down too much at once, which helps to spoil our breathing and sometimes +chills our stomachs. But the best thing that we had here 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 time to enjoy +each other's company. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + + +DOLLY AND A REAL GENTLEMAN + +The 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; while 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. + +[Illustration] + +When the streets were slippery with frost or snow, that was the worst of +all for us horses; one mile of such traveling 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 +anything else. If the roads are very bad, indeed, our shoes are roughed, +but that makes us feel nervous at first. + +One cold windy day, Dolly brought Jerry a basin of something hot, and +was standing by him while he ate it. He had scarcely begun, when a +gentleman, walking toward 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." + +[Illustration] + +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 to 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. + +One day, he and another gentleman took our cab; they +stopped at a shop in R---- Street, and while 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 arrested 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 +notebook from his pocket, and looking at the name and address painted on +the cart, he 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 laughing, "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 themselves 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." + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + + +POOR GINGER + +One day, while 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 showed plainly through it, the knees knuckled over, and the +fore-legs were very unsteady. I had been eating some hay, and 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 beautifully 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. Our drivers were standing +together a little way off, so I sidled 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. + +[Illustration] + +"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 was dead. I have seen dead horses, and I am sure they do not +suffer pain." + +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 chestnut 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. + + + + +CHAPTER XV + + +At a sale I found myself in company with a lot of horses--some lame, +some broken-winded, some old, and some that I am sure it would have been +merciful to shoot. + +[Illustration] + +The buyers and 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 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 humane, 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 fair, 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 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; besides, 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 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 over-work in the cabs; he's not an old one, and I +heard as how the vetenary said 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, and the little boy looked up eagerly. "O, +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, 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 please." + +"Do so, I am now going there." + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + + +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 tar-brush 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." + +[Illustration] + +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, while 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 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 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 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; if he +is not safe as any horse you ever drove, send him back." + +I was led to my new 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 +begun 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." + +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 call me by my +old name of Black Beauty. + +I have now lived in this happy place a whole year. + + +[Illustration] + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BLACK BEAUTY, YOUNG FOLKS' EDITION*** + + +******* This file should be named 11860.txt or 11860.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/8/6/11860 + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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