by Anna Sewell
"Little Joe Green at the lodge," said John.
"Little Joe Green! why, he's a child!"
"He is fourteen and a half," said John.
"But he is such a little chap!"
"Yes, he is small, but he is quick and willing, and kind-hearted, too,and then he wishes very much to come, and his father would like it;and I know the master would like to give him the chance. He said if Ithought he would not do he would look out for a bigger boy; but I said Iwas quite agreeable to try him for six weeks."
"Six weeks!" said James; "why, it will be six months before he can be ofmuch use! It will make you a deal of work, John."
"Well," said John with a laugh, "work and I are very good friends; Inever was afraid of work yet."
"You are a very good man," said James. "I wish I may ever be like you."
"I don't often speak of myself," said John, "but as you are going awayfrom us out into the world to shift for yourself I'll just tell you howI look on these things. I was just as old as Joseph when my father andmother died of the fever within ten days of each other, and left me andmy cripple sister Nelly alone in the world, without a relation that wecould look to for help. I was a farmer's boy, not earning enough to keepmyself, much less both of us, and she must have gone to the workhousebut for our mistress (Nelly calls her her angel, and she has good rightto do so). She went and hired a room for her with old Widow Mallet, andshe gave her knitting and needlework when she was able to do it; andwhen she was ill she sent her dinners and many nice, comfortable things,and was like a mother to her. Then the master he took me into the stableunder old Norman, the coachman that was then. I had my food at the houseand my bed in the loft, and a suit of clothes, and three shillings aweek, so that I could help Nelly. Then there was Norman; he might haveturned round and said at his age he could not be troubled with a raw boyfrom the plow-tail, but he was like a father to me, and took no end ofpains with me. When the old man died some years after I stepped into hisplace, and now of course I have top wages, and can lay by for a rainyday or a sunny day, as it may happen, and Nelly is as happy as a bird.So you see, James, I am not the man that should turn up his nose at alittle boy and vex a good, kind master. No, no! I shall miss you verymuch, James, but we shall pull through, and there's nothing like doing akindness when 'tis put in your way, and I am glad I can do it."
"Then," said James, "you don't hold with that saying, 'Everybody lookafter himself, and take care of number one'?"
"No, indeed," said John, "where should I and Nelly have been if masterand mistress and old Norman had only taken care of number one? Why,she in the workhouse and I hoeing turnips! Where would Black Beauty andGinger have been if you had only thought of number one? why, roasted todeath! No, Jim, no! that is a selfish, heathenish saying, whoever usesit; and any man who thinks he has nothing to do but take care of numberone, why, it's a pity but what he had been drowned like a puppy or akitten, before he got his eyes open; that's what I think," said John,with a very decided jerk of his head.
James laughed at this; but there was a thickness in his voice when hesaid, "You have been my best friend except my mother; I hope you won'tforget me."
"No, lad, no!" said John, "and if ever I can do you a good turn I hopeyou won't forget me."
The next day Joe came to the stables to learn all he could before Jamesleft. He learned to sweep the stable, to bring in the straw and hay; hebegan to clean the harness, and helped to wash the carriage. As he wasquite too short to do anything in the way of grooming Ginger and me,James taught him upon Merrylegs, for he was to have full charge ofhim, under John. He was a nice little bright fellow, and always camewhistling to his work.
Merrylegs was a good deal put out at being "mauled about," as he said,"by a boy who knew nothing;" but toward the end of the second week hetold me confidentially that he thought the boy would turn out well.
At last the day came when James had to leave us; cheerful as he alwayswas, he looked quite down-hearted that morning.
"You see," he said to John, "I am leaving a great deal behind; my motherand Betsy, and you, and a good master and mistress, and then the horses,and my old Merrylegs. At the new place there will not be a soul that Ishall know. If it were not that I shall get a higher place, and be ableto help my mother better, I don't think I should have made up my mind toit; it is a real pinch, John."
"Ay, James, lad, so it is; but I should not think much of you if youcould leave your home for the first time and not feel it. Cheer up,you'll make friends there; and if you get on well, as I am sure youwill, it will be a fine thing for your mother, and she will be proudenough that you have got into such a good place as that."
So John cheered him up, but every one was sorry to lose James; as forMerrylegs, he pined after him for several days, and went quite off hisappetite. So John took him out several mornings with a leading rein,when he exercised me, and, trotting and galloping by my side, got up thelittle fellow's spirits again, and he was soon all right.
Joe's father would often come in and give a little help, as heunderstood the work; and Joe took a great deal of pains to learn, andJohn was quite encouraged about him.
18 Going for the Doctor
One night, a few days after James had left, I had eaten my hay and waslying down in my straw fast asleep, when I was suddenly roused by thestable bell ringing very loud. I heard the door of John's house open,and his feet running up to the hall. He was back again in no time; heunlocked the stable door, and came in, calling out, "Wake up, Beauty!You must go well now, if ever you did;" and almost before I could thinkhe had got the saddle on my back and the bridle on my head. He justran round for his coat, and then took me at a quick trot up to the halldoor. The squire stood there, with a lamp in his hand.
"Now, John," he said, "ride for your life--that is, for your mistress'life; there is not a moment to lose. Give this note to Dr. White; giveyour horse a rest at the inn, and be back as soon as you can."
John said, "Yes, sir," and was on my back in a minute. The gardener wholived at the lodge had heard the bell ring, and was ready with the gateopen, and away we went through the park, and through the village, anddown the hill till we came to the toll-gate. John called very loud andthumped upon the door; the man was soon out and flung open the gate.
"Now," said John, "do you keep the gate open for the doctor; here's themoney," and off he went again.
There was before us a long piece of level road by the river side; Johnsaid to me, "Now, Beauty, do your best," and so I did; I wanted no whipnor spur, and for two miles I galloped as fast as I could lay my feet tothe ground; I don't believe that my old grandfather, who won the raceat Newmarket, could have gone faster. When we came to the bridge Johnpulled me up a little and patted my neck. "Well done, Beauty! good oldfellow," he said. He would have let me go slower, but my spirit was up,and I was off again as fast as before. The air was frosty, the moon wasbright; it was very pleasant. We came through a village, then througha dark wood, then uphill, then downhill, till after eight miles' run wecame to the town, through the streets and into the market-place. It wasall quite still except the clatter of my feet on the stones--everybodywas asleep. The church clock struck three as we drew up at Dr. White'sdoor. John rang the bell twice, and then knocked at the door likethunder. A window was thrown up, and Dr. White, in his nightcap, put hishead out and said, "What do you want?"
"Mrs. Gordon is very ill, sir; master wants you to go at once; he thinksshe will die if you cannot get there. Here is a note."
"Wait," he said, "I will come."
He shut the window, and was soon at the door.
"The worst of it is," he said, "that my horse has been out all day andis quite done up; my son has just been sent for, and he has taken theother. What is to be done? Can I have your horse?"
"He has come at a gallop nearly all the way, sir, and I was to give hima rest here; but I think my master would not be against it, if you thinkfit, sir."
"All right," he said; "I will soon be ready."
John
stood by me and stroked my neck; I was very hot. The doctor cameout with his riding-whip.
"You need not take that, sir," said John; "Black Beauty will go till hedrops. Take care of him, sir, if you can; I should not like any harm tocome to him."
"No, no, John," said the doctor, "I hope not," and in a minute we hadleft John far behind.
I will not tell about our way back. The doctor was a heavier man thanJohn, and not so good a rider; however, I did my very best. The man atthe toll-gate had it open. When we came to the hill the doctor drew meup. "Now, my good fellow," he said, "take some breath." I was glad hedid, for I was nearly spent, but that breathing helped me on, and soonwe were in the park. Joe was at the lodge gate; my master was at thehall door, for he had heard us coming. He spoke not a word; the doctorwent into the house with him, and Joe led me to the stable. I was gladto get home; my legs shook under me, and I could only stand and pant. Ihad not a dry hair on my body, the water ran down my legs, and I steamedall over, Joe used to say, like a pot on the fire. Poor Joe! he wasyoung and small, and as yet he knew very little, and his father, whowould have helped him, had been sent to the next village; but I am surehe did the very best he knew. He rubbed my legs and my chest, but he didnot put my warm cloth on me; he thought I was so hot I should not likeit. Then he gave me a pailful of water to drink; it was cold and verygood, and I drank it all; then he gave me some hay and some corn, andthinking he had done right, he went away. Soon I began to shake andtremble, and turned deadly cold; my legs ached, my loins ached, and mychest ached, and I felt sore all over. Oh! how I wished for my warm,thick cloth, as I stood and trembled. I wished for John, but he hadeight miles to walk, so I lay down in my straw and tried to go to sleep.After a long while I heard John at the door; I gave a low moan, for Iwas in great pain. He was at my side in a moment, stooping down by me. Icould not tell him how I felt, but he seemed to know it all; he coveredme up with two or three warm cloths, and then ran to the house for somehot water; he made me some warm gruel, which I drank, and then I think Iwent to sleep.
John seemed to be very much put out. I heard him say to himself over andover again, "Stupid boy! stupid boy! no cloth put on, and I dare say thewater was cold, too; boys are no good;" but Joe was a good boy, afterall.
I was now very ill; a strong inflammation had attacked my lungs, and Icould not draw my breath without pain. John nursed me night and day; hewould get up two or three times in the night to come to me. My master,too, often came to see me. "My poor Beauty," he said one day, "my goodhorse, you saved your mistress' life, Beauty; yes, you saved her life."I was very glad to hear that, for it seems the doctor had said if we hadbeen a little longer it would have been too late. John told my master henever saw a horse go so fast in his life. It seemed as if the horse knewwhat was the matter. Of course I did, though John thought not; at leastI knew as much as this--that John and I must go at the top of our speed,and that it was for the sake of the mistress.
19 Only Ignorance
I do not know how long I was ill. Mr. Bond, the horse-doctor, came everyday. One day he bled me; John held a pail for the blood. I felt veryfaint after it and thought I should die, and I believe they all thoughtso too.
Ginger and Merrylegs had been moved into the other stable, so that Imight be quiet, for the fever made me very quick of hearing; any littlenoise seemed quite loud, and I could tell every one's footstep going toand from the house. I knew all that was going on. One night John had togive me a draught; Thomas Green came in to help him. After I had takenit and John had made me as comfortable as he could, he said he shouldstay half an hour to see how the medicine settled. Thomas said hewould stay with him, so they went and sat down on a bench that had beenbrought into Merrylegs' stall, and put down the lantern at their feet,that I might not be disturbed with the light.
For awhile both men sat silent, and then Tom Green said in a low voice:
"I wish, John, you'd say a bit of a kind word to Joe. The boy is quitebroken-hearted; he can't eat his meals, and he can't smile. He says heknows it was all his fault, though he is sure he did the best he knew,and he says if Beauty dies no one will ever speak to him again. It goesto my heart to hear him. I think you might give him just a word; he isnot a bad boy."
After a short pause John said slowly, "You must not be too hard upon me,Tom. I know he meant no harm, I never said he did; I know he is not abad boy. But you see, I am sore myself; that horse is the pride of myheart, to say nothing of his being such a favorite with the master andmistress; and to think that his life may be flung away in this manner ismore than I can bear. But if you think I am hard on the boy I will tryto give him a good word to-morrow--that is, I mean if Beauty is better."
"Well, John, thank you. I knew you did not wish to be too hard, and I amglad you see it was only ignorance."
John's voice almost startled me as he answered:
"Only ignorance! only ignorance! how can you talk about only ignorance?Don't you know that it is the worst thing in the world, next towickedness?--and which does the most mischief heaven only knows. Ifpeople can say, 'Oh! I did not know, I did not mean any harm,' theythink it is all right. I suppose Martha Mulwash did not mean to killthat baby when she dosed it with Dalby and soothing syrups; but she didkill it, and was tried for manslaughter."
"And serve her right, too," said Tom. "A woman should not undertake tonurse a tender little child without knowing what is good and what is badfor it."
"Bill Starkey," continued John, "did not mean to frighten his brotherinto fits when he dressed up like a ghost and ran after him in themoonlight; but he did; and that bright, handsome little fellow, thatmight have been the pride of any mother's heart is just no better thanan idiot, and never will be, if he lives to be eighty years old. Youwere a good deal cut up yourself, Tom, two weeks ago, when those youngladies left your hothouse door open, with a frosty east wind blowingright in; you said it killed a good many of your plants."
"A good many!" said Tom; "there was not one of the tender cuttings thatwas not nipped off. I shall have to strike all over again, and the worstof it is that I don't know where to go to get fresh ones. I was nearlymad when I came in and saw what was done."
"And yet," said John, "I am sure the young ladies did not mean it; itwas only ignorance."
I heard no more of this conversation, for the medicine did well and sentme to sleep, and in the morning I felt much better; but I often thoughtof John's words when I came to know more of the world.
20 Joe Green
Joe Green went on very well; he learned quickly, and was so attentiveand careful that John began to trust him in many things; but as I havesaid, he was small of his age, and it was seldom that he was allowed toexercise either Ginger or me; but it so happened one morning that Johnwas out with Justice in the luggage cart, and the master wanted anote to be taken immediately to a gentleman's house, about three milesdistant, and sent his orders for Joe to saddle me and take it, addingthe caution that he was to ride steadily.
The note was delivered, and we were quietly returning when we cameto the brick-field. Here we saw a cart heavily laden with bricks; thewheels had stuck fast in the stiff mud of some deep ruts, and the carterwas shouting and flogging the two horses unmercifully. Joe pulled up. Itwas a sad sight. There were the two horses straining and struggling withall their might to drag the cart out, but they could not move it; thesweat streamed from their legs and flanks, their sides heaved, and everymuscle was strained, while the man, fiercely pulling at the head of thefore horse, swore and lashed most brutally.
"Hold hard," said Joe; "don't go on flogging the horses like that; thewheels are so stuck that they cannot move the cart."
The man took no heed, but went on lashing.
"Stop! pray stop!" said Joe. "I'll help you to lighten the cart; theycan't move it now."
"Mind your own business, you impudent young rascal, and I'll mind mine!"The man was in a towering passion and the worse for drink, and laid onthe whip again. Joe turned my head, and the next moment we were going a
ta round gallop toward the house of the master brick-maker. I cannot sayif John would have approved of our pace, but Joe and I were both of onemind, and so angry that we could not have gone slower.
The house stood close by the roadside. Joe knocked at the door, andshouted, "Halloo! Is Mr. Clay at home?" The door was opened, and Mr.Clay himself came out.
"Halloo, young man! You seem in a hurry; any orders from the squire thismorning?"
"No, Mr. Clay, but there's a fellow in your brick-yard flogging twohorses to death. I told him to stop, and he wouldn't; I said I'd helphim to lighten the cart, and he wouldn't; so I have come to tell you.Pray, sir, go." Joe's voice shook with excitement.
"Thank ye, my lad," said the man, running in for his hat; then pausingfor a moment, "Will you give evidence of what you saw if I should bringthe fellow up before a magistrate?"
"That I will," said Joe, "and glad too." The man was gone, and we wereon our way home at a smart trot.
"Why, what's the matter with you, Joe? You look angry all over," saidJohn, as the boy flung himself from the saddle.
"I am angry all over, I can tell you," said the boy, and then inhurried, excited words he told all that had happened. Joe was usuallysuch a quiet, gentle little fellow that it was wonderful to see him soroused.
"Right, Joe! you did right, my boy, whether the fellow gets a summons ornot. Many folks would have ridden by and said it was not theirbusiness to interfere. Now I say that with cruelty and oppression it iseverybody's business to interfere when they see it; you did right, myboy."
Joe was quite calm by this time, and proud that John approved of him,and cleaned out my feet and rubbed me down with a firmer hand thanusual.