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1"Well," said York, "if they come here they must wear the check-rein. I prefer a loose rein myself, and his lordship is
2always very reasonable about horses; but my lady--that's another thing; she will have style, and if her carriage horses
3are 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
4be 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
5train." 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
6close to him; that was all I could do to say good-by; and then he was gone, and I have never seen him since. The next
7day Lord W---- came to look at us; he seemed pleased with our appearance. "I have great confidence in these horses," he
8said, "from the character my friend Mr. Gordon has given me of them. Of course they are not a match in color, but my
9idea 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
10match Baron; the black horse, I believe, is perfect for riding." York then told him what John had said about us. "Well,"
11said 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
12humoring at first. I'll mention it to your lady." In the afternoon we were harnessed and put in the carriage, and as the
13stable clock struck three we were led round to the front of the house. It was all very grand, and three or four times as
14large as the old house at Birtwick, but not half so pleasant, if a horse may have an opinion. Two footmen were standing
15ready, dressed in drab livery, with scarlet breeches and white stockings. Presently we heard the rustling sound of silk
16as my lady came down the flight of stone steps. She stepped round to look at us; she was a tall, proud-looking woman,
17and did not seem pleased about something, but she said nothing, and got into the carriage. This was the first time of
18wearing a check-rein, and I must say, though it certainly was a nuisance not to be able to get my head down now and
19then, it did not pull my head higher than I was accustomed to carry it. I felt anxious about Ginger, but she seemed to
20be quiet and content. The next day at three o'clock we were again at the door, and the footmen as before; we heard the
21silk dress rustle and the lady came down the steps, and in an imperious voice she said, "York, you must put those
22horses' heads higher; they are not fit to be seen." York got down, and said very respectfully, "I beg your pardon, my
23lady, but these horses have not been reined up for three years, and my lord said it would be safer to bring them to it
24by degrees; but if your ladyship pleases I can take them up a little more." "Do so," she said. York came round to our
25heads and shortened the rein himself--one hole, I think; every little makes a difference, be it for better or worse, and
26that 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
27head 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,
28and 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
29see 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
30we 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
31by day, hole by hole, our bearing reins were shortened, and instead of looking forward with pleasure to having my
32harness put on, as I used to do, I began to dread it. Ginger, too, seemed restless, though she said very little. At last
33I thought the worst was over; for several days there was no more shortening, and I determined to make the best of it and
34do my duty, though it was now a constant harass instead of a pleasure; but the worst was not come. 23 A Strike for
35Liberty One day my lady came down later than usual, and the silk rustled more than ever. "Drive to the Duchess of
36B----'s," she said, and then after a pause, "Are you never going to get those horses' heads up, York? Raise them at once
37and let us have no more of this humoring and nonsense." York came to me first, while the groom stood at Ginger's head.
38He drew my head back and fixed the rein so tight that it was almost intolerable; then he went to Ginger, who was
39impatiently jerking her head up and down against the bit, as was her way now. She had a good idea of what was coming,
40and the moment York took the rein off the terret in order to shorten it she took her opportunity and reared up so
41suddenly that York had his nose roughly hit and his hat knocked off; the groom was nearly thrown off his legs. At once
42they both flew to her head; but she was a match for them, and went on plunging, rearing, and kicking in a most desperate
43manner. At last she kicked right over the carriage pole and fell down, after giving me a severe blow on my near quarter.
44There is no knowing what further mischief she might have done had not York promptly sat himself down flat on her head to
45prevent her struggling, at the same time calling out, "Unbuckle the black horse! Run for the winch and unscrew the
46carriage pole! Cut the trace here, somebody, if you can't unhitch it!" One of the footmen ran for the winch, and another
47brought a knife from the house. The groom soon set me free from Ginger and the carriage, and led me to my box. He just
48turned 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
49or 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
50strained up to the terret on the saddle, and no power to get it down. I was very miserable and felt much inclined to
51kick the first person who came near me. Before long, however, Ginger was led in by two grooms, a good deal knocked about
52and bruised. York came with her and gave his orders, and then came to look at me. In a moment he let down my head.
53"Confound these check-reins!" he said to himself; "I thought we should have some mischief soon. Master will be sorely
54vexed. 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
55can't get to the duchess' garden party I can't help it." York did not say this before the men; he always spoke
56respectfully when they were by. Now he felt me all over, and soon found the place above my hock where I had been kicked.
57It was swelled and painful; he ordered it to be sponged with hot water, and then some lotion was put on. Lord W---- was
58much put out when he learned what had happened; he blamed York for giving way to his mistress, to which he replied that
59in future he would much prefer to receive his orders only from his lordship; but I think nothing came of it, for things
60went on the same as before. I thought York might have stood up better for his horses, but perhaps I am no judge. Ginger
61was never put into the carriage again, but when she was well of her bruises one of the Lord W----'s younger sons said he
62should 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,
63and had a fresh partner called Max; he had always been used to the tight rein. I asked him how it was he bore it.
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