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1I got along fairly till we came to Ludgate Hill; but there the heavy load and my own exhaustion were too much. I was
2struggling to keep on, goaded by constant chucks of the rein and use of the whip, when in a single moment--I cannot tell
3how--my feet slipped from under me, and I fell heavily to the ground on my side; the suddenness and the force with which
4I fell seemed to beat all the breath out of my body. I lay perfectly still; indeed, I had no power to move, and I
5thought now I was going to die. I heard a sort of confusion round me, loud, angry voices, and the getting down of the
6luggage, but it was all like a dream. I thought I heard that sweet, pitiful voice saying, "Oh! that poor horse! it is
7all our fault." Some one came and loosened the throat strap of my bridle, and undid the traces which kept the collar so
8tight upon me. Some one said, "He's dead, he'll never get up again." Then I could hear a policeman giving orders, but I
9did not even open my eyes; I could only draw a gasping breath now and then. Some cold water was thrown over my head, and
10some cordial was poured into my mouth, and something was covered over me. I cannot tell how long I lay there, but I
11found my life coming back, and a kind-voiced man was patting me and encouraging me to rise. After some more cordial had
12been given me, and after one or two attempts, I staggered to my feet, and was gently led to some stables which were
13close by. Here I was put into a well-littered stall, and some warm gruel was brought to me, which I drank thankfully. In
14the evening I was sufficiently recovered to be led back to Skinner's stables, where I think they did the best for me
15they could. In the morning Skinner came with a farrier to look at me. He examined me very closely and said: "This is a
16case of overwork more than disease, and if you could give him a run off for six months he would be able to work again;
17but now there is not an ounce of strength left in him." "Then he must just go to the dogs," said Skinner. "I have no
18meadows to nurse sick horses in--he might get well or he might not; that sort of thing don't suit my business; my plan
19is to work 'em as long as they'll go, and then sell 'em for what they'll fetch, at the knacker's or elsewhere." "If he
20was broken-winded," said the farrier, "you had better have him killed out of hand, but he is not; there is a sale of
21horses coming off in about ten days; if you rest him and feed him up he may pick up, and you may get more than his skin
22is worth, at any rate." Upon this advice Skinner, rather unwillingly, I think, gave orders that I should be well fed and
23cared for, and the stable man, happily for me, carried out the orders with a much better will than his master had in
24giving them. Ten days of perfect rest, plenty of good oats, hay, bran mashes, with boiled linseed mixed in them, did
25more to get up my condition than anything else could have done; those linseed mashes were delicious, and I began to
26think, after all, it might be better to live than go to the dogs. When the twelfth day after the accident came, I was
27taken to the sale, a few miles out of London. I felt that any change from my present place must be an improvement, so I
28held up my head, and hoped for the best. 48 Farmer Thoroughgood and His Grandson Willie At this sale, of course I found
29myself in company with the old broken-down horses--some lame, some broken-winded, some old, and some that I am sure it
30would have been merciful to shoot. The buyers and sellers, too, many of them, looked not much better off than the poor
31beasts they were bargaining about. There were poor old men, trying to get a horse or a pony for a few pounds, that might
32drag about some little wood or coal cart. There were poor men trying to sell a worn-out beast for two or three pounds,
33rather than have the greater loss of killing him. Some of them looked as if poverty and hard times had hardened them all
34over; but there were others that I would have willingly used the last of my strength in serving; poor and shabby, but
35kind and human, with voices that I could trust. There was one tottering old man who took a great fancy to me, and I to
36him, but I was not strong enough--it was an anxious time! Coming from the better part of the fair, I noticed a man who
37looked like a gentleman farmer, with a young boy by his side; he had a broad back and round shoulders, a kind, ruddy
38face, and he wore a broad-brimmed hat. When he came up to me and my companions he stood still and gave a pitiful look
39round upon us. I saw his eye rest on me; I had still a good mane and tail, which did something for my appearance. I
40pricked my ears and looked at him. "There's a horse, Willie, that has known better days." "Poor old fellow!" said the
41boy, "do you think, grandpapa, he was ever a carriage horse?" "Oh, yes! my boy," said the farmer, coming closer, "he
42might have been anything when he was young; look at his nostrils and his ears, the shape of his neck and shoulder;
43there'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
44in answer to his kindness; the boy stroked my face. "Poor old fellow! see, grandpapa, how well he understands kindness.
45Could not you buy him and make him young again as you did with Ladybird?" "My dear boy, I can't make all old horses
46young; besides, Ladybird was not so very old, as she was run down and badly used." "Well, grandpapa, I don't believe
47that this one is old; look at his mane and tail. I wish you would look into his mouth, and then you could tell; though
48he is so very thin, his eyes are not sunk like some old horses'." The old gentleman laughed. "Bless the boy! he is as
49horsey as his old grandfather." "But do look at his mouth, grandpapa, and ask the price; I am sure he would grow young
50in our meadows." The man who had brought me for sale now put in his word. "The young gentleman's a real knowing one,
51sir. Now the fact is, this 'ere hoss is just pulled down with overwork in the cabs; he's not an old one, and I heerd as
52how the vetenary should say, that a six months' run off would set him right up, being as how his wind was not broken.
53I've had the tending of him these ten days past, and a gratefuller, pleasanter animal I never met with, and 'twould be
54worth 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
55twenty pounds next spring." The old gentleman laughed, and the little boy looked up eagerly. "Oh, grandpapa, did you not
56say the colt sold for five pounds more than you expected? You would not be poorer if you did buy this one." The farmer
57slowly felt my legs, which were much swelled and strained; then he looked at my mouth. "Thirteen or fourteen, I should
58say; 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
59I could, for they were very stiff. "What is the lowest you will take for him?" said the farmer as I came back. "Five
60pounds, sir; that was the lowest price my master set." "'Tis a speculation," said the old gentleman, shaking his head,
61but at the same time slowly drawing out his purse, "quite a speculation! Have you any more business here?" he said,
62counting the sovereigns into his hand. "No, sir, I can take him for you to the inn, if you please." "Do so, I am now
63going there." They walked forward, and I was led behind. The boy could hardly control his delight, and the old gentleman
64seemed to enjoy his pleasure. I had a good feed at the inn, and was then gently ridden home by a servant of my new
65master's, and turned into a large meadow with a shed in one corner of it.
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