41 Black Beauty - Read By Stephanie Poppins

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Chapter 45 Jerry's New Year For some people,

Christmas and the New Year are very merry times.

But for cabman and cabman's horses it's no holiday,

Though it may be a harvest.

There are so many parties,

Balls and places of amusement open,

The work is hard and often late.

Sometimes driver and horse have to wait for hours in the rain or frost,

Shivering with the cold,

While the merry people within are dancing away to the music.

I wonder if the beautiful ladies ever think of the weary cabman waiting on his box and his patient beast standing till his legs get stiff with cold.

I had now most of the evening work as I was well accustomed to standing and Jerry was also more afraid of hot spur taking cold.

We had a great deal of late work in the Christmas week and Jerry's cough was bad,

But however late we were,

Polly sat up for him and came with a lantern to meet him looking anxious and troubled.

On the evening of the New Year we had to take two gentlemen to a house in one of the West End squares.

We set them down at nine o'clock and were told to come again at eleven.

But,

Said one,

As it's a card party you might have to wait a few minutes.

But don't be late.

As the clock struck eleven we were at the door,

But Jerry was always punctual.

The clock chimed the quarters one,

Two,

Three,

Then struck twelve,

But the door did not open.

The wind had been very changeable with scores of rain during the day,

But now it came on sharp as a driving sleet which seemed to come all the way round.

It was very cold and there was no shelter.

Jerry got off his box and came and pulled one of my cloths a little more over my neck.

Then he took a turn or two up and down stamping his feet and began to beat his arms,

But that set him off coughing so he opened the cab door and sat at the bottom with his feet on the pavement and he was a little sheltered.

Still the clock chimed the quarters and no one came.

At half past twelve he rang the bell and asked the servant if he would be wanted that night.

Yes,

You'll be wanted safe enough,

Said the man.

You can't go,

It'll soon be over.

Jerry sat down again,

But his voice was so hoarse I could hardly hear him.

At a quarter past one the door opened and the two gentlemen came out.

They got into the cab without a word and told Jerry where to drive.

It was nearly two miles.

My legs were numb with cold and I thought I should have stumbled.

When the men got there they never said they were sorry to have kept us waiting,

But were angry at the charge.

However,

As Jerry never charged more than was his due,

He never took less either,

So they had to pay for the two hours and a quarter waiting.

This was hard-earned money.

At last we got home and Jerry could hardly speak.

His cough was dreadful.

Polly asked him no questions but opened the door and held out the lantern.

Can I do something?

She said.

Yes,

Get Jack something warm and boil me some gruel.

This was said in a hoarse whisper,

Jerry could hardly get his breath,

But he gave me a rub down as usual and went into the hay loft for an extra bundle of straw for my bed.

Polly brought me a warm mash that made me feel comfortable and then they locked the door.

It was late the next morning before anyone came and then it was only Harry.

He cleaned us and fed us and swept out the stalls,

Then he put the straw back again as if it were Sunday.

He was very still and neither whistled nor sang.

At noon he came again and gave us our food and water.

This time Dolly came with him,

She was crying and I could gather from what they said,

Jerry was dangerously ill.

The doctor said it was a very bad case.

Two days passed and there was great trouble.

We only saw Harry and sometimes Dolly.

I think she came to us for company,

For Polly was always with Jerry and he had to be kept very quiet.

On the third day,

While Harry was in the stable,

A tap came at the door and Governor Grant came in.

I wouldn't go to the house,

My boy,

He said,

But I want to know how your father is.

He's very bad,

Said Harry,

He can't be much worse.

They call it bronchitis.

The doctor thinks he'll turn one way or another tonight.

That's bad,

Very bad,

Grant shaking his head.

I know two men who died of that last week.

It takes them off in no time,

But while there's life,

There's hope.

You must keep up your spirits.

Yes,

Said Harry quickly.

The doctor says father's a better chance than most men because he doesn't drink.

He said yesterday the fever was so high,

If father had been drinking,

It would have burned him up like a piece of paper.

But I believe he thinks he'll get over it.

Do you think he will,

Mr.

Grant?

The governor looked puzzled.

If there's any rule that good men should get over these things,

I'm sure he will,

My boy.

He's the best man I know.

Now I'll look in early tomorrow,

Okay?

Early next morning he was there.

Well,

Said he cautiously.

Father's better,

Said Harry.

Mother hopes he'll get over it.

Thank God,

Said the governor.

And now you must keep him warm and keep his mind easy.

And that brings me to the horses.

Jack will be all the better for the rest of the week or two in a warm stable.

You can easily take him a turn up and down the street to stretch his legs.

But this young one,

If he doesn't get work,

He'll soon be up on end,

As you might say.

It'll be rather too much for you,

Though.

When he does go,

There'll be an accident.

It is like that now,

Said Harry.

I've kept him short of corn,

But he's so full of spirit,

I don't know what to do with him.

Just so,

Said Grant.

Look here,

Will you tell your mother if she's agreeable,

I'll come for him every day till something else is arranged.

I'll take him for a good spell of work and whatever he earns,

I'll bring your mother half of it.

That'll help with the horses' feed.

Your father is in a good club,

I know,

But that won't keep the horses.

They'll be eating their heads off all this time.

I'll come back at noon and hear what he says.

And without waiting for Harry's thanks,

Governor Grant was gone.

At noon I think he went and saw Polly,

For he and Harry came to the stable together,

Harnessed Hotspur,

And took him out.

For a week or more he came for Hotspur,

And when Harry thanked him or said anything about his kindness,

He just laughed it off,

Saying it was good luck for him.

For his horses were wanting a little rest,

Which they would not otherwise have had.

Jerry grew better steadily,

But the doctor said he must never go back to cab work again if he wished to be an old man.

The children had many consultations together about what father and mother would do,

And how they could help to earn the money.

One afternoon Hotspur was brought in very wet and dirty.

The streets are nothing but slush,

Said the Governor.

It'll give you a good warning,

My boy,

To get him clean and dry.

All right,

Governor,

Said Harry.

I'll not leave until he is.

You know I've been trained by my father.

I wish all boys had been trained like you,

Said the Governor.

While Harry was sponging off the mud from Hotspur's body and legs,

Dolly came in looking very full of something.

Who lives at Fairstow,

Harry?

She asked.

Mother's got a letter from Fairstow.

She seems so glad,

And she ran upstairs to father with it.

Don't you know,

Said Harry,

It's the name of Mrs Fowler's place.

Mother's old mistress,

You know.

The lady that father met last summer,

Who sent you and me five shillings each.

Oh,

Mrs Fowler.

Of course,

I know all about her.

I wonder what she's writing to mother about.

Mother wrote to her last week,

Said Harry.

You know she told father if he ever gave up the cab work,

She'd like to know.

I wonder what she says.

Run in and see Dolly,

Will you?

Harry scrubbed away at Hotspur with a hush,

Hush like any old hostler.

And in a few minutes,

Dolly came back dancing into the stable.

Oh Harry,

There's never been anything so beautiful.

Mrs Fowler said we ought to go and live near her.

There's a cottage empty that'll suit us with a garden and a hen house and apple trees and everything.

Her coachman's going away in the spring.

She'll want father in his place.

And there are good families around where you can get a place in the garden or the stable or as a page boy.

And there's a good school for me.

And mother's laughing and crying,

But I turns and father looks so happy.

That's uncommon,

Jolly,

Said Harry.

And just the right thing,

I say.

It'll suit father and mother both,

But I don't intend to be a page boy with tight clothes and rows of buttons.

I'd rather be a groom or a gardener.

It was quickly settled that as soon as Gerry was well enough,

They would move to the country and the cabin horses should be sold as soon as possible.

This was very heavy news for me.

I was not a young horse now and I could not look for any improvement in my condition.

Since I left Birtwick,

I've never been so happy with my dear master,

Gerry.

But three years of cab work,

Even under the best conditions,

Will tell on one's strength.

And I felt I was not the horse that I had been.

Grant said at once he would take Hotspur.

There were men on the stand who would have bought me,

But Gerry said I should not go into cab work again with just anybody and the governor promised to find a place for me where I should be comfortable.

The day came for going away.

Gerry had not been allowed to go out yet and I never saw him after that New Year's Eve.

Polly and the children came to bid me goodbye.

Poor old Jack,

Dear old Jack,

I wish we could take you with us,

Said Polly.

She laid her hand on my mane and put her face close to my neck and kissed me.

She was crying.

Harry stroked me a great deal,

But he said nothing,

Only he seemed very sad.

And so I was led away to my new place.