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1"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
2nothing 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
3have seen dead horses, and I am sure they do not suffer pain; I wish I may drop down dead at my work, and not be sent
4off to the knackers." I was very much troubled, and I put my nose up to hers, but I could say nothing to comfort her. I
5think she was pleased to see me, for she said, "You are the only friend I ever had." Just then her driver came up, and
6with 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
7cart with a dead horse in it passed our cab-stand. The head hung out of the cart-tail, the lifeless tongue was slowly
8dropping with blood; and the sunken eyes! but I can't speak of them, the sight was too dreadful. It was a chestnut horse
9with a long, thin neck. I saw a white streak down the forehead. I believe it was Ginger; I hoped it was, for then her
10troubles would be over. Oh! if men were more merciful they would shoot us before we came to such misery. 41 The Butcher
11I saw a great deal of trouble among the horses in London, and much of it might have been prevented by a little common
12sense. We horses do not mind hard work if we are treated reasonably, and I am sure there are many driven by quite poor
13men who have a happier life than I had when I used to go in the Countess of W----'s carriage, with my silver-mounted
14harness and high feeding. It often went to my heart to see how the little ponies were used, straining along with heavy
15loads or staggering under heavy blows from some low, cruel boy. Once I saw a little gray pony with a thick mane and a
16pretty head, and so much like Merrylegs that if I had not been in harness I should have neighed to him. He was doing his
17best to pull a heavy cart, while a strong rough boy was cutting him under the belly with his whip and chucking cruelly
18at his little mouth. Could it be Merrylegs? It was just like him; but then Mr. Blomefield was never to sell him, and I
19think 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
20young. I often noticed the great speed at which butchers' horses were made to go, though I did not know why it was so
21till 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
22standing a butcher's cart came dashing up at a great pace. The horse was hot and much exhausted; he hung his head down,
23while his heaving sides and trembling legs showed how hard he had been driven. The lad jumped out of the cart and was
24getting the basket when the master came out of the shop much displeased. After looking at the horse he turned angrily to
25the lad. "How many times shall I tell you not to drive in this way? You ruined the last horse and broke his wind, and
26you 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
27to have a horse brought to the shop in a condition like that; you are liable to be taken up by the police for such
28driving, and if you are you need not look to me for bail, for I have spoken to you till I'm tired; you must look out for
29yourself." During this speech the boy had stood by, sullen and dogged, but when his father ceased he broke out angrily.
30It wasn't his fault, and he wouldn't take the blame; he was only going by orders all the time. "You always say, 'Now be
31quick; 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
32with it in a quarter of an hour; another cook has forgotten to order the beef; I must go and fetch it and be back in no
33time, or the mistress will scold; and the housekeeper says they have company coming unexpectedly and must have some
34chops sent up directly; and the lady at No. 4, in the Crescent, never orders her dinner till the meat comes in for
35lunch, and it's nothing but hurry, hurry, all the time. If the gentry would think of what they want, and order their
36meat the day before, there need not be this blow up!" "I wish to goodness they would," said the butcher; "'twould save
37me a wonderful deal of harass, and I could suit my customers much better if I knew beforehand--But there! what's the use
38of talking--who ever thinks of a butcher's convenience or a butcher's horse! Now, then, take him in and look to him
39well; mind, he does not go out again to-day, and if anything else is wanted you must carry it yourself in the basket."
40With 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
41donkey as if it had been a favorite dog, and the little creatures have worked away as cheerfully and willingly for their
42young drivers as I work for Jerry. It may be hard work sometimes, but a friend's hand and voice make it easy. There was
43a young coster-boy who came up our street with greens and potatoes; he had an old pony, not very handsome, but the
44cheerfullest and pluckiest little thing I ever saw, and to see how fond those two were of each other was a treat. The
45pony followed his master like a dog, and when he got into his cart would trot off without a whip or a word, and rattle
46down the street as merrily as if he had come out of the queen's stables. Jerry liked the boy, and called him "Prince
47Charlie", for he said he would make a king of drivers some day. There was an old man, too, who used to come up our
48street with a little coal cart; he wore a coal-heaver's hat, and looked rough and black. He and his old horse used to
49plod together along the street, like two good partners who understood each other; the horse would stop of his own accord
50at the doors where they took coal of him; he used to keep one ear bent toward his master. The old man's cry could be
51heard up the street long before he came near. I never knew what he said, but the children called him "Old Ba-a-ar Hoo",
52for it sounded like that. Polly took her coal of him, and was very friendly, and Jerry said it was a comfort to think
53how happy an old horse might be in a poor place. 42 The Election As we came into the yard one afternoon Polly came out.
54"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
55an answer." "Well, Polly, you may say that my cab will be otherwise engaged. I should not like to have it pasted over
56with their great bills, and as to making Jack and Captain race about to the public-houses to bring up half-drunken
57voters, why, I think 'twould be an insult to the horses. No, I shan't do it." "I suppose you'll vote for the gentleman?
58He 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
59is?" "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
60workingmen want; I could not in my conscience send him up to make the laws. I dare say they'll be angry, but every man
61must do what he thinks to be the best for his country." On the morning before the election, Jerry was putting me into
62the shafts, when Dolly came into the yard sobbing and crying, with her little blue frock and white pinafore spattered
63all over with mud. "Why, Dolly, what is the matter?"
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