Holiday House: A Series of Tales

by Catherine Sinclair

  CHAPTER XIII.

  THE AMUSING DRIVE.

  I would not enter on my list of friends (Though grac'd with polish'd manners and fine sense, Yet wanting sensibility) the man Who needlessly sets foot upon a worm.

  Cowper.

  Lady Harriet was confined to bed for several days after Frank'sdeparture from home, and during all that week Harry and Laura felt somelancholy, that even Mrs. Crabtree became sorry for them, saying it wasquite distressing to see how quiet and good they had become, for MasterHarry was as mild as milk now, and she almost wished he would be at someof his old tricks again.

  On the following Monday, a message arrived from Lady Rockville, to saythat she was going a long drive in her phaeton, to visit some boys atMusselburgh school, and would be happy to take Harry and Laura of theparty, if their grandmama had no objection. None being made by anybody,they flew up stairs to get ready, while Harry did not take above threesteps at a time, and Laura, when she followed, felt quite astonished tofind Mrs. Crabtree looking almost as pleased as herself, and saying shehoped the expedition would do them both good.

  Before five minutes had elapsed, Harry was mounted on the dickey, whereLady Rockville desired him to sit, instead of the footman, who was nowdismissed, as no room could be made for both; so after that Harrytouched his hat whenever any of the party spoke to him, as if he hadreally been the servant.

  Laura, meanwhile, was placed between Lady Rockville and Miss Perceval,where she could hardly keep quiet a minute for joy, though afraid toturn her head or to stir her little finger, in case of being thoughttroublesome.

  "I am told that the races take place at Musselburgh to-day," said LadyRockville. "It is a cruel amusement, derived from the sufferings ofnoble animals; they have as good a right to be happy in the world asourselves, Laura; but we shall pass that way, so Harry and you willprobably see the crowds of carriages."

  "Oh, how enchanting!--I never saw a race-course in my life!" exclaimedLaura, springing off her seat with delight. "Harry! Harry! we are goingto the races!"

  "Hurra!" exclaimed Harry, clapping his hands; "what a delightfulsurprise! Oh! I am so dreadfully happy!"

  "After all, my dear Lady Rockville," said Miss Perceval, yawning, "whathave horses got legs for, except to run?"

  "Yes, but not at such a pace! It always shocked me--formerly atDoncaster, where the jockeys were sometimes paid L1000 for winning--tosee how the poor animals were lashed and spurred along the course,foaming with fatigue, gasping till they nearly expired. Horses, poorcreatures, from the hour of their birth till their death, have a sadtime of it!"

  "Grandmama once read me a beautiful description of a wild horse in hisnatural state of liberty," said Laura. "Among the South American forestshe was to be seen carrying his head erect, with sparkling eyes, flowingmane, and splendid tail, trotting about among the noble trees, orcropping the grass at his feet, looking quite princely, and doingprecisely what he pleased."

  "Then look at the contrast," said Lady Rockville, pointing to a long rowof cart-horses with galled sides, shrivelled skins, broken knees, andemaciated bodies, which were all dragging their weary load along."Animals are all meant for the use of man, but not to be abused, likethese poor creatures!"

  "As for racing," said Miss Perceval, "a thorough-bred horse enters intothe spirit of it quite as much as his rider. Did you never hear ofQuin's celebrated steed, which became so eager to win, that when hisantagonist passed he seized him violently by the leg, and both jockeyshad to dismount that the furious animal might be torn away. The famoushorse Forester, too, caught hold of his opponent by the jaw, and couldscarcely be disengaged."

  "Think of all the cruel training these poor creatures went throughbefore they came to that," added Lady Rockville; "of the way in whichhorses are beaten, spurred, and severely cut with the whip; then, aftertheir strength fails, like the well-known 'high-mettled racer,' the pooranimal is probably sold at last to perpetual hard labour and ill-usage."

  "Uncle David shewed me yesterday," said Laura, "that horrid picturewhich you have probably seen, by Cruickshanks, of the Knackers' Yards inLondon, where old horses are sent to end their miserable days, after itis impossible to torture them any longer into working. Oh! it wasdreadful! and yet grandmama said the whole sketch had been taken fromlife."

  "I know that," answered Lady Rockville. "In these places the wretchedanimals are literally put to death by starvation, and may be seengnawing each other's manes in the last agonies of hunger."

  "My dear Lady Rockville," exclaimed Miss Perceval, affectedly, "how canyou talk of such unpleasant things!--there is an Act of Parliamentagainst cruelty to animals, so of course no such thing exists now. Manygentlemen are vastly kind to old horses, turning them out to grass foryears, that they may enjoy a life of elegant leisure and ruralretirement, to which, no doubt, some are well entitled; for instance,the famous horse Eclipse, which gained his owner L25,000! I wish he hadbeen mine!"

  "But think how many are ruined when one is enriched, and indeed both areruined in morals and good feeling; therefore I am glad that our sex havenever yet taken to the turf. It is bad enough, my dear Miss Perceval, tosee that they have taken to the moors; for were I to say all I think ofthose amazons who lately killed their six brace of grouse on the 12th ofAugust, they would probably challenge me to single combat. LordRockville says, 'What with gentlemen doing worsted work, and ladiesshouldering double-barrelled guns, he scarcely thinks this can be thesame world he was born in long ago.'"

  The carriage, at this moment, began to proceed along the road with suchextraordinary rapidity, that there seemed no danger of their followingin the dust of any other equipage, and Miss Perceval became exceedinglyalarmed, especially when Lady Rockville mentioned that this was one ofthe first times she had been driven by her new coachman, who seemed sovery unsteady on his seat, she had felt apprehensive, for some time,that he might be drunk.

  "A tipsy coachman! Dear Lady Rockville, do let me out! We shallcertainly be killed in this crowd of carriages! I can walk home! Praystop him, Miss Laura! I came to look on at a race, but not to run onemyself! This fast driving is like a railroad, only not quite sostraight! I do verily believe we are run off with! Stop,coachman!--stop!"

  In spite of all Miss Perceval's exclamations and vociferations, thecarriage flew on with frightful rapidity, though it reeled from side toside of the road, as if it had become intoxicated like the driverhimself, who lashed his horses and galloped along, within an inch ofhedges and ditches all the way, till at last, having reached therace-course, he pulled up so suddenly and violently, that the horsesnearly fell back on their haunches, while he swore at them in the mostfurious and shocking manner.

  Lady Rockville now stood up, and spoke to the coachman very severely onhis misconduct, in first driving her so dangerously fast, and then beingdisrespectful enough to use profane language in her presence, adding,that if he did not conduct himself more properly, she must complain toLord Rockville as soon as the carriage returned home. Upon hearing this,the man looked exceedingly sulky, and muttered angrily to himself in atipsy voice, till at last he suddenly threw away the reins, and, risingfrom the box, he began to scramble his way down, nearly falling to theground in his haste, and saying, "if your ladyship is not pleased withmy driving, you may drive yourself!"

  After this the intoxicated man staggered towards a drinking-booth notfar off, and disappeared, leaving Miss Perceval perfectly planet-struckwith astonishment, and actually dumb during several minutes with wonder,at all she heard and saw. There sat Harry, alone on the dicky, behindtwo spirited blood-horses, foaming at the mouth with the speed at whichthey had come, and ready to start off again at the slightest hint, whilenoises on every side were to be heard enough to frighten a pair ofhobby-horses. Piemen ringing their bells--blind fiddlers playing out oftune--boys calling lists of the horses--drums beating at thestarting-post--ballad singers squalling at the full pitch of theirvoices--horses galloping--grooms quarrelling--dogs barking--
and childrencrying.

  In the midst of all this uproar, Harry unexpectedly observed CaptainDigby on horseback not far off. Without losing a moment, he stood up,waving his handkerchief, and calling to beg he would come to thecarriage immediately, as they were in want of assistance; and LadyRockville told, as soon as he arrived, though hardly able to helplaughing while she explained it, the extraordinary predicament they hadbeen placed in. Captain Digby, upon hearing the story, looked ready togo off like a squib with rage at the offending coachman, and instantlyseizing the driving-whip, he desired his servant to hold the horses'heads, while he proceeded towards the drinking-booth, flourishing thelong lash in his hand as he went in a most ominous manner. Severalminutes elapsed, during which Harry overheard a prodigious outcry in thetent, and then the drunken coachman was seen reeling away along theroad, while Captain Digby, still brandishing the whip, returned, andmounting the dicky himself, he gathered up the reins, and insisted ondriving Lady Rockville's phaeton for her. Before long it was rangedclose beside a chariot so full of ladies, it seemed ready to burst, whenHarry was amused to perceive that Peter Grey and another boy, who wereseated on the rumble behind, had spread a table-cloth on the roof of thecarriage, using it for a dining-table, while they all seemed determinedto astonish their appetites by the quantity of oysters and sandwichesthey ate, and by drinking at the same time large tumblers of porter.Lady Rockville wished she could have the loan of Harry and Laura'sspirits for an hour or two, when she saw how perfectly bewildered withdelight they were on beholding the thousands of eager persons assembledon the race-ground,--jockeys riding about in liveries as gay astulips--officers in scarlet uniform--red flags fluttering in thebreeze--caravans exhibiting pictures of the wildest-looking beasts inthe world--bands of music--recruiting parties--fire-eaters, who dined onred-hot pokers--portraits representing pigs fatter than the fattest inthe world--giants a head and three pair of shoulders taller than anyone else, and little dwarfs, scarcely visible with the naked eye--all ofwhich were shown to children for half price!

  Lady Rockville very good naturedly gave Harry half-a-crown, promisingthat, before leaving the race-ground, he should either buy some orangesto lay the dust in his throat after so long a drive, or visit as manyshows as he pleased for his half-crown; and they were anxiouslydiscussing what five sights would be worth sixpence each, when a loudhurra was heard, the drums beat, and five horses started off for thefirst heat. Harry stood up in an ecstacy of delight, and spoke loudly inadmiration of the jockey on a grey horse, with a pink jacket, who tookthe lead, and seemed perfectly to fly, as if he need never touch theground; but Harry exclaimed angrily against the next rider, in a yellowdress and green cap, who pulled back his own bay horse, as if he reallywished to lose. To Laura's astonishment, however, Captain Digbypreferred him, and Miss Perceval declared in favour of a light-bluejacket and chesnut horse. Harry now thought everybody stupid not toagree with him, and called out in the height of his eagerness, "I wouldbet this half-crown upon the pink jacket!"

  "Done!" cried Peter, laughing. "The yellow dress and green cap for mymoney!"

  "Then I shall soon have five shillings!" exclaimed Harry in great glee;but scarcely had he spoken, before a loud murmuring sound arose amongthe surrounding crowd, upon hearing which he looked anxiously about, andwas astonished to see the green cap and yellow dress already at thewinning-post, while his own favourite grey horse cantered slowly along,far behind all the others, carrying the jockey in the pink jacket, whohung his head, and was bent nearly double, with shame and fatigue.

  Peter Grey gave a loud laugh of triumph when he glanced at Harry'sdisappointed angry countenance, and held out his hand for thehalf-crown, saying, "Pay your debt of honour, Master Harry! It is ratherfortunate I won, seeing that not one sixpence had I to have paid youwith! not a penny to jingle on a mile-stone. You had more money thanwit, and I had more wit than money, so we are well met. Did you not seethat the grey horse had fallen lame? Good-bye, youngster! I shall tellall the giants and wild beasts to expect you another day!"

  "Harry!" said Lady Rockville, looking gravely at his enragedcountenance, "it is a foolish fish that is caught with every bait! I amquite relieved that you lost that money. This is an early lesson againstgambling, and no one can ever be rich or happy who becomes fond of it.We were wrong to bring you here at all; and I now see you could easilybe led into that dreadful vice, which has caused misery and ruin tothousands of young men. If you had possessed an estate, it would havebeen thrown away quite as foolishly as the poor half-crown, making youperhaps miserable afterwards for life."

  "I thought myself quite sure to win!" exclaimed Harry, still lookingwith angry astonishment after Peter, who was making odd grimaces, andholding up the half-crown in a most teazing manner. "I would rather havethrown my money into the sea than given it to Peter."

  "Think, too, how many pleasanter and better ways there are, in which youmight have spent it!" added Lady Rockville. "Look at that poor blind manwhom you could have relieved, or consider what a nice present you shouldhave given to Laura! But there seem to be no more brains in your head,Harry, than in her thimble!"

  "Peter is quite a little black-leg already," observed Miss Perceval. "Inever saw such a boy! So fond of attracting notice, that he would put ona cap and bells if that would make him stared at. Last Saturday heundertook for a bet to make a ceremonious bow to every lamp-post alongPrince's Street, and I wish you could have seen the wondering crowd thatgradually collected as he went along, performing his task with the mostperfect composure and impudence."

  "For cool assurance, I hope there are not many boys equal to him," saidLady Rockville. "He scattered out of the window lately several red-hothalf-pence, among some beggars, and I am told they perfectly stuck tothe poor creatures' fingers when trying to pick them up; and he was senta message, on his pony, one very cold day lately, to Lady De Vere's, whooffered, when he was taking leave, to cut him one of her finestcamellias, to which he replied, 'I would much rather you offered me ahot potatoe!'"

  "Peter feels no sympathy in your disappointment, Harry," added MissPerceval; "but we might as well expect wool on a dog, as friendship froma gambler, who would ruin his own father, and always laughs at those wholose."

  "Go and cut your wisdom teeth, Harry!" said Captain Digby, smiling. "Anyone must have been born blind not to observe that the grey horse wasfalling behind; but you have bought half-a-crown's worth of wisdom byexperience, and I hope it will last for life. Never venture to bet eventhat your own head is on your shoulders, or it may turn out a mistake."

  "Harry is now the monkey that has seen the world, and I think it will bea whole year of Saturdays before he ever commits such a blunder again,"continued Lady Rockville. "We must for this once, not complain of whathas occurred to Lady Harriet, because she would be exceedinglydispleased, but certainly you are a most ingenious little gentleman forgetting into scrapes!"

  Harry told upon himself, however, on his return home, because he hadalways been accustomed to do so, knowing Major Graham and his grandmamawere never very angry at any fault that was confessed and repented of,therefore he went straight up stairs, and related his whole history touncle David, who gave him a very serious exhortation against the foolishand sinful vice of gambling. To keep him in mind of his silly adventurethat day, Harry was also desired, during the whole evening, to wear hiscoat turned inside out, a very frequent punishment administered by MajorGraham for small offences, and which was generally felt to be a terribledisgrace.