She gave me a sad, hopeless glance as she tried to obey. The machine was set not far off, and as Master was a long time in the house, I had an opportunity to watch Julie and her mates—all thin, half-dead-looking creatures.
The man on the horse-power shrieked, cursed and slashed right and left with his long whip. On Julie and an old blind horse it seemed to me it fell most often, though.
After a long, dizzy run, during which the poor creatures staggered more than once, they stopped, and, without the slightest cause for so doing, the driver went around and kicked Julie a number of times. I have found by observation that this is the usual way with the world.
Young horses may receive some care and consideration, but, as soon as they begin to fail, they are neglected or sold, and by old age their condition is pitiful.
I wonder if the money Dr. Fred got for the bays will prove of sufficient good to him here to offset the record of misery he will have to face some day up there!
Who can tell?
We had a nice time at the farm. Dexter and I had plenty to do, but neither considered it any hardship to be tired in Dr. Dick's service.
Mr. Pell had a span of quiet farm-horses, who, like ourselves, were contented to serve a good master. All the stock and poultry were well cared for, and nothing of the tales of woe from the livery stable reached us here, save when Topsy or one of Fred's horses came out for a day.
After a while Master came into my stall one day, with an open letter in his hand.
"Oh, Dandy!" he said, "what can I do?"