Ẃl I wz yuñ I livd upn mî muɖr’z milc, az I cd nt īt gras. In ɖ dêtîm I ran bî hr sîd, n at nît I le dǎn clos bî hr. Ẃn it wz hot w yst t stand bî ɖ pond in ɖ śêd v ɖ triz, n ẃn it wz cold w hd a nîs worm śed nir ɖ grov.

Az sn az I wz old inuf t īt gras mî muɖr yst t g ǎt t wrc in ɖ dêtîm, n cm bac in ɖ īvnñ.

Ɖr wr six yuñ colts in ɖ medo bsdz m; ɖe wr oldr ɖn I wz; sm wr nirli az larj az groun-up horsz. I yst t run wɖ ɖm, n hd gret fun; w yst t gaḷp ol tgɖr rnd n rnd ɖ fīld az hard az w cd g. Smtmz w hd rɖr ruf ple, fr ɖe wd frīqntli bît n cic az wel az gaḷp.

Wn de, ẃn ɖr wz a gd dīl v cicñ, mî muɖr ẃinid t m t cm t hr, n ɖen ś sd:

“I wś y t pe atnśn t ẃt I am gwñ t se t y. Ɖ colts hu liv hir r vri gd colts, bt ɖe r carthors colts, n v cors ɖe hv nt lrnt manrz. Y hv bn wel-bréd n wel-born; yr faɖr hz a gret nem in ɖz parts, n yr granfaɖr wún ɖ cup tū yirz at ɖ Nymarcit rêsz; yr granmuɖr hd ɖ swītist tmpr v eni hors I evr ń, n I ʈnc y hv nvr sìn m cic or bît. I hop y wl gro p jntl n gd, n nvr lrn bad wez; d yr wrc wɖ a gd wil, lift yr fīt p wel ẃn y trot, n nvr bît or cic īvn in ple.”

I hv nvr fgotn mî muɖr’z advîs; I ń ś wz a wîz old hors, n ǎr mastr ʈt a gret dīl v hr. Hr nem wz Dućis, bt h ofn cōld hr Pet.

Ǎr mastr wz a gd, cînd man. H gev s gd fūd, gd lojñ, n cînd wrdz; h spouc az cîndli t s az h dd t hiz litl ćildṛn.

W wr ol fond v him, n mî muɖr luvd him vri mć. Ẃn ś sw him at ɖ get ś wd ne wɖ jô, n trot p t him. H wd pat n stroc hr n se, “Wel, old Pet, n hǎ z yr litl Darci?” I wz a dul blac, so h cōld m Darci; ɖen h wd gv m a pìs v bred, ẃć wz vri gd, n smtmz h bròt a caṛt fr mî muɖr. Ol ɖ horsz wd cm t him, bt I ʈnc w wr hiz feṿrits. Mî muɖr olwz tc him t ɖ tǎn on a marcitde in a lît gig.

Ɖr wz a plǎbô, Dic, hu smtmz cem intu ǎr fīld t pluc blacḅriz fṛm ɖ hej. Ẃn h hd ītn ol h wontd h wd hv ẃt h cōld fun wɖ ɖ colts, ʈrowñ stonz n stics at ɖm t mc ɖm gaḷp. W dd nt mć mînd him, fr w cd gaḷp of; bt smtmz a ston wd hit n hrt s.

Wn de h wz at ɖs gem, n dd nt nǒ ɖt ɖ mastr wz in ɖ nxt fīld; bt h wz ɖr, woćñ ẃt wz gwñ on; ovr ɖ hej h jumt in a snap, n caćñ Dic bî ɖ arm, h gev him sć a box on ɖ ir az md him ror wɖ ɖ pen n s’prîz. Az sn az w sw ɖ mastr w trotd p nirr t si ẃt wnt on.

“Bad bô!” h sd, “bad bô! t ćes ɖ colts. Ɖs z nt ɖ frst tîm, nr ɖ secnd, bt it śl b ɖ last. Ɖr – tec yr muni n g hom; I śl nt wont y on mî farm agn.” So w nvr sw Dic eni mor. Old Dańl, ɖ man hu lct aftr ɖ horsz, wz jst az jntl az ǎr mastr, so w wr wel of.

N sn ɖ dogz wr ol tẹrñ dǎn ɖ fīld v yuñ ẃīt nxt t ǎrz. I nvr hŕd sć a nôz az ɖe md. Ɖe dd nt barc, nr hǎl, nr ẃîn, bt cept on a “yo! yo, ǒ, ǒ! yo! yo, ǒ, ǒ!” at ɖ top v ɖer vôsz. Aftr ɖm cem a numbr v men on horsbac, sm v ɖm in grīn cots, ol gaḷpñ az fast az ɖe cd. Ɖ old hors snortd n lct īgrli aftr ɖm, n w yuñ colts wontd t b gaḷpñ wɖ ɖm, bt ɖe wr sn awe intu ɖ fīldz lowr dǎn; hir it sīmd az f ɖe hd cm t a stand; ɖ dogz left of barcñ, n ran abt evri we wɖ ɖer nozz t ɖ grǎnd.

“Ɖe hv lost ɖ sént,” sd ɖ old hors; “phps ɖ hér wl gt of.”

“Ẃt hér?” I sd.

“Ǒ! I d’nt nǒ ẃt hér; lîcli inuf it me b wn v ǎr ǒn hérz ǎt v ɖ wŭdz; eni hér ɖe cn fînd wl d fr ɖ dogz n men t run aftr;” n bfr loñ ɖ dogz bgan ɖer “yo! yo, ǒ, ǒ!” agn, n bac ɖe cem oltgɖr at fl spīd, mcñ stret fr ǎr medo at ɖ part ẃr ɖ hî banc n hej oṿhañ ɖ brŭc.

“Nǎ w śl si ɖ hér,” sd mî muɖr; n jst ɖen a hér wîld wɖ frît ruśt bî n md fr ɖ wŭdz. On cem ɖ dogz; ɖe brst ovr ɖ banc, lept ɖ strīm, n cem daśñ acrs ɖ fīld foloud bî ɖ huntsṃn. Six or et men lept ɖer horsz clīn ovr, clos upn ɖ dogz. Ɖ hér traid t gt ʈru ɖ fns; it wz tù ʈic, n ś trnd śarp rnd t mc fr ɖ rod, bt it wz tù lêt; ɖ dogz wr upn hr wɖ ɖer wîld crîz; w hŕd wn śrīc, n ɖt wz ɖ end v hr. Wn v ɖ huntsṃn roud p n ẃipt of ɖ dogz, hu wd sn hv torn hr t pìsz. H hld hr p bî ɖ leg torn n blīdñ, n ol ɖ jntlṃn sīmd wel plizd.

Az fr m, I wz so astoniśt ɖt I dd nt at frst si ẃt wz gwñ on bî ɖ brŭc; bt ẃn I dd lc ɖr wz a sad sît; tū fîn horsz wr dǎn, wn wz struġlñ in ɖ strīm, n ɖ uɖr wz gronñ on ɖ gras. Wn v ɖ rîdrz wz gtñ ǎt v ɖ wōtr cuvrd wɖ mud, ɖ uɖr le qt stil.

“Hiz nec z brouc,” sd mî muɖr.

“N srv him rît, tù,” sd wn v ɖ colts.

I ʈt ɖ sem, bt mî muɖr dd nt jôn wɖ s.

“Wel, no,” ś sd, “y mst nt se ɖt; bt ɖo I am an old hors, n hv sìn n hŕd a gret dīl, I nvr yt cd mc ǎt ẃ men r so fond v ɖs sport; ɖe ofn hrt ɖmslvz, ofn spôl gd horsz, n ter p ɖ fīldz, n ol fr a hér or a fox, or a stag, ɖt ɖe cd gt mor īẓli sm uɖr we; bt w r onli horsz, n d’nt nǒ.”

Ẃl mî muɖr wz seyñ ɖs w std n lct on. Mni v ɖ rîdrz hd gn t ɖ yuñ man; bt mî mastr, hu hd bn woćñ ẃt wz gwñ on, wz ɖ frst t rêz him. Hiz hed fél bac n hiz armz huñ dǎn, n evrwn lct vri sirịs. Ɖr wz no nôz nǎ; īvn ɖ dogz wr qayt, n sīmd t nǒ ɖt smʈñ wz roñ. Ɖe carid him t ǎr mastr’z hǎs. I hŕd afṭwd ɖt it wz yuñ Jorj Gordn, ɖ sqîr’z onli sun, a fîn, tōl yuñ man, n ɖ prîd v hiz faṃli.

Ɖr wz nǎ rîdñ of in ol d’rex́nz t ɖ doctr’z, t ɖ farịr’z, n no dǎt t Sqîr Gordn’z, t let him nǒ abt hiz sun. Ẃn Mr. Bond, ɖ farịr, cem t lc at ɖ blac hors ɖt le gronñ on ɖ gras, h flt him ol ovr, n śc hiz hed; wn v hiz legz wz brocn. Ɖen smwn ran t ǎr mastr’z hǎs n cem bac wɖ a gun; prezntli ɖr wz a lǎd bañ n a dredfl śrīc, n ɖen ol wz stil; ɖ blac hors muvd no mor.

Mî muɖr sīmd mć trubld; ś sd ś hd noun ɖt hors fr yirz, n ɖt hiz nem wz “Rob Rô”; h wz a gd hors, n ɖr wz no vîs in him. Ś nvr wd g t ɖt part v ɖ fīld afṭwd.

Nt mni dez aftr w hŕd ɖ ćrćbel tolñ fr a loñ tîm, n lcñ ovr ɖ get w sw a loñ, strenj blac coć ɖt wz cuvrd wɖ blac cloʈ n wz drwn bî blac horsz; aftr ɖt cem anɖr n anɖr n anɖr, n ol wr blac, ẃl ɖ bel cept tolñ, tolñ. Ɖe wr cariyñ yuñ Gordn t ɖ ćrćyard t beri him. H wd nvr rîd agn. Ẃt ɖe dd wɖ Rob Rô I nvr ń; bt ’tẉz ol fr wn litl hér.

Ẃn I wz for yirz old Sqîr Gordn cem t lc at m. H xamind mî îz, mî mǎʈ, n mî legz; h flt ɖm ol dǎn; n ɖen I hd t wōc n trot n gaḷp bfr him. H sīmd t lîc m, n sd, “Ẃn h hz bn wel brocn in h wl d vri wel.” Mî mastr sd h wd brec m in himslf, az h śd nt lîc m t b frîtnd or hrt, n h lost no tîm abt it, fr ɖ nxt de h bgan.

Evrwn me nt nǒ ẃt brecñ-in z, ɖrfr I wl dscrîb it. It mīnz t tīć a hors t wer a sadl n braidl, n t cari on hiz bac a man, wmn or ćîld; t g jst ɖ we ɖe wś, n t g qaytli. Bsdz ɖs h hz t lrn t wer a colr, a crupr, n a brīćñ, n t stand stil ẃl ɖe r pt on; ɖen t hv a cart or a śêz fixt bhnd, so ɖt h canot wōc or trot wɖt dragñ it aftr him; n h mst g fast or slo, jst az hiz drîvr wśz. H mst nvr start at ẃt h siz, nr spīc t uɖr horsz, nr bît, nr cic, nr hv eni wil v hiz ǒn; bt olwz d hiz mastr’z wil, īvn ɖo h me b vri tîrd or hungri; bt ɖ wrst v ol z, ẃn hiz harnis z wns on, h me nɖr jump fr jô nr lî dǎn fr wirinis. So y si ɖs brecñ-in z a gret ʈñ.

I hd v cors loñ bn yst t a hōltr n a hedstōl, n t b léd abt in ɖ fīldz n lenz qaytli, bt nǎ I wz t hv a bit n braidl; mî mastr gev m sm ots az yźl, n aftr a gd dīl v cǒxñ h got ɖ bit intu mî mǎʈ, n ɖ braidl fixt, bt it wz a nasti ʈñ! Ɖoz hu hv nvr hd a bit in ɖer mǎɖz canot ʈnc hǎ bad it fīlz; a gret pìs v cold hard stīl az ʈic az a man’z fngr t b pśt intu wn’z mǎʈ, btwn wn’z tīʈ, n ovr wn’z tuñ, wɖ ɖ endz cmñ ǎt at ɖ cornr v yr mǎʈ, n hld fast ɖr bî straps ovr yr hed, undr yr ʈrot, rnd yr nǒz, n undr yr ćin; so ɖt no we in ɖ wrld cn y gt rid v ɖ nasti hard ʈñ; it z vri bad! yes, vri bad! at līst I ʈt so; bt I ń mî muɖr olwz wòr wn ẃn ś wnt ǎt, n ol horsz dd ẃn ɖe wr groun p; n so, ẃt wɖ ɖ nîs ots, n ẃt wɖ mî mastr’z pats, cînd wrdz, n jntl wez, I got t wer mî bit n braidl.

Nxt cem ɖ sadl, bt ɖt wz nt haf so bad; mî mastr pt it on mî bac vri jntli, ẃl old Dańl hld mî hed; h ɖen md ɖ grʈs fast undr mî bodi, patñ n tōcñ t m ol ɖ tîm; ɖen I hd a fy ots, ɖen a litl līdñ abt; n ɖs h dd evri de tl I bgan t lc fr ɖ ots n ɖ sadl. At leñʈ, wn mornñ, mî mastr got on mî bac n roud m rnd ɖ medo on ɖ soft gras. It srtnli dd fīl qir; bt I mst se I flt rɖr prǎd t cari mî mastr, n az h cntinyd t rîd m a litl evri de I sn bcem acustmd t it.

Ɖ nxt unpleznt biznis wz ptñ on ɖ ayn śuz; ɖt tù wz vri hard at frst. Mî mastr wnt wɖ m t ɖ smiʈ’s forj, t si ɖt I wz nt hrt or got eni frît. Ɖ blacsmiʈ tc mî fīt in hiz hand, wn aftr ɖ uɖr, n cut awe sm v ɖ hūf. It dd nt pen m, so I std stil on ʈri legz tl h hd dn ɖm ol. Ɖen h tc a pìs v ayn ɖ śep v mî ft, n clapt it on, n drouv sm nêlz ʈru ɖ śu qt intu mî hūf, so ɖt ɖ śu wz frmli on. Mî fīt flt vri stif n hevi, bt in tîm I got yst t it.

N nǎ hvñ got so far, mî mastr wnt on t brec m t harnis; ɖr wr mor ny ʈñz t wer. Frst, a stif hevi colr jst on mî nec, n a braidl wɖ gret sîdpìsz agnst mî îz cōld blincrz, n blincrz indd ɖe wr, fr I cd nt si on îɖr sîd, bt onli stret in frunt v m; nxt, ɖr wz a smōl sadl wɖ a nasti stif strap ɖt wnt rît undr mî teil; ɖt wz ɖ crupr. I hetd ɖ crupr; t hv mî loñ teil dubld p n pǒct ʈru ɖt strap wz olmst az bad az ɖ bit. I nvr flt mor lîc cicñ, bt v cors I cd nt cic sć a gd mastr, n so in tîm I got yst t evrʈñ, n cd d mî wrc az wel az mî muɖr.

I mst nt fget t mnśn wn part v mî trenñ, ẃć I hv olwz cnsidrd a vri gret advantij. Mî mastr snt m fr a fortnît t a neḅrñ farmr’z, hu hd a medo ẃć wz scrtd on wn sîd bî ɖ relwe. Hir wr sm śīp n cǎz, n I wz trnd in amñ ɖm.

I śl nvr fget ɖ frst tren ɖt ran bî. I wz fīdñ qaytli nir ɖ pelz ẃć seṗretd ɖ medo fṛm ɖ relwe, ẃn I hŕd a strenj sǎnd at a distns, n bfr I ń ẃns it cem – wɖ a ruś n a clatr, n a pufñ ǎt v smoc – a loñ blac tren v smʈñ flù bî, n wz gn olmst bfr I cd drw mî breʈ. I trnd n gaḷpt t ɖ frɖr sîd v ɖ medo az fast az I cd g, n ɖr I std snortñ wɖ astoniśmnt n fir. In ɖ cors v ɖ de mni uɖr trenz wnt bî, sm mor slǒli; ɖz drù p at ɖ steśn clos bî, n smtmz md an ōfl śrīc n gron bfr ɖe stopt. I ʈt it vri dredfl, bt ɖ cǎz wnt on ītñ vri qaytli, n hardli rezd ɖer hedz az ɖ blac frîtfl ʈñ cem pufñ n grîndñ past.

Fr ɖ frst fy dez I cd nt fīd in pīs; bt az I faund ɖt ɖs teṛbl crīćr nvr cem intu ɖ fīld, or dd m eni harm, I bgan t disrigard it, n vri sn I cerd az litl abt ɖ pasñ v a tren az ɖ cǎz n śīp dd.

Sins ɖen I hv sìn mni horsz mć alarmd n restiv at ɖ sît or sǎnd v a stīm-enjin; bt ʈancs t mî gd mastr’z cer, I am az firlis at relwe-steśns az in mî ǒn stebl.

Nǎ f enwn wonts t brec in a yuñ hors wel, ɖt z ɖ we.

Mî mastr ofn drouv m in dubl harnis wɖ mî muɖr, bcz ś wz stedi n cd tīć m hǎ t g betr ɖn a strenj hors. Ś tld m ɖ betr I bhevd ɖ betr I śd b trītd, n ɖt it wz wîzist olwz t d mî bst t plīz mî mastr; “bt,” sd ś, “ɖr r a gret mni cndz v men; ɖr r gd ʈtfl men lîc ǎr mastr, ɖt eni hors me b prǎd t srv; n ɖr r bad, cruwl men, hu nvr òt t hv a hors or dog t cōl ɖer ǒn.

Bsdz, ɖr r a gret mni fūliś men, ven, ignṛnt, n cerlis, hu nvr trubl ɖmslvz t ʈnc; ɖz spôl mor horsz ɖn ol, jst fr wont v sns; ɖe d’nt mīn it, bt ɖe d it fr ol ɖt. I hop y wl fōl intu gd handz; bt a hors nvr nz hu me bai him, or hu me drîv him; it z ol a ćans fr s; bt stl I se, d yr bst ẃrvr it z, n cīp p yr gd nem.”

Sqîr Gordn’z parc scrtd ɖ vilij v Brtwic. It wz entrd bî a larj ayn get, at ẃć std ɖ frst loj, n ɖen y trotd alñ on a smuɖ rod btwn clumps v larj old triz; ɖen anɖr loj n anɖr get, ẃć bròt y t ɖ hǎs n ɖ gardnz. Bynd ɖs le ɖ hompaḍc, ɖ old orć̣d, n ɖ steblz.

Ɖr wz acoṃdeśn fr mni horsz n caṛjz; bt I nīd onli dscrîb ɖ stebl intu ẃć I wz tecn; ɖs wz vri rūmi, wɖ for gd stōlz; a larj swññ windo opnd intu ɖ yard, ẃć md it pleznt n e’ri.

Ɖ frst stōl wz a larj sqer wn, śut in bhnd wɖ a wŭdn get; ɖ uɖrz wr comn stōlz, gd stōlz, bt nt nirli so larj; it hd a lo rac fr he n a lo menjr fr corn; it wz cōld a lūs box, bcz ɖ hors ɖt wz pt intu it wz nt taid p, bt left lūs, t d az h lîct. It z a gret ʈñ t hv a lūs box.

Intu ɖs fîn box ɖ grūm pt m; it wz clīn, swīt, n e’ri. I nvr wz in a betr box ɖn ɖt, n ɖ sîdz wr nt so hî bt ɖt I cd si ol ɖt wnt on ʈru ɖ ayn relz ɖt wr at ɖ top.

H gev m sm vri nîs ots, h patd m, spouc cîndli, n ɖen wnt awe.

Ẃn I hd ītn mî corn I lct rnd. In ɖ stōl nxt t mîn std a litl fat gre poni, wɖ a ʈic mein n teil, a vri priti hed, n a prt litl nǒz.

I pt mî hed p t ɖ ayn relz at ɖ top v mî box, n sd, “Hǎ d y d? Ẃt z yr nem?”

H trnd rnd az far az hiz hōltr wd alǎ, hld p hiz hed, n sd, “Mî nem z Merilegz. I am vri hansm; I cari ɖ yuñ lediz on mî bac, n smtmz I tec ǎr mistris ǎt in ɖ lo ćer. Ɖe ʈnc a gret dīl v m, n so dz Jemz. R y gwñ t liv nxt dor t m in ɖ box?”

I sd, “Yes.”

“Wel, ɖen,” h sd, “I hop y r gd-tmprd; I d nt lîc enwn nxt dor hu bîts.”

Jst ɖen a hors’z hed lct ovr fṛm ɖ stōl bynd; ɖ irz wr leid bac, n ɖ î lct rɖr il-tmprd. Ɖs wz a tōl ćesnut mer, wɖ a loñ hansm nec. Ś lct acrs t m n sd:

“So it z y hu hv trnd m ǎt v mî box; it z a vri strenj ʈñ fr a colt lîc y t cm n trn a ledi ǎt v hr ǒn hom.”

“I beg yr pardn,” I sd, “I hv trnd nwn ǎt; ɖ man hu bròt m pt m hir, n I hd nʈñ t d wɖ it; n az t mî biyñ a colt, I am trnd for yirz old n am a groun-up hors. I nvr hd wrdz yt wɖ hors or mer, n it z mî wś t liv at pīs.”

“Wel,” ś sd, “w śl si. V cors, I d nt wont t hv wrdz wɖ a yuñ ʈñ lîc y.” I sd no mor.

In ɖ afṭnun, ẃn ś wnt ǎt, Merilegz tld m ol abt it.

“Ɖ ʈñ z ɖs,” sd Merilegz. “Jinjr hz a bad habit v bîtñ n snapñ; ɖt z ẃ ɖe cōl hr Jinjr, n ẃn ś wz in ɖ lūs box ś yst t snap vri mć. Wn de ś bit Jemz in ɖ arm n md it blīd, n so Mis Flora n Mis Jesi, hu r vri fond v m, wr afreid t cm intu ɖ stebl. Ɖe yst t brñ m nîs ʈñz t īt, an apl or a caṛt, or a pìs v bred, bt aftr Jinjr std in ɖt box ɖe derd nt cm, n I míst ɖm vri mć. I hop ɖe wl nǎ cm agn, f y d nt bît or snap.”

I tld him I nvr bit enʈñ bt gras, he, n corn, n cd nt ʈnc ẃt pleźr Jinjr faund it.

“Wel, I d’nt ʈnc ś dz fînd pleźr,” sz Merilegz; “it z jst a bad habit; ś sz nwn wz evr cînd t hr, n ẃ śd ś nt bît? V cors, it z a vri bad habit; bt I am śr, f ol ś sz b tru, ś mst hv bn vri il-yzd bfr ś cem hir. Jon dz ol h cn t plīz hr, n Jemz dz ol h cn, n ǎr mastr nvr ysz a ẃip f a hors acts rît; so I ʈnc ś mt b gd-tmprd hir. Y si,” h sd, wɖ a wîz lc, “I am twelv yirz old; I nǒ a gret dīl, n I cn tel y ɖr z nt a betr ples fr a hors ol rnd ɖ cuntri ɖn ɖs. Jon z ɖ bst grūm ɖt evr wz; h hz bn hir fortīn yirz; n y nvr sw sć a cînd bô az Jemz z; so ɖt it z ol Jinjr’z ǒn fōlt ɖt ś dd nt ste in ɖt box.”

Ɖ nxt mornñ h tc m intu ɖ yard n gev m a gd grūmñ, n jst az I wz gwñ intu mî box, wɖ mî cot soft n brît, ɖ sqîr cem in t lc at m, n sīmd plizd. “Jon,” h sd, “I mnt t hv traid ɖ ny hors ɖs mornñ, bt I hv uɖr biznis. Y me az wel tec him arnd aftr brecfst; g bî ɖ comn n ɖ Hîwŭd, n bac bî ɖ wōtrmil n ɖ rivr; ɖt wl śo hiz pesz.”

“I wl, sr,” sd Jon. Aftr brecfst h cem n fitd m wɖ a braidl. H wz vri ptiklr in letñ ǎt n tecñ in ɖ straps, t fit mî hed cumf̣tbli; ɖen h bròt a sadl, bt it wz nt brōd inuf fr mî bac; h sw it in a minit n wnt fr anɖr, ẃć fitd nîsli. H roud m frst slǒli, ɖen a trot, ɖen a cantr, n ẃn w wr on ɖ comn h gev m a lît tuć wɖ hiz ẃip, n w hd a splendid gaḷp.

“Hǒ, hǒ! mî bô,” h sd, az h pld m p, “y wd lîc t folo ɖ hǎndz, I ʈnc.”

Az w cem bac ʈru ɖ parc w met ɖ Sqîr n Msz. Gordn wōcñ; ɖe stopt, n Jon jumt of.

“Wel, Jon, hǎ dz h g?”

“Frst-ret, sr,” ansrd Jon; “h z az flīt az a dír, n hz a fîn spirit tù; bt ɖ lîtist tuć v ɖ rein wl gîd him. Dǎn at ɖ end v ɖ comn w met wn v ɖoz traṿlñcarts huñ ol ovr wɖ bascits, rugz, n sć lîc; y nǒ, sr, mni horsz wl nt pas ɖoz carts qaytli; h jst tc a gd lc at it, n ɖen wnt on az qayt n pleznt az cd b. Ɖe wr śūtñ rabits nir ɖ Hîwŭd, n a gun wnt of clos bî; h pld p a litl n lct, bt dd nt str a step t rît or left. I jst hld ɖ rein stedi n dd nt huri him, n it’s mî opińn h hz nt bn frîtnd or il-yzd ẃl h wz yuñ.”

“Ɖt’s wel,” sd ɖ sqîr, “I wl trî him mslf tmoro.”

Ɖ nxt de I wz bròt p fr mî mastr. I rmembrd mî muɖr’z cǎnsl n mî gd old mastr’z, n I traid t d xacli ẃt h wontd m t d. I faund h wz a vri gd rîdr, n ʈtfl fr hiz hors tù. Ẃn h cem hom ɖ ledi wz at ɖ hōldor az h roud p.

“Wel, mî dir,” ś sd, “hǎ d y lîc him?”

“H z xacli ẃt Jon sd,” h rplaid; “a plezntr crīćr I nvr wś t mǎnt. Ẃt śl w cōl him?”

“Wd y lîc Eḅni?” sd ś; “h z az blac az eḅni.” “No, nt Eḅni.”

“Wl y cōl him Blacbrd, lîc yr uncl’z old hors?” “No, h z far hanṣmr ɖn old Blacbrd evr wz.”

“Yes,” ś sd, “h z riyli qt a byti, n h hz sć a swīt, gd-tmprd fes, n sć a fîn, intelijnt î – ẃt d y se t cōlñ him Blac Byti?”

“Blac Byti – ẃ, yes, I ʈnc ɖt z a vri gd nem. F y lîc it śl b hiz nem;” n so it wz.

Ẃn Jon wnt intu ɖ stebl h tld Jemz ɖt mastr n mistris hd ćozn a gd, snṣbl Ñgliś nem fr m, ɖt mnt smʈñ; nt lîc Mrengo, or Peġss, or Abdala. Ɖe bʈ laft, n Jemz sd, “F it wz nt fr brññ bac ɖ past, I śd hv nemd him Rob Rô, fr I nvr sw tū horsz mor alîc.”

“Ɖt’s no wundr,” sd Jon; “dd’nt y nǒ ɖt Farmr Gre’z old Dućis wz ɖ muɖr v ɖm bʈ?”

I hd nvr hŕd ɖt bfr; n so pur Rob Rô hu wz cild at ɖt hunt wz mî bruɖr! I dd nt wundr ɖt mî muɖr wz so trubld. It sīmz ɖt horsz hv no rleśnz; at līst ɖe nvr nǒ ć uɖr aftr ɖe r sold.

Jon sīmd vri prǎd v m; h yst t mc mî mein n teil olmst az smuɖ az a ledi’z her, n h wd tōc t m a gret dīl; v cors I dd nt unḍstand ol h sd, bt I lrnt mor n mor t nǒ ẃt h mnt, n ẃt h wontd m t d. I grù vri fond v him, h wz so jntl n cînd; h sīmd t nǒ jst hǎ a hors fīlz, n ẃn h clīnd m h ń ɖ tndr plesz n ɖ ticliś plesz; ẃn h bruśt mî hed h wnt az cerf̣li ovr mî îz az f ɖe wr hiz ǒn, n nvr strd p eni il-tmpr.

Jemz Hawd, ɖ stebl bô, wz jst az jntl n pleznt in hiz we, so I ʈt mslf wel of. Ɖr wz anɖr man hu hlpt in ɖ yard, bt h hd vri litl t d wɖ Jinjr n m.

A fy dez aftr ɖs I hd t g ǎt wɖ Jinjr in ɖ carij. I wundrd hǎ w śd gt on tgɖr; bt xpt leyñ hr irz bac ẃn I wz léd p t hr, ś bhevd vri wel. Ś dd hr wrc oṇstli, n dd hr fl śer, n I nvr wś t hv a betr partnr in dubl harnis. Ẃn w cem t a hil, instd v slac̣nñ hr pes, ś wd ʈro hr weit rît intu ɖ colr, n pl awe stret p. W hd bʈ ɖ sem sort v curij at ǎr wrc, n Jon hd of̣nr t hold s in ɖn t rj s fwd; h nvr hd t yz ɖ ẃip wɖ îɖr v s; ɖen ǎr pesz wr mć ɖ sem, n I faund it vri īzi t cīp step wɖ hr ẃn trotñ, ẃć md it pleznt, n mastr olwz lîct it ẃn w cept step wel, n so dd Jon. Aftr w hd bn ǎt tū or ʈri tîmz tgɖr w grù qt frendli n soṣ́bl, ẃć md m fīl vri mć at hom.

Az fr Merilegz, h n I sn bcem gret frendz; h wz sć a ćirfl, pluci, gd-tmprd litl felo ɖt h wz a feṿrit wɖ evrwn, n ispeṣ́li wɖ Mis Jesi n Flora, hu yst t rîd him abt in ɖ orć̣d, n hv fîn gemz wɖ him n ɖer litl dog Frisci.

Ǎr mastr hd tū uɖr horsz ɖt std in anɖr stebl. Wn wz Justis, a roun cob, yzd fr rîdñ or fr ɖ lugijcart; ɖ uɖr wz an old brǎn huntr, nemd Sr Olivr; h wz past wrc nǎ, bt wz a gret feṿrit wɖ ɖ mastr, hu gev him ɖ run v ɖ parc; h smtmz dd a litl lît cartñ on ɖ istet, or carid wn v ɖ yuñ lediz ẃn ɖe roud ǎt wɖ ɖer faɖr, fr h wz vri jntl n cd b trustd wɖ a ćîld az wel az Merilegz. Ɖ cob wz a stroñ, wel-md, gd-tmprd hors, n w smtmz hd a litl ćat in ɖ paḍc, bt v cors I cd nt b so intiṃt wɖ him az wɖ Jinjr, hu std in ɖ sem stebl.

az stedi n qayt az eni old hors hu hz wrct twenti yirz. Straps hir n straps ɖr, a bit in mî mǎʈ, n blincrz ovr mî îz.

Nǎ, I am nt cmplenñ, fr I nǒ it mst b so. I onli mīn t se ɖt fr a yuñ hors fl v streñʈ n spirits, hu hz bn yst t sm larj fīld or plen ẃr h cn flñ p hiz hed n tos p hiz teil n gaḷp awe at fl spīd, ɖen rnd n bac agn wɖ a snort t hiz cmpańnz – I se it z hard nvr t hv a bit mor

liḅti t d az y lîc. Smtmz, ẃn I hv hd les x’sîz ɖn yźl, I hv flt so fl v lîf n sprñ ɖt ẃn Jon hz tecn m ǎt t x’sîz I riyli cd nt cīp qayt; d ẃt I wd, it sīmd az f I mst jump, or dans, or prans, n mni a gd śec I nǒ I mst hv gvn him, ispeṣ́li at ɖ frst; bt h wz olwz gd n peśnt.

“Stedi, stedi, mî bô,” h wd se; “wêt a bit, n w wl hv a gd swñ, n sn gt ɖ ticl ǎt v yr fīt.” Ɖen az sn az w wr ǎt v ɖ vilij, h wd gv m a fy mîlz at a spancñ trot, n ɖen brñ m bac az freś az bfr, onli clir v ɖ fijits, az h cōld ɖm. Spiṛtd horsz, ẃn nt inuf x’sîzd, r ofn cōld scitiś, ẃn it z onli ple; n sm grūmz wl puniś ɖm, bt ǎr Jon dd nt; h ń it wz onli hî spirits.

Stl, h hd hiz ǒn wez v mcñ m unḍstand bî ɖ ton v hiz vôs or ɖ tuć v ɖ rein. F h wz vri sirịs n qt dtrmind, I olwz ń it bî hiz vôs, n ɖt hd mor pǎr wɖ m ɖn enʈñ els, fr I wz vri fond v him.

I òt t se ɖt smtmz w hd ǎr liḅti fr a fy aurz; ɖs yst t b on fîn Súndez in ɖ sumrtîm. Ɖ carij nvr wnt ǎt on Súndez, bcz ɖ ćrć wz nt far of.

It wz a gret trīt t s t b trnd ǎt intu ɖ hompaḍc or ɖ old orć̣d; ɖ gras wz so cūl n soft t ǎr fīt, ɖ er so swīt, n ɖ frīdm t d az w lîct wz so pleznt – t gaḷp, t lî dǎn, n rol ovr on ǎr bacs, or t nibl ɖ swīt gras.

Ɖen it wz a vri gd tîm fr tōcñ, az w std tgɖr undr ɖ śêd v ɖ larj ćesnuțrī.

“Wel,” sd ś, “f I hd hd yr brññ p I mt hv hd az gd a tmpr az y, bt nǎ I d’nt b’liv I evr śl.”

“Ẃ nt?” I sd.

“Bcz it hz bn ol so difṛnt wɖ m,” ś rplaid. “I nvr hd enwn, hors or man, ɖt wz cînd t m, or ɖt I cerd t plīz, fr in ɖ frst ples I wz tecn fṛm mî muɖr az sn az I wz wīnd, n pt wɖ a lot v uɖr yuñ colts; nn v ɖm cerd fr m, n I cerd fr nn v ɖm. Ɖr wz no cînd mastr lîc yrz t lc aftr m, n tōc t m, n brñ m nîs ʈñz t īt. Ɖ man ɖt hd ɖ cer v s nvr gev m a cînd wrd in mî lîf. I d nt mīn ɖt h il-yzd m, bt h dd nt cer fr s wn bit frɖr ɖn t si ɖt w hd plenti t īt, n śltr in ɖ wintr. A ftpaʈ ran ʈru ǎr fīld, n vri ofn ɖ gret bôz pasñ ʈru wd flñ stonz t mc s gaḷp. I wz nvr hit, bt wn fîn yuñ colt wz badli cut in ɖ fes, n I śd ʈnc it wd b a scar fr lîf. W dd nt cer fr ɖm, bt v cors it md s mor wîld, n w setld it in ǎr mîndz ɖt bôz wr ǎr eṇmiz. W hd vri gd fun in ɖ fri medoz, gaḷpñ p n dǎn n ćesñ ć uɖr rnd n rnd ɖ fīld; ɖen standñ stil undr ɖ śêd v ɖ triz. Bt ẃn it cem t brecñ-in, ɖt wz a bad tîm fr m; sevṛl men cem t cać m, n ẃn at last ɖe clozd m in at wn cornr v ɖ fīld, wn còt m bî ɖ fōrloc, anɖr còt m bî ɖ nǒz n hld it so tît I cd hardli drw mî breʈ; ɖen anɖr tc mî unḍjw in hiz hard hand n renćt mî mǎʈ opn, n so bî fors ɖe got on ɖ hōltr n ɖ bar intu mî mǎʈ; ɖen wn dragd m alñ bî ɖ hōltr, anɖr flogñ bhnd, n ɖs wz ɖ frst xpirịns I hd v men’z cîndnis; it wz ol fors. Ɖe dd nt gv m a ćans t nǒ ẃt ɖe wontd. I wz hî-bréd n hd a gret dīl v spirit, n wz vri wîld, no dǎt, n gev ɖm, I der se, plenti v trubl, bt ɖen it wz dredfl t b śut p in a stōl de aftr de instd v hvñ mî liḅti, n I fretd n pînd n wontd t gt lūs. Y nǒ yrslf it’s bad inuf ẃn y hv a cînd mastr n plenti v cǒxñ, bt ɖr wz nʈñ v ɖt sort fr m.

“Ɖr wz wn – ɖ old mastr, Mr. Ryder – hu, I ʈnc, cd sn hv bròt m rnd, n cd hv dn enʈñ wɖ m; bt h hd gvn p ol ɖ hard part v ɖ tred t hiz sun n t anɖr xpirịnst man, n h onli cem at tîmz t oṿsi. Hiz sun wz a stroñ, tōl, bold man; ɖe cōld him Samsn, n h yst t bost ɖt h hd nvr faund a hors ɖt cd ʈro him. Ɖr wz no jntlnis in him, az ɖr wz in hiz faɖr, bt onli hardnis, a hard vôs, a hard î, a hard hand; n I flt fṛm ɖ frst ɖt ẃt h wontd wz t wer ol ɖ spirit ǎt v m, n jst mc m intu a qayt, humbl, obījnt pìs v horsfleś. ’Horsfleś’! Yes, ɖt z ol ɖt h ʈt abt,” n Jinjr stamt hr ft az f ɖ vri ʈt v him md hr angri. Ɖen ś wnt on:

“F I dd nt d xacli ẃt h wontd h wd gt pt ǎt, n mc m run rnd wɖ ɖt loñ rein in ɖ trenñ fīld tl h hd tîrd m ǎt. I ʈnc h dranc a gd dīl, n I am qt śr ɖt ɖ of̣nr h dranc ɖ wrs it wz fr m. Wn de h hd wrct m hard in evri we h cd, n ẃn I le dǎn I wz tîrd, n mizṛbl, n angri; it ol sīmd so hard. Ɖ nxt mornñ h cem fr m rli, n ran m rnd agn fr a loñ tîm. I hd scersli hd an aur’z rest, ẃn h cem agn fr m wɖ a sadl n braidl n a ny cnd v bit. I cd nvr qt tel hǎ it cem abt; h hd onli jst mǎntd m on ɖ trenñ grǎnd, ẃn smʈñ I dd pt him ǎt v tmpr, n h ćuct m hard wɖ ɖ rein. Ɖ ny bit wz vri penfl, n I rird p sudnli, ẃć angrd him stl mor, n h bgan t flog m. I flt mî hol spirit set agnst him, n I bgan t cic, n plunj, n rir az I hd nvr dn bfr, n w hd a reğlr fît; fr a loñ tîm h stuc t ɖ sadl n puniśt m cruwli wɖ hiz ẃip n sprz, bt mî blud wz ʈuṛli p, n I cerd fr nʈñ h cd d f onli I cd gt him of. At last aftr a teṛbl strugl I ʈrù him of bcwd. I hŕd him fōl heṿli on ɖ trf, n wɖt lcñ bhnd m, I gaḷpt of t ɖ uɖr end v ɖ fīld; ɖr I trnd rnd n sw mî prṣktr slǒli rîzñ fṛm ɖ grǎnd n gwñ intu ɖ stebl. I std undr an octrī n woćt, bt nwn cem t cać m. Ɖ tîm wnt on, n ɖ sún wz vri hot; ɖ flîz swormd rnd m n setld on mî blīdñ flancs ẃr ɖ sprz hd dug in. I flt hungri, fr I hd nt ītn sins ɖ rli mornñ, bt ɖr wz nt inuf gras in ɖt medo fr a gūs t liv on. I wontd t lî dǎn n rest, bt wɖ ɖ sadl strapt tîtli on ɖr wz no cumf̣t, n ɖr wz nt a drop v wōtr t drinc. Ɖ afṭnun wòr on, n ɖ sún got lo. I sw ɖ uɖr colts léd in, n I ń ɖe wr hvñ a gd fīd.

“At last, jst az ɖ sún wnt dǎn, I sw ɖ old mastr cm ǎt wɖ a siv in hiz hand. H wz a vri fîn old jntlmn wɖ qt ẃît her, bt hiz vôs wz ẃt I śd nǒ him bî amñ a ʈǎznd. It wz nt hî, nr yt lo, bt fl, n clir, n cînd, n ẃn h gev ordrz it wz so stedi n dsîdd ɖt evrwn ń, bʈ horsz n men, ɖt h xpctd t b obeid. H cem qaytli alñ, nǎ n ɖen śecñ ɖ ots abt ɖt h hd in ɖ siv, n spīcñ ćirf̣li n jntli t m: ‘Cm alñ, Lasi, cm alñ, Lasi; cm alñ, cm alñ.’ I std stil n let him cm p; h hld ɖ ots t m, n I bgan t īt wɖt fir; hiz vôs tc ol mî fir awe. H std bî, patñ n strocñ m ẃl I wz ītñ, n siyñ ɖ clots v blud on mî sîd h sīmd vri vxt. ‘Pur Lasi! it wz a bad biznis, a bad biznis;’ ɖen h qaytli tc ɖ rein n léd m t ɖ stebl; jst at ɖ dor std Samsn. I leid mî irz bac n snapt at him. ‘Stand bac,’ sd ɖ mastr, ‘n cīp ǎt v hr we; y’v dn a bad de’z wrc fr ɖs fili.’ H grǎld ǎt smʈñ abt a viśs brūt. ‘Harc yi,’ sd ɖ faɖr, ’a bad-tmprd man wl nvr mc a gd-tmprd hors. Y’v nt lrnt yr tred yt, Samsn.’ Ɖen h léd m intu mî box, tc of ɖ sadl n braidl wɖ hiz ǒn handz, n taid m p; ɖen h cōld fr a peil v worm wōtr n a spunj, tc of hiz cot, n ẃl ɖ steblmn hld ɖ peil, h spunjd mî sîdz a gd ẃl, so tndrli ɖt I wz śr h ń hǎ sor n bruzd ɖe wr. ‘Ẃo! mî priti wn,’ h sd, ‘stand stil, stand stil.’ Hiz vri vôs dd m gd, n ɖ beɖñ wz vri cumf̣tbl. Ɖ scin wz so brocn at ɖ cornrz v mî mǎʈ ɖt I cd nt īt ɖ he, ɖ stōcz hrt m. H lct closli at it, śc hiz hed, n tld ɖ man t feć a gd bran maś n pt sm mīl intu it. Hǎ gd ɖt maś wz! n so soft n hīlñ t mî mǎʈ. H std bî ol ɖ tîm I wz ītñ, strocñ m n tōcñ t ɖ man. ‘F a hî-métld crīćr lîc ɖs,’ sd h, ‘c’nt b brocn bî fer mīnz, ś wl nvr b gd fr enʈñ.’

“Aftr ɖt h ofn cem t si m, n ẃn mî mǎʈ wz hīld ɖ uɖr brecr, Job, ɖe cōld him, wnt on trenñ m; h wz stedi n ʈtfl, n I sn lrnt ẃt h wontd.”

“Aftr mî brecñ-in,” ś sd, “I wz bòt bî a dīlr t mać anɖr ćesnut hors. Fr sm wīcs h drouv s tgɖr, n ɖen w wr sold t a faśṇbl jntlmn, n wr snt p t Lundn. I hd bn drivn wɖ a ćecrein bî ɖ dīlr, n I hetd it wrs ɖn enʈñ els; bt in ɖs ples w wr reind far tîtr, ɖ coćmn n hiz mastr ʈncñ w lct mor stîliś so. W wr ofn drivn abt in ɖ parc n uɖr faśṇbl plesz. Y hu nvr hd a ćecrein on d’nt nǒ ẃt it z, bt I cn tel y it z dredfl.

“I lîc t tos mî hed abt n hold it az hî az eni hors; bt fansi nǎ yrslf, f y tóst yr hed p hî n wr oblîjd t hold it ɖr, n ɖt fr aurz tgɖr, nt ebl t muv it at ol, xpt wɖ a jrc stl hayr, yr nec ecñ tl y dd nt nǒ hǎ t ber it. Bsdz ɖt, t hv tū bits instd v wn – n mîn wz a śarp wn, it hrt mî tuñ n mî jw, n ɖ blud fṛm mî tuñ culrd ɖ froʈ ɖt cept flayñ fṛm mî lips az I ćeft n fretd at ɖ bits n rein. It wz wrst ẃn w hd t stand bî ɖ aur wêtñ fr ǎr mistris at sm grand parti or enttenmnt, n f I fretd or stamt wɖ impeśns ɖ ẃip wz leid on. It wz inuf t drîv wn mad.”

“Dd nt yr mastr tec eni ʈt fr y?” I sd.

“No,” sd ś, “h onli cerd t hv a stîliś trnǎt, az ɖe cōl it; I ʈnc h ń vri litl abt horsz; h left ɖt t hiz coćmn, hu tld him I hd an iritbl tmpr! ɖt I hd nt bn wel brocn t ɖ ćecrein, bt I śd sn gt yst t it; bt h wz nt ɖ man t d it, fr ẃn I wz in ɖ stebl, mizṛbl n angri, instd v biyñ smuɖd n qaytd bî cîndnis, I got onli a srli wrd or a blo. F h hd bn sivl I wd hv traid t ber it. I wz wilñ t wrc, n redi t wrc hard tù; bt t b tormntd fr nʈñ bt ɖer fansiz angrd m. Ẃt rît hd ɖe t mc m sufr lîc ɖt? Bsdz ɖ sornis in mî mǎʈ, n ɖ pen in mî nec, it olwz md mî windpîp fīl bad, n f I hd stopt ɖr loñ I nǒ it wd hv spôld mî briɖñ; bt I grù mor n mor restlis n iritbl, I cd nt hlp it; n I bgan t snap n cic ẃn enwn cem t harnis m; fr ɖs ɖ grūm bìt m, n wn de, az ɖe hd jst bucld s intu ɖ carij, n wr strenñ mî hed p wɖ ɖt rein, I bgan t plunj n cic wɖ ol mî mt. I sn brouc a lot v harnis, n cict mslf clir; so ɖt wz an end v ɖt ples.

“Aftr ɖs I wz snt t Taṭsōl’z t b sold; v cors I cd nt b woṛntd fri fṛm vîs, so nʈñ wz sd abt ɖt. Mî hansm apiṛns n gd pesz sn bròt a jntlmn t bid fr m, n I wz bòt bî anɖr dīlr; h traid m in ol cndz v wez n wɖ difṛnt bits, n h sn faund ǎt ẃt I cd nt ber. At last h drouv m qt wɖt a ćecrein, n ɖen sold m az a prf̣cli qayt hors t a jntlmn in ɖ cuntri; h wz a gd mastr, n I wz gtñ on vri wel, bt hiz old grūm left him n a ny wn cem. Ɖs man wz az hard-tmprd n hard-handd az Samsn; h olwz spouc in a ruf, impeśnt vôs, n f I dd nt muv in ɖ stōl ɖ momnt h wontd m, h wd hit m abv ɖ hocs wɖ hiz steblbrūm or ɖ forc, ẃćvr h mt hv in hiz hand. Evrʈñ h dd wz ruf, n I bgan t het him; h wontd t mc m afreid v him, bt I wz tù hî-métld fr ɖt, n wn de ẃn h hd agṛvetd m mor ɖn yźl I bit him, ẃć v cors pt him in a gret rej, n h bgan t hit m abt ɖ hed wɖ a rîdñẃip. Aftr ɖt h nvr derd t cm intu mî stōl agn; îɖr mî hìlz or mî tīʈ wr redi fr him, n h ń it. I wz qt qayt wɖ mî mastr, bt v cors h lisnd t ẃt ɖ man sd, n so I wz sold agn.

“Ɖ sem dīlr hŕd v m, n sd h ʈt h ń wn ples ẃr I śd d wel. ‘’Tẉz a piti,’ h sd, ’ɖt sć a fîn hors śd g t ɖ bad, fr wont v a riyl gd ćans,’ n ɖ end v it wz ɖt I cem hir nt loñ bfr y dd; bt I hd ɖen md p mî mînd ɖt men wr mî naćṛl eṇmiz n ɖt I mst dfnd mslf. V cors it z vri difṛnt hir, bt hu nz hǎ loñ it wl last? I wś I cd ʈnc abt ʈñz az y d; bt I c’nt, aftr ol I hv gn ʈru.”

“Wel,” I sd, “I ʈnc it wd b a riyl śem f y wr t bît or cic Jon or Jemz.”

“I d’nt mīn t,” ś sd, “ẃl ɖe r gd t m. I dd bît Jemz wns priti śarp, bt Jon sd, ‘Trî hr wɖ cîndnis,’ n instd v puṇśñ m az I xpctd, Jemz cem t m wɖ hiz arm baund p, n bròt m a bran maś n stroct m; n I hv nvr snapt at him sins, n I w’nt îɖr.”

I wz sori fr Jinjr, bt v cors I ń vri litl ɖen, n I ʈt most lîcli ś md ɖ wrst v it; hvr, I faund ɖt az ɖ wīcs wnt on ś grù mć mor jntl n ćirfl, n hd lost ɖ woćfl, dfaynt lc ɖt ś yst t trn on eni strenj prsn hu cem nir hr; n wn de Jemz sd, “I d b’liv ɖt mer z gtñ fond v m, ś qt ẃinid aftr m ɖs mornñ ẃn I hd bn rubñ hr fōrhed.”

“Ai, ai, Jím, ’tiz ‘ɖ Brtwic bōlz’,” sd Jon, “ś’l b az gd az Blac Byti bî n bî; cîndnis z ol ɖ fizic ś wonts, pur ʈñ!” Mastr notist ɖ ćenj, tù, n wn de ẃn h got ǎt v ɖ carij n cem t spīc t s, az h ofn dd, h stroct hr bytifl nec. “Wel, mî priti wn, wel, hǎ d ʈñz g wɖ y nǎ? Y r a gd bit hapịr ɖn ẃn y cem t s, I ʈnc.”

Ś pt hr nǒz p t him in a frendli, trustfl we, ẃl h rubd it jntli.

“W śl mc a kr v hr, Jon,” h sd.

“Yes, sr, ś’z wundrf̣li impruvd; ś’z nt ɖ sem crīćr ɖt ś wz; it’s ‘ɖ Brtwic bōlz’, sr,” sd Jon, lafñ.

Ɖs wz a litl joc v Jon’z; h yst t se ɖt a reğlr cors v “ɖ Brtwic horsbōlz” wd kr olmst eni viśs hors; ɖz bōlz, h sd, wr md p v peśns n jntlnis, frmnis n petñ, wn pǎnd v ć t b mixt p wɖ haf a pînt v comn-sns, n gvn t ɖ hors evri de.

Wn afṭnun h hd bn ǎt wɖ ɖm a loñ tîm, n ẃn Jemz bròt him in n pt on hiz hōltr h sd:

“Ɖr, y rog, mînd hǎ y bhev yrslf, or w śl gt intu trubl.”

“Ẃt hv y bn dwñ, Merilegz?” I asct.

“Ǒ!” sd h, tosñ hiz litl hed, “I hv onli bn gvñ ɖoz yuñ ppl a lésn; ɖe dd nt nǒ ẃn ɖe hd hd inuf, nr ẃn I hd hd inuf, so I jst pićt ɖm of bcwd; ɖt wz ɖ onli ʈñ ɖe cd unḍstand.”

“Ẃt!” sd I, “y ʈrù ɖ ćildṛn of? I ʈt y dd nǒ betr ɖn ɖt! Dd y ʈro Mis Jesi or Mis Flora?”

H lct vri mć ofndd, n sd:

“V cors nt; I wd nt d sć a ʈñ fr ɖ bst ots ɖt evr cem intu ɖ stebl; ẃ, I am az cerfl v ǎr yuñ lediz az ɖ mastr cd b, n az fr ɖ litl wnz it z I hu tīć ɖm t rîd. Ẃn ɖe sīm frîtnd or a litl unstedi on mî bac I g az smuɖ n az qayt az old pŭsi ẃn ś z aftr a brd; n ẃn ɖe r ol rît I g on agn fastr, y si, jst t ys ɖm t it; so d’nt y trubl yrslf prīćñ t m; I am ɖ bst frend n ɖ bst rîdñmastr ɖoz ćildṛn hv. It z nt ɖm, it z ɖ bôz; bôz,” sd h, śecñ hiz mein, “r qt difṛnt; ɖe mst b brocn in az w wr brocn in ẃn w wr colts, n jst b tòt ẃt’s ẃt. Ɖ uɖr ćildṛn hd ridn m abt fr nirli tū aurz, n ɖen ɖ bôz ʈt it wz ɖer trn, n so it wz, n I wz qt agriybl. Ɖe roud m bî trnz, n I gaḷpt ɖm abt, p n dǎn ɖ fīldz n ol abt ɖ orć̣d, fr a gd aur. Ɖe hd ć cut a gret hezl stic fr a rîdñẃip, n leid it on a litl tù hard; bt I tc it in gd part, tl at last I ʈt w hd hd inuf, so I stopt tū or ʈri tîmz bî we v a hint. Bôz, y si, ʈnc a hors or poni z lîc a stīm-enjin or a ʈraśñmśīn, n cn g on az loñ n az fast az ɖe plīz; ɖe nvr ʈnc ɖt a poni cn gt tîrd, or hv eni fīlñz; so az ɖ wn hu wz ẃipñ m cd nt unḍstand I jst rouz p on mî hîndlegz n let him slip of bhnd – ɖt wz ol. H mǎntd m agn, n I dd ɖ sem. Ɖen ɖ uɖr bô got p, n az sn az h bgan t yz hiz stic I leid him on ɖ gras, n so on, tl ɖe wr ebl t unḍstand – ɖt wz ol. Ɖe r nt bad bôz; ɖe d’nt wś t b cruwl. I lîc ɖm vri wel; bt y si I hd t gv ɖm a lésn. Ẃn ɖe bròt m t Jemz n tld him I ʈnc h wz vri angri t si sć big stics. H sd ɖe wr onli fit fr drovrz or jipsiz, n nt fr yuñ jntlṃn.”

“F I hd bn y,” sd Jinjr, “I wd hv gvn ɖoz bôz a gd cic, n ɖt wd hv gvn ɖm a lésn.”

“No dǎt y wd,” sd Merilegz; “bt ɖen I am nt qt sć a fūl (begñ yr pardn) az t angr ǎr mastr or mc Jemz aśemd v m. Bsdz, ɖoz ćildṛn r undr mî ćarj ẃn ɖe r rîdñ; I tel y ɖe r intrustd t m. Ẃ, onli ɖ uɖr de I hŕd ǎr mastr se t Msz. Blūmfīld, ‘Mî dir madm, y nīd nt b añśs abt ɖ ćildṛn; mî old Merilegz wl tec az mć cer v ɖm az y or I cd; I aśur y I wd nt sel ɖt poni fr eni muni, h z so prf̣cli gd-tmprd n truswrɖi;’ n d y ʈnc I am sć an ungretfl brūt az t fget ol ɖ cînd trītmnt I hv hd hir fr fîv yirz, n ol ɖ trust ɖe ples in m, n trn viśs bcz a cupl v ignṛnt bôz yzd m badli? No, no! y nvr hd a gd ples ẃr ɖe wr cînd t y, n so y d’nt nǒ, n I’m sori fr y; bt I cn tel y gd plesz mc gd horsz. I wd’nt vx ǎr ppl fr enʈñ; I luv ɖm, I d,” sd Merilegz, n h gev a lo “hǒ, hǒ, hǒ!” ʈru hiz nǒz, az h yst t d in ɖ mornñ ẃn h hŕd Jemz’ ftstep at ɖ dor.

“Bsdz,” h wnt on, “f I tc t cicñ ẃr śd I b? Ẃ, sold of in a jifi, n no caṛctr, n I mt fînd mslf slevd abt undr a bćr’z bô, or wrct t deʈ at sm sìsîd ples ẃr nwn cerd fr m, xpt t fînd ǎt hǎ fast I cd g, or b flogd alñ in sm cart wɖ ʈri or for gret men in it gwñ ǎt fr a Súnde spri, az I hv ofn sìn in ɖ ples I livd in bfr I cem hir; no,” sd h, śecñ hiz hed, “I hop I śl nvr cm t ɖt.”

Ǒ! f ppl ń ẃt a cumf̣t t horsz a lît hand z, n hǎ it cīps a gd mǎʈ n a gd tmpr, ɖe śrli wd nt ćuc, n drag, n pl at ɖ rein az ɖe ofn d. Ǎr mǎɖz r so tndr ɖt ẃr ɖe hv nt bn spôld or hardnd wɖ bad or ignṛnt trītmnt, ɖe fīl ɖ slîtist muvmnt v ɖ drîvr’z hand, n w nǒ in an instnt ẃt z rqîrd v s. Mî mǎʈ hz nvr bn spôld, n I b’liv ɖt wz ẃ ɖ mistris prifŕd m t Jinjr, olɖo hr pesz wr srtnli qt az gd. Ś yst ofn t envi m, n sd it wz ol ɖ fōlt v brecñ-in, n ɖ gagbit in Lundn, ɖt hr mǎʈ wz nt so prfict az mîn; n ɖen old Sr Olivr wd se, “Ɖr, ɖr! d’nt vx yrslf; y hv ɖ gretist onr; a mer ɖt cn cari a tōl man v ǎr mastr’z weit, wɖ ol yr sprñ n sprîtli ax́n, dz nt nīd t hold hr hed dǎn bcz ś dz nt cari ɖ ledi; w horsz mst tec ʈñz az ɖe cm, n olwz b cntntd n wilñ so loñ az w r cîndli yzd.”

I hd ofn wundrd hǎ it wz ɖt Sr Olivr hd sć a vri śort teil; it riyli wz onli six or sevn inćz loñ, wɖ a tasl v her haññ fṛm it; n on wn v ǎr hoḷdez in ɖ orć̣d I vnćrd t asc him bî ẃt axidnt it wz ɖt h hd lost hiz teil. “Axidnt!” h snortd wɖ a firs lc, “it wz no axidnt! it wz a cruwl, śemfl, cold-bludd act! Ẃn I wz yuñ I wz tecn t a ples ẃr ɖz cruwl ʈñz wr dn; I wz taid p, n md fast so ɖt I cd nt str, n ɖen ɖe cem n cut of mî loñ n bytifl teil, ʈru ɖ fleś n ʈru ɖ bon, n tc it awe.

“Hǎ dredfl!” I xclemd.

“Dredfl, ā! it wz dredfl; bt it wz nt onli ɖ pen, ɖo ɖt wz teṛbl n lastd a loñ tîm; it wz nt onli ɖ indigṇti v hvñ mî bst orṇmnt tecn fṛm m, ɖo ɖt wz bad; bt it wz ɖs, hǎ cd I evr bruś ɖ flîz of mî sîdz n mî hîndlegz eni mor? Y hu hv teilz jst ẃisc ɖ flîz of wɖt ʈncñ abt it, n y c’nt tel ẃt a torment it z t hv ɖm setl upn y n stñ n stñ, n hv nʈñ in ɖ wrld t laś ɖm of wɖ. I tel y it z a lîfloñ roñ, n a lîfloñ los; bt ʈanc hevn, ɖe d’nt d it nǎ.”

“Ẃt dd ɖe d it fr ɖen?” sd Jinjr.

“Fr faśn!” sd ɖ old hors wɖ a stamp v hiz ft; “fr faśn! f y nǒ ẃt ɖt mīnz; ɖr wz nt a wel-bréd yuñ hors in mî tîm ɖt hd nt hiz teil doct in ɖt śemfl we, jst az f ɖ gd God ɖt md s dd nt nǒ ẃt w wontd n ẃt lct bst.”

“I s’poz it z faśn ɖt mcs ɖm strap ǎr hedz p wɖ ɖoz horid bits ɖt I wz torćrd wɖ in Lundn,” sd Jinjr.

“V cors it z,” sd h; “t mî mînd, faśn z wn v ɖ wic̣dist ʈñz in ɖ wrld. Nǎ lc, fr instns, at ɖ we ɖe srv dogz, cutñ of ɖer teilz t mc ɖm lc pluci, n śirñ p ɖer priti litl irz t a pônt t mc ɖm bʈ lc śarp, fsuʈ. I hd a dir frend wns, a brǎn terịr; ‘Scai’ ɖe cōld hr. Ś wz so fond v m ɖt ś nvr wd slīp ǎt v mî stōl; ś md hr bed undr ɖ menjr, n ɖr ś hd a litr v fîv az priti litl pupiz az nīd b; nn wr drǎnd, fr ɖe wr a vałbl cnd, n hǎ plizd ś wz wɖ ɖm! n ẃn ɖe got ɖer îz opn n crōld abt, it wz a riyl priti sît; bt wn de ɖ man cem n tc ɖm ol awe; I ʈt h mt b afreid I śd tréd upn ɖm. Bt it wz nt so; in ɖ īvnñ pur Scai bròt ɖm bac agn, wn bî wn in hr mǎʈ; nt ɖ hapi litl ʈñz ɖt ɖe wr, bt blīdñ n crayñ pitifli; ɖe hd ol hd a pìs v ɖer teilz cut of, n ɖ soft flap v ɖer priti litl irz wz cut qt of. Hǎ ɖer muɖr lict ɖm, n hǎ trubld ś wz, pur ʈñ! I nvr fgot it. Ɖe hīld in tîm, n ɖe fgot ɖ pen, bt ɖ nîs soft flap, ɖt v cors wz intndd t pṛtct ɖ delic̣t part v ɖer irz fṛm dust n inɉri, wz gn fr evr. Ẃ d’nt ɖe cut ɖer ǒn ćildṛn’z irz intu pônts t mc ɖm lc śarp? Ẃ d’nt ɖe cut ɖ end of ɖer nozz t mc ɖm lc pluci? Wn wd b jst az snṣbl az ɖ uɖr. Ẃt rît hv ɖe t torment n dsfigr God’z crīćrz?”

Sr Olivr, ɖo h wz so jntl, wz a fîri old felo, n ẃt h sd wz ol so ny t m, n so dredfl, ɖt I faund a bitr fīlñ twd men rîz p in mî mînd ɖt I nvr hd bfr. V cors Jinjr wz vri mć xîtd; ś fluñ p hr hed wɖ flaśñ îz n dstndd nostṛlz, dclerñ ɖt men wr bʈ brūts n blochedz.

“Hu tōcs abt blochedz?” sd Merilegz, hu jst cem p fṛm ɖ old apltrī, ẃr h hd bn rubñ himslf agnst ɖ lo branć. “Hu tōcs abt blochedz? I b’liv ɖt z a bad wrd.”

“Bad wrdz wr md fr bad ʈñz,” sd Jinjr, n ś tld him ẃt Sr Olivr hd sd.

“It z ol tru,” sd Merilegz sadli, “n I’v sìn ɖt abt ɖ dogz ovr n ovr agn ẃr I livd frst; bt w w’nt tōc abt it hir. Y nǒ ɖt mastr, n Jon n Jemz r olwz gd t s, n tōcñ agnst men in sć a ples az ɖs dz’nt sīm fer or gretfl, n y nǒ ɖr r gd mastrz n gd grūmz bsd ǎrz, ɖo v cors ǎrz r ɖ bst.”

Ɖs wîz spīć v gd litl Merilegz, ẃć w ń wz qt tru, cūld s ol dǎn, ispeṣ́li Sr Olivr, hu wz dirli fond v hiz mastr; n t trn ɖ subjict I sd, “Cn enwn tel m ɖ ys v blincrz?”

“No!” sd Sr Olivr śortli, “bcz ɖe r no ys.”

“Ɖe r s’pozd,” sd Justis, ɖ roun cob, in hiz cām we, “t privnt horsz fṛm śayñ n startñ, n gtñ so frîtnd az t cōz axidnts.”

“Ɖen ẃt z ɖ rīzn ɖe d nt pt ɖm on rîdñhorsz; ispeṣ́li on lediz’ horsz?” sd I.

“Ɖr z no rīzn at ol,” sd h qaytli, “xpt ɖ faśn; ɖe se ɖt a hors wd b so frîtnd t si ɖ ẃīlz v hiz ǒn cart or carij cmñ bhnd him ɖt h wd b śr t run awe, olɖo v cors ẃn h z ridn h siz ɖm ol abt him f ɖ strīts r crǎdd. I admit ɖe d smtmz cm tù clos t b pleznt, bt w d’nt run awe; w r yst t it, n unḍstand it, n f w nvr hd blincrz pt on w śd nvr wont ɖm; w śd si ẃt wz ɖr, n nǒ ẃt wz ẃt, n b mć les frîtnd ɖn bî onli siyñ bits v ʈñz ɖt w c’nt unḍstand. V cors ɖr me b sm nrṿs horsz hu hv bn hrt or frîtnd ẃn ɖe wr yuñ, hu me b ɖ betr fr ɖm; bt az I nvr wz nrṿs, I c’nt juj.”

“I cnsidr,” sd Sr Olivr, “ɖt blincrz r denjṛs ʈñz in ɖ nît; w horsz cn si mć betr in ɖ darc ɖn men cn, n mni an axidnt wd nvr hv hapnd f horsz mt hv hd ɖ fl ys v ɖer îz. Sm yirz ago, I rmembr, ɖr wz a hrs wɖ tū horsz rtrnñ wn darc nît, n jst bî Farmr Sparo’z hǎs, ẃr ɖ pond z clos t ɖ rod, ɖ ẃīlz wnt tù nir ɖ éj, n ɖ hrs wz oṿtrnd intu ɖ wōtr; bʈ ɖ horsz wr drǎnd, n ɖ drîvr hardli iscept. V cors aftr ɖs axidnt a stǎt ẃît rel wz pt p ɖt mt b īẓli sìn, bt f ɖoz horsz hd nt bn partli blîndd, ɖe wd v ɖmslvz hv cept frɖr fṛm ɖ éj, n no axidnt wd hv hapnd. Ẃn ǎr mastr’z carij wz oṿtrnd, bfr y cem hir, it wz sd ɖt f ɖ lamp on ɖ left sîd hd nt gn ǎt, Jon wd hv sìn ɖ gret houl ɖt ɖ rod-mcrz hd left; n so h mt, bt f old Colin hd nt hd blincrz on h wd hv sìn it, lamp or no lamp, fr h wz far tù nwñ an old hors t run intu denjr. Az it wz, h wz vri mć hrt, ɖ carij wz brocn, n hǎ Jon iscept nbdi ń.”

“I śd se,” sd Jinjr, crlñ hr nostṛl, “ɖt ɖz men, hu r so wîz, hd betr gv ordrz ɖt in ɖ fyćr ol folz śd b born wɖ ɖer îz set jst in ɖ midl v ɖer fōrhedz, instd v on ɖ sîd; ɖe olwz ʈnc ɖe cn impruv upn nećr n mnd ẃt God hz md.”

Ʈñz wr gtñ rɖr sor agn, ẃn Merilegz hld p hiz nwñ litl fes n sd, “I’l tel y a sīcrit: I b’liv Jon dz nt apruv v blincrz; I hŕd him tōcñ wɖ mastr abt it wn de. Ɖ mastr sd ɖt ‘f horsz hd bn yst t ɖm, it mt b denjṛs in sm cesz t līv ɖm of’; n Jon sd h ʈt it wd b a gd ʈñ f ol colts wr brocn in wɖt blincrz, az wz ɖ ces in sm foṛn cuntriz. So let s ćir p, n hv a run t ɖ uɖr end v ɖ orć̣d; I b’liv ɖ wind hz bloun dǎn sm aplz, n w mt jst az wel īt ɖm az ɖ slugz.”

Merilegz cd nt b rzistd, so w brouc of ǎr loñ convseśn, n got p ǎr spirits bî munćñ sm vri swīt aplz ẃć le scatrd on ɖ gras.

Ɖ sqîr n Farmr Gre hd wrct tgɖr, az ɖe sd, fr mor ɖn twenti yirz t gt ćecreinz on ɖ carthorsz dn awe wɖ, n in ǎr parts y sldm sw ɖm; n smtmz, f mistris met

a heṿli lêdn hors wɖ hiz hed strend p ś wd stop ɖ carij n gt ǎt, n rīzn wɖ ɖ drîvr in hr swīt sirịs vôs, n trî t śo him hǎ fūliś n cruwl it wz.

I d’nt ʈnc eni man cd wɖstand ǎr mistris. I wś ol lediz wr lîc hr. Ǎr mastr, tù, yst t cm dǎn vri hevi smtmz. I rmembr h wz rîdñ m twd hom wn mornñ ẃn w sw a pǎrfl man drîvñ twd s in a lît poniśêz, wɖ a bytifl litl be poni, wɖ slendr legz n a hî-bréd snṣtiv hed n fes. Jst az h cem t ɖ parcgets ɖ litl ʈñ trnd twd ɖm; ɖ man, wɖt wrd or wornñ, renćt ɖ crīćr’z hed rnd wɖ sć a fors n sudņis ɖt h nirli ʈrù it on its hōnćz. Rcuṿrñ itslf it wz gwñ on, ẃn h bgan t laś it fyrịsli. Ɖ poni plunjd fwd, bt ɖ stroñ, hevi hand hld ɖ priti crīćr bac wɖ fors olmst inuf t brec its jw, ẃl ɖ ẃip stl cut intu him. It wz a dredfl sît t m, fr I ń ẃt firfl pen it gev ɖt delic̣t litl mǎʈ; bt mastr gev m ɖ wrd, n w wr p wɖ him in a secnd.

“Soyr,” h craid in a strn vôs, “z ɖt poni md v fleś n blud?”

“Fleś n blud n tmpr,” h sd; “h’z tù fond v hiz ǒn wil, n ɖt w’nt sūt m.” H spouc az f h wz in a stroñ paśn. H wz a bildr hu hd ofn bn t ɖ parc on biznis.

“N d y ʈnc,” sd mastr strnli, “ɖt trītmnt lîc ɖs wl mc him fond v yr wil?”

“H hd no biznis t mc ɖt trn; hiz rod wz stret on!” sd ɖ man rufli.

“Y hv ofn drivn ɖt poni p t mî ples,” sd mastr; “it onli śoz ɖ crīćr’z meṃri n intelijns; hǎ dd h nǒ ɖt y wr nt gwñ ɖr agn? Bt ɖt hz litl t d wɖ it. I mst se, Mr. Soyr, ɖt a mor unmanli, brūtl trītmnt v a litl poni it wz nvr mî penfl lot t witnis, n bî gvñ we t sć paśn y injr yr ǒn caṛctr az mć, nê mor, ɖn y injr yr hors; n rmembr, w śl ol hv t b jujd acordñ t ǎr wrcs, ẃɖr ɖe b twd man or twd bīst.”

Mastr roud m hom slǒli, n I cd tel bî hiz vôs hǎ ɖ ʈñ hd grīvd him. H wz jst az fri t spīc t jntlṃn v hiz ǒn ranc az t ɖoz b’lo him; fr anɖr de, ẃn w wr ǎt, w met a Captin Lañli, a frend v ǎr mastr’z; h wz drîvñ a splendid per v grez in a cnd v brec. Aftr a litl convseśn ɖ captin sd:

“Ẃt d y ʈnc v mî ny tīm, Mr. Dugḷs? Y nǒ, y r ɖ juj v horsz in ɖz parts, n I śd lîc yr opińn.”

Ɖ mastr bact m a litl, so az t gt a gd vy v ɖm. “Ɖe r an uncomnli hansm per,” h sd, “n f ɖe r az gd az ɖe lc I am śr y nīd nt wś fr enʈñ betr; bt I si y stl hold ɖt pet scīm v yrz fr wuriyñ yr horsz n leṣnñ ɖer pǎr.”

“Ẃt d y mīn,” sd ɖ uɖr, “ɖ ćecreinz? Ǒ, ā! I nǒ ɖt’s a hobi v yrz; wel, ɖ fact z, I lîc t si mî horsz hold ɖer hedz p.”

“So d I,” sd mastr, “az wel az eni man, bt I d’nt lîc t si ɖm hld p; ɖt tecs ol ɖ śîn ǎt v it. Nǎ, y r a militri man, Lañli, n no dǎt lîc t si yr rejimnt lc wel on p’red, ‘hedz p’, n ol ɖt; bt y wd nt tec mć credit fr yr dril f ol yr men hd ɖer hedz taid t a bacbord! It mt nt b mć harm on p’red, xpt t wuri n ftīg ɖm; bt hǎ wd it b in a beyṇt ćarj agnst ɖ eṇmi, ẃn ɖe wont ɖ fri ys v evri musl, n ol ɖer streñʈ ʈroun fwd? I wd nt gv mć fr ɖer ćans v vicṭri. N it z jst ɖ sem wɖ horsz: y fret n wuri ɖer tmprz, n dcris ɖer pǎr; y wl nt let ɖm ʈro ɖer weit agnst ɖer wrc, n so ɖe hv t d tù mć wɖ ɖer jônts n muslz, n v cors it werz ɖm p fastr. Y me dpnd upn it, horsz wr intndd t hv ɖer hedz fri, az fri az men’z r; n f w cd act a litl mor acordñ t comn-sns, n a gd dīl les acordñ t faśn, w śd fînd mni ʈñz wrc īzịr; bsdz, y nǒ az wel az I ɖt f a hors mcs a fōls step, h hz mć les ćans v rcuṿrñ himslf f hiz hed n nec r fasnd bac. N nǎ,” sd ɖ mastr, lafñ, “I hv gvn mî hobi a gd trot ǎt, c’nt y mc p yr mînd t mǎnt him, tù, captin? Yr xampl wd g a loñ we.”

“I b’liv y r rît in ʈiyri,” sd ɖ uɖr, “n ɖt’s rɖr a hard hit abt ɖ soljrz; bt – wel – I’l ʈnc abt it,” n so ɖe partd.

Ɖ man at ɖ get sd ɖ rivr wz rîzñ fast, n h fird it wd b a bad nît. Mni v ɖ medoz wr undr wōtr, n in wn lo part v ɖ rod ɖ wōtr wz hafwe p t mî niz; ɖ botm wz gd, n mastr drouv jntli, so it wz no matr.

Ẃn w got t ɖ tǎn v cors I hd a gd beit, bt az ɖ mastr’z biznis ingejd him a loñ tîm w dd nt start fr hom tl rɖr lêt in ɖ afṭnun. Ɖ wind wz ɖen mć hayr, n I hŕd ɖ mastr se t Jon ɖt h hd nvr bn ǎt in sć a storm; n so I ʈt, az w wnt alñ ɖ scrts v a wŭd, ẃr ɖ gret branćz wr sweyñ abt lîc twigz, n ɖ ruśñ sǎnd wz teṛbl.

“I wś w wr wel ǎt v ɖs wŭd,” sd mî mastr.

“Yes, sr,” sd Jon, “it wd b rɖr ōcẉd f wn v ɖz branćz cem dǎn upn s.”

Ɖ wrdz wr scersli ǎt v hiz mǎʈ ẃn ɖr wz a gron, n a crac, n a splitñ sǎnd, n tẹrñ, craśñ dǎn amñ ɖ uɖr triz cem an oc, torn p bî ɖ rūts, n it fél rît acrs ɖ rod jst bfr s. I wl nvr se I wz nt frîtnd, fr I wz. I stopt stil, n I b’liv I trembld; v cors I dd nt trn rnd or run awe; I wz nt bròt p t ɖt. Jon jumt ǎt n wz in a momnt at mî hed.

“Ɖt wz a vri nir tuć,” sd mî mastr. “Ẃt’s t b dn nǎ?”

“Wel, sr, w c’nt drîv ovr ɖt tri, nr yt gt rnd it; ɖr wl b nʈñ fr it, bt t g bac t ɖ for croswez, n ɖt wl b a gd six mîlz bfr w gt rnd t ɖ wŭdn brij agn; it wl mc s lêt, bt ɖ hors z freś.”

So bac w wnt n rnd bî ɖ crosrodz, bt bî ɖ tîm w got t ɖ brij it wz vri nirli darc; w cd jst si ɖt ɖ wōtr wz ovr ɖ midl v it; bt az ɖt hapnd smtmz ẃn ɖ fludz wr ǎt, mastr dd nt stop. W wr gwñ alñ at a gd pes, bt ɖ momnt mî fīt tućt ɖ frst part v ɖ brij I flt śr ɖr wz smʈñ roñ. I der nt g fwd, n I md a ded stop. “G on, Byti,” sd mî mastr, n h gev m a tuć wɖ ɖ ẃip, bt I der nt str; h gev m a śarp cut; I jumt, bt I der nt g fwd.

“Ɖr’z smʈñ roñ, sr,” sd Jon, n h sprañ ǎt v ɖ dogcart n cem t mî hed n lct ol abt. H traid t līd m fwd. “Cm on, Byti, ẃt’s ɖ matr?” V cors I cd nt tel him, bt I ń vri wel ɖt ɖ brij wz nt sef.

Jst ɖen ɖ man at ɖ tolget on ɖ uɖr sîd ran ǎt v ɖ hǎs, tosñ a torć abt lîc wn mad.

“Hô, hô, hô! hlu! stop!” h craid. “Ẃt’s ɖ matr?” śǎtd mî mastr.

“Ɖ brij z brocn in ɖ midl, n part v it z carid awe; f y cm on y’l b intu ɖ rivr.”

“Ʈanc God!” sd mî mastr. “Y Byti!” sd Jon, n tc ɖ braidl n jntli trnd m rnd t ɖ rît-hand rod bî ɖ rivrsîd. Ɖ sún hd set sm tîm; ɖ wind sīmd t hv luld of aftr ɖt fyrịs blast ẃć tòr p ɖ tri. It grù darcr n darcr, stilr n stilr. I trotd qaytli alñ, ɖ ẃīlz hardli mcñ a sǎnd on ɖ soft rod. Fr a gd ẃl nɖr mastr nr Jon spouc, n ɖen mastr bgan in a sirịs vôs. I cd nt unḍstand mć v ẃt ɖe sd, bt I faund ɖe ʈt, f I hd gn on az ɖ mastr wontd m, most lîcli ɖ brij wd hv gvn we undr s, n hors, śêz, mastr, n man wd hv fōḷn intu ɖ rivr; n az ɖ cuṛnt wz flowñ vri stroñli, n ɖr wz no lît n no hlp at hand, it wz mor ɖn lîcli w śd ol hv bn drǎnd. Mastr sd, God hd gvn men rīzn, bî ẃć ɖe cd fînd ǎt ʈñz fr ɖmslvz; bt h hd gvn animlz nolij ẃć dd nt dpnd on rīzn, n ẃć wz mć mor promt n prfict in its we, n bî ẃć ɖe hd ofn sevd ɖ livz v men. Jon hd mni storiz t tel v dogz n horsz, n ɖ wundrfl ʈñz ɖe hd dn; h ʈt ppl dd nt valy ɖer animlz haf inuf nr mc frendz v ɖm az ɖe òt t d. I am śr h mcs frendz v ɖm f evr a man dd.

At last w cem t ɖ parcgets n faund ɖ gardnr lcñ ǎt fr s. H sd ɖt mistris hd bn in a dredfl we evr sins darc, firñ sm axidnt hd hapnd, n ɖt ś hd snt Jemz of on Justis, ɖ roun cob, twd ɖ wŭdn brij t mc inqîri aftr s.

W sw a lît at ɖ hōldor n at ɖ upr windoz, n az w cem p mistris ran ǎt, seyñ, “R y riyli sef, mî dir? Ǒ! I hv bn so añśs, fansiyñ ol sorts v ʈñz. Hv y hd no axidnt?”

“No, mî dir; bt f yr Blac Byti hd nt bn wîzr ɖn w wr w śd ol hv bn carid dǎn ɖ rivr at ɖ wŭdn brij.” I hŕd no mor, az ɖe wnt intu ɖ hǎs, n Jon tc m t ɖ stebl. Ǒ, ẃt a gd supr h gev m ɖt nît, a gd bran maś n sm cruśt bīnz wɖ mî ots, n sć a ʈic bed v strw! n I wz glad v it, fr I wz tîrd.

Ɖen ɖ bô got of n gev him a hard ʈraśñ, n noct him abt ɖ hed; ɖen h got p agn n traid t mc him līp ɖ get, cicñ him ol ɖ tîm śemf̣li, bt stl ɖ poni rfyzd. Ẃn w wr nirli at ɖ spot ɖ poni pt dǎn hiz hed n ʈrù p hiz hìlz, n snt ɖ bô nītli ovr intu a brōd qc-set hej, n wɖ ɖ rein danġlñ fṛm hiz hed h set of hom at a fl gaḷp.

Jon laft ǎt qt lǎd. “Srvd him rît,” h sd.

“Ǒ, ǒ, ǒ!” craid ɖ bô az h strugld abt amñ ɖ ʈornz; “I se, cm n hlp m ǎt.”

“Ʈanc yi,” sd Jon, “I ʈnc y r qt in ɖ rît ples, n mbi a litl scraćñ wl tīć y nt t līp a poni ovr a get ɖt z tù hî fr him,” n so wɖ ɖt Jon roud of. “It me b,” sd h t himslf, “ɖt yuñ felo z a layr az wel az a cruwl wn; w’l jst g hom bî Farmr Bśbi’z, Byti, n ɖen f enbdi wonts t nǒ y n I cn tel ’m, yi si.” So w trnd of t ɖ rît, n sn cem p t ɖ stacyard, n wɖn sît v ɖ hǎs. Ɖ farmr wz huriyñ ǎt intu ɖ rod, n hiz wîf wz standñ at ɖ get, lcñ vri frîtnd.

“Hv y sìn mî bô?” sd Mr. Bśbi az w cem p; “h wnt ǎt an aur ago on mî blac poni, n ɖ crīćr z jst cm bac wɖt a rîdr.”

“I śd ʈnc, sr,” sd Jon, “h hd betr b wɖt a rîdr, unls h cn b ridn proprli.”

“Ẃt d y mīn?” sd ɖ farmr.

“Wel, sr, I sw yr sun ẃipñ, n cicñ, n nocñ ɖt gd litl poni abt śemf̣li bcz h wd nt līp a get ɖt wz tù hî fr him. Ɖ poni bhevd wel, sr, n śoud no vîs; bt at last h jst ʈrù p hiz hìlz n tipt ɖ yuñ jntlmn intu ɖ ʈorn hej. H wontd m t hlp him ǎt, bt I hop y wl xkz m, sr, I dd nt fīl inclînd t d so. Ɖr’z no bonz brocn, sr; h’l onli gt a fy scraćz. I luv horsz, n it rîlz m t si ɖm badli yzd; it z a bad plan t agṛvet an animl tl h yzz hiz hìlz; ɖ frst tîm z nt olwz ɖ last.”

Jrñ ɖs tîm ɖ muɖr bgan t crî, “Ǒ, mî pur Bil, I mst g n mīt him; h mst b hrt.”

“Y hd betr g intu ɖ hǎs, wîf,” sd ɖ farmr; “Bil wonts a lésn abt ɖs, n I mst si ɖt h gts it; ɖs z nt ɖ frst tîm, nr ɖ secnd, ɖt h hz il-yzd ɖt poni, n I śl stop it. I am mć oblîjd t y, Manli. Gd-īvnñ.”

So w wnt on, Jon ćuc̣lñ ol ɖ we hom; ɖen h tld Jemz abt it, hu laft n sd, “Srv him rît. I ń ɖt bô at scūl; h tc gret erz on himslf bcz h wz a farmr’z sun; h yst t swagr abt n bŭli ɖ litl bôz. V cors, w eldr wnz wd nt hv eni v ɖt nonsns, n let him nǒ ɖt in ɖ scūl n ɖ plêgrǎnd farmrz’ sunz n leḅrrz’ sunz wr ol alîc. I wel rmembr wn de, jst bfr afṭnunscūl, I faund him at ɖ larj windo caćñ flîz n pŭlñ of ɖer wñz. H dd nt si m n I gev him a box on ɖ irz ɖt leid him sprōlñ on ɖ flor. Wel, angri az I wz, I wz olmst frîtnd, h rord n beloud in sć a stîl. Ɖ bôz ruśt in fṛm ɖ plêgrǎnd, n ɖ mastr ran in fṛm ɖ rod t si hu wz biyñ mrdrd. V cors I sd fer n sqer at wns ẃt I hd dn, n ẃ; ɖen I śoud ɖ mastr ɖ flîz, sm cruśt n sm crōlñ abt hlplis, n I śoud him ɖ wñz on ɖ windo sil. I nvr sw him so angri bfr; bt az Bil wz stl hǎlñ n ẃînñ, lîc ɖ cawd ɖt h wz, h dd nt gv him eni mor puniśmnt v ɖt cnd, bt set him p on a stūl fr ɖ rest v ɖ afṭnun, n sd ɖt h śd nt g ǎt t ple fr ɖt wīc. Ɖen h tōct t ol ɖ bôz vri sirịsli abt cruwlti, n sd hǎ hard-hartd n cawdli it wz t hrt ɖ wìc n ɖ hlplis; bt ẃt stuc in mî mînd wz ɖs, h sd ɖt cruwlti wz ɖ devl’z ǒn tredmarc, n f w sw enwn hu tc pleźr in cruwlti w mt nǒ hu h b’loñd t, fr ɖ devl wz a mrdrr fṛm ɖ bginñ, n a Tormntr t ɖ end. On ɖ uɖr hand, ẃr w sw ppl hu luvd ɖer nebrz, n wr cînd t man n bīst, w mt nǒ ɖt wz God’z marc.”

“Yr mastr nvr tòt y a truwr ʈñ,” sd Jon; “ɖr z no rlijn wɖt luv, n ppl me tōc az mć az ɖe lîc abt ɖer rlijn, bt f it dz nt tīć ɖm t b gd n cînd t man n bīst it z ol a śam – ol a śam, Jemz, n it w’nt stand ẃn ʈñz cm t b trnd insd ǎt.”

“Gd mornñ, Jon,” sd ɖ mastr. “I wont t nǒ f y hv eni cmplent t mc v Jemz.”

“Cmplent, sr? No, sr.”

“Z h industrịs at hiz wrc n rspctfl t y?” “Yes, sr, olwz.”

“Y nvr fînd h slîts hiz wrc ẃn yr bac z trnd?” “Nvr, sr.”

“Ɖt’s wel; bt I mst pt anɖr qsćn. Hv y no rīzn t sspct, ẃn h gz ǎt wɖ ɖ horsz t x’sîz ɖm or t tec a mesij, ɖt h stops abt tōcñ t hiz aqentnsz, or gz intu hǎzz ẃr h hz no biznis, līvñ ɖ horsz ǎtsd?”

“No, sr, srtnli nt; n f enbdi hz bn seyñ ɖt abt Jemz, I d’nt b’liv it, n I d’nt mīn t b’liv it unls I hv it ferli pruvd bfr witṇsz; it’s nt fr m t se hu hz bn trayñ t tec awe Jemz’ caṛctr, bt I wl se ɖs, sr, ɖt a stedịr, plezntr, onistr, smartr yuñ felo I nvr hd in ɖs stebl. I cn trust hiz wrd n I cn trust hiz wrc; h z jntl n clevr wɖ ɖ horsz, n I wd rɖr hv ɖm in ćarj wɖ him ɖn wɖ haf ɖ yuñ feloz I nǒ v in lêst hats n liṿriz; n huevr wonts a caṛctr v Jemz Hawd,” sd Jon, wɖ a dsîdd jrc v hiz hed, “let ɖm cm t Jon Manli.”

Ɖ mastr std ol ɖs tîm grev n atntiv, bt az Jon finiśt hiz spīć a brōd smîl spred ovr hiz fes, n lcñ cîndli acrs at Jemz, hu ol ɖs tîm hd std stil at ɖ dor, h sd, “Jemz, mî lad, set dǎn ɖ ots n cm hir; I am vri glad t fînd ɖt Jon’z opińn v yr caṛctr agriz so xacli wɖ mî ǒn. Jon z a cōśs man,” h sd, wɖ a drol smîl, “n it z nt olwz īzi t gt hiz opińn abt ppl, so I ʈt f I bìt ɖ bś on ɖs sîd ɖ brdz wd flî ǎt, n I śd lrn ẃt I wontd t nǒ qcli; so nǎ w wl cm t biznis. I hv a letr fṛm mî bruɖr-in-lw, Sr Clif̣d Wiłmz, v Clif̣d Hōl. H wonts m t fînd him a truswrɖi yuñ grūm, abt twenti or twenti-wn, hu nz hiz biznis. Hiz old coćmn, hu hz livd wɖ him ʈrti yirz, z gtñ fībl, n h wonts a man t wrc wɖ him n gt intu hiz wez, hu wd b ebl, ẃn ɖ old man wz pnśnd of, t step intu hiz ples. H wd hv etīn śilñz a wīc at frst, a steblsūt, a drîvñsūt, a bedrūm ovr ɖ coćhǎs, n a bô undr him. Sr Clif̣d z a gd mastr, n f y cd gt ɖ ples it wd b a gd start fr y. I d’nt wont t part wɖ y, n f y left s I nǒ Jon wd lūz hiz rît hand.”

“Ɖt I śd, sr,” sd Jon, “bt I wd nt stand in hiz lît fr ɖ wrld.”

“Hǎ old r y, Jemz?” sd mastr. “Nîntīn nxt Me, sr.”

“Ɖt’s yuñ; ẃt d y ʈnc, Jon?”

“Wel, sr, it z yuñ; bt h z az stedi az a man, n z stroñ, n wel groun, n ɖo h hz nt hd mć xpirịns in drîvñ, h hz a lît frm hand n a qc î, n h z vri cerfl, n I am qt śr no hors v hiz wil b ruind fr wont v hvñ hiz fīt n śuz lct aftr.”

“Yr wrd wl g ɖ frɖist, Jon,” sd ɖ mastr, “fr Sr Clif̣d adz in a poșcript, ‘F I cd fînd a man trênd bî yr Jon I śd lîc him betr ɖn eni uɖr;’ so, Jemz, lad, ʈnc it ovr, tōc t yr muɖr at dinrtîm, n ɖen let m nǒ ẃt y wś.”

In a fy dez aftr ɖs convseśn it wz fŭli setld ɖt Jemz śd g t Clif̣d Hōl, in a munʈ or six wīcs, az it sūtd hiz mastr, n in ɖ mntm h wz t gt ol ɖ practis in drîvñ ɖt cd b gvn t him. I nvr ń ɖ carij t g ǎt so ofn bfr; ẃn ɖ mistris dd nt g ǎt ɖ mastr drouv himslf in ɖ tū-ẃīld śêz; bt nǎ, ẃɖr it wz mastr or ɖ yuñ lediz, or onli an eṛnd, Jinjr n I wr pt in ɖ carij n Jemz drouv s. At ɖ frst Jon roud wɖ him on ɖ box, telñ him ɖs n ɖt, n aftr ɖt Jemz drouv alon.

Ɖen it wz wundrfl ẃt a numbr v plesz ɖ mastr wd g t in ɖ siti on Saṭde, n ẃt qir strīts w wr drivn ʈru. H wz śr t g t ɖ relwe-steśn jst az ɖ tren wz cmñ in, n cabz n caṛjz, carts n omnibusz wr ol trayñ t gt ovr ɖ brij tgɖr; ɖt brij wontd gd horsz n gd drîvrz ẃn ɖ relwe-bel wz rññ, fr it wz naro, n ɖr wz a vri śarp trn p t ɖ steśn, ẃr it wd nt hv bn at ol dificlt fr ppl t run intu ć uɖr, f ɖe dd nt lc śarp n cīp ɖer wits abt ɖm.

Ɖr wr sm loñ, hevi hilz, bt Jemz drouv so cerf̣li n ʈtf̣li ɖt w wr nt at ol haṛst. H nvr fgot t pt on ɖ breic az w wnt dǎnhil, nr t tec it of at ɖ rît ples. H cept ǎr fīt on ɖ smūɖist part v ɖ rod, n f ɖ uphil wz vri loñ, h set ɖ carij ẃīlz a litl acrs ɖ rod, so az nt t run bac, n gev s a briɖñ. Ol ɖz litl ʈñz hlp a hors vri mć, ptiklrli f h gts cînd wrdz intu ɖ bargin.

W stopt wns or twîs on ɖ rod, n jst az ɖ sún wz gwñ dǎn w rīćt ɖ tǎn ẃr w wr t spend ɖ nît. W stopt at ɖ prinsipl hotel, ẃć wz in ɖ marcitples; it wz a vri larj wn; w drouv undr an arćwe intu a loñ yard, at ɖ frɖr end v ẃć wr ɖ steblz n coćhǎzz. Tū hoslrz cem t tec s ǎt. Ɖ hed hoslr wz a pleznt, activ litl man, wɖ a crŭcid leg, n a yelo strîpt weistcot. I nvr sw a man unbucl harnis so qcli az h dd, n wɖ a pat n a gd wrd h léd m t a loñ stebl, wɖ six or et stōlz in it, n tū or ʈri horsz. Ɖ uɖr man bròt Jinjr; Jemz std bî ẃl w wr rubd dǎn n clīnd.

I nvr wz clīnd so lîtli n qcli az bî ɖt litl old man. Ẃn h hd dn, Jemz stept p n flt m ovr, az f h ʈt I cd nt b ʈuṛli dn, bt h faund mî cot az clīn n smuɖ az silc.

“Wel,” h sd, “I ʈt I wz priti qc, n ǎr Jon qcr stl, bt y d bìt ol I evr sw fr biyñ qc n ʈura at ɖ sem tîm.”

“Practis mcs prfict,” sd ɖ crŭcid litl hoslr, “n ’tẉd b a piti f it dd’nt; forti yirz’ practis, n nt prfict! ha, ha! ɖt wd b a piti; n az t biyñ qc, ẃ, bles y! ɖt z onli a matr v habit; f y gt intu ɖ habit v biyñ qc it z jst az īzi az biyñ slo; īzịr, I śd se; in fact it d’nt agri wɖ mî hlʈ t b hulcñ abt ovr a job twîs az loñ az it nīd tec. Bles y! I cd’nt ẃisl f I crōld ovr mî wrc az sm focs d! Y si, I hv bn abt horsz evr sins I wz twelv yirz old, in huntñsteblz, n rêsñsteblz; n biyñ smōl, yi si, I wz jóci fr sevṛl yirz; bt at ɖ Gdwŭd, yi si, ɖ trf wz vri sliṗri n mî pur Larcspŕ got a fōl, n I brouc mî ni, n so v cors I wz v no mor ys ɖr. Bt I cd nt liv wɖt horsz, v cors I cd’nt, so I tc t ɖ hotelz. N I cn tel yi it z a dǎnrît pleźr t handl an animl lîc ɖs, wel-bréd, wel-manrd, wel-cerd-fr; bles yi! I cn tel hǎ a hors z trītd. Gv m ɖ hanḍlñ v a hors fr twenti minits, n I’l tel y ẃt sort v a grūm h hz hd. Lc at ɖs wn, pleznt, qayt, trnz abt jst az y wont him, holdz p hiz fīt t b clīnd ǎt, or enʈñ els y plīz t wś; ɖen y’l fînd anɖr fiɉti, freti, w’nt muv ɖ rît we, or starts acrs ɖ stōl, tosz p hiz hed az sn az y cm nir him, lez hiz irz, n sīmz afreid v y; or els sqerz abt at y wɖ hiz hìlz. Pur ʈñz! I nǒ ẃt sort v trītmnt ɖe hv hd. F ɖe r timid it mcs ɖm start or śî; f ɖe r hî-métld it mcs ɖm viśs or denjṛs; ɖer tmprz r mostli md ẃn ɖe r yuñ. Bles y! ɖe r lîc ćildṛn, tren ’m p in ɖ we ɖe śd g, az ɖ gd bc sz, n ẃn ɖe r old ɖe wl nt dpart fṛm it, f ɖe hv a ćans.”

“I lîc t hír y tōc,” sd Jemz, “ɖt’s ɖ we w le it dǎn at hom, at ǎr mastr’z.”

“Hu z yr mastr, yuñ man? f it b a propr qsćn. I śd juj h z a gd wn, fṛm ẃt I si.”

“H z Sqîr Gordn, v Brtwic Parc, ɖ uɖr sîd ɖ Bīcn Hilz,” sd Jemz.

“Ā! so, so, I hv hŕd tel v him; fîn juj v horsz, e’nt h? ɖ bst rîdr in ɖ cǎnti.”

“I b’liv h z,” sd Jemz, “bt h rîdz vri litl nǎ, sins ɖ pur yuñ mastr wz cild.”

“Ā! pur jntlmn; I réd ol abt it in ɖ pepr at ɖ tîm. A fîn hors cild, tù, wz’nt ɖr?”

“Yes,” sd Jemz; “h wz a splendid crīćr, bruɖr t ɖs wn, n jst lîc him.”

“Piti! piti!” sd ɖ old man; “’tẉz a bad ples t līp, f I rmembr; a ʈin fns at top, a stīp banc dǎn t ɖ strīm, wz’nt it? No ćans fr a hors t si ẃr h z gwñ. Nǎ, I am fr bold rîdñ az mć az eni man, bt stl ɖr r sm līps ɖt onli a vri nwñ old huntsmn hz eni rît t tec. A man’z lîf n a hors’z lîf r wrʈ mor ɖn a fox’z teil; at līst, I śd se ɖe òt t b.”

Jrñ ɖs tîm ɖ uɖr man hd finiśt Jinjr n hd bròt ǎr corn, n Jemz n ɖ old man left ɖ stebl tgɖr.

“I se, Tǎlr,” sd ɖ hoslr, “jst run p ɖ ladr intu ɖ loft n pt sm he dǎn intu ɖs hors’z rac, wl y? onli le dǎn yr pîp.”

“Ol rît,” sd ɖ uɖr, n wnt p ʈru ɖ trapdor; n I hŕd him step acrs ɖ flor oṿhed n pt dǎn ɖ he. Jemz cem in t lc at s ɖ last ʈñ, n ɖen ɖ dor wz loct.

I canot se hǎ loñ I hd slept, nr ẃt tîm in ɖ nît it wz, bt I wouc p vri uncumf̣tbl, ɖo I hardli ń ẃ. I got p; ɖ er sīmd ol ʈic n ćocñ. I hŕd Jinjr cofñ n wn v ɖ uɖr horsz sīmd vri restlis; it wz qt darc, n I cd si nʈñ, bt ɖ stebl sīmd fl v smoc, n I hardli ń hǎ t briɖ.

Ɖ trapdor hd bn left opn, n I ʈt ɖt wz ɖ ples it cem ʈru. I lisnd, n hŕd a soft ruśñ sort v nôz n a lo crac̣lñ n snapñ. I dd nt nǒ ẃt it wz, bt ɖr wz smʈñ in ɖ sǎnd so strenj ɖt it md m trembl ol ovr. Ɖ uɖr horsz wr ol awec; sm wr pŭlñ at ɖer hōltrz, uɖrz stampñ.

At last I hŕd steps ǎtsd, n ɖ hoslr hu hd pt p ɖ travlr’z hors brst intu ɖ stebl wɖ a lantn, n bgan t untî ɖ horsz, n trî t līd ɖm ǎt; bt h sīmd in sć a huri n so frîtnd himslf ɖt h frîtnd m stl mor. Ɖ frst hors wd nt g wɖ him; h traid ɖ secnd n ʈrd, n ɖe tù wd nt str. H cem t m nxt n traid t drag m ǎt v ɖ stōl bî fors; v cors ɖt wz no ys. H traid s ol bî trnz n ɖen left ɖ stebl.

No dǎt w wr vri fūliś, bt denjr sīmd t b ol rnd, n ɖr wz nbdi w ń t trust in, n ol wz strenj n unsrtn. Ɖ freś er ɖt hd cm in ʈru ɖ opn dor md it īzịr t briɖ, bt ɖ ruśñ sǎnd oṿhed grù lǎdr, n az I lct upwd ʈru ɖ barz v mî emti rac I sw a red lît flic̣rñ on ɖ wōl. Ɖen I hŕd a crî v “Fîr!” ǎtsd, n ɖ old hoslr qaytli n qcli cem in; h got wn hors ǎt, n wnt t anɖr, bt ɖ flemz wr pleyñ rnd ɖ trapdor, n ɖ rorñ oṿhed wz dredfl.

Ɖ nxt ʈñ I hŕd wz Jemz’ vôs, qayt n ćiri, az it olwz wz.

“Cm, mî bytiz, it z tîm fr s t b of, so wec p n cm alñ.” I std nirist ɖ dor, so h cem t m frst, patñ m az h cem in.

“Cm, Byti, on wɖ yr braidl, mî bô, w’l sn b ǎt v ɖs smuɖr.” It wz on in no tîm; ɖen h tc ɖ scarf of hiz nec, n taid it lîtli ovr mî îz, n patñ n cǒxñ h léd m ǎt v ɖ stebl. Sef in ɖ yard, h slipt ɖ scarf of mî îz, n śǎtd, “Hir smbdi! tec ɖs hors ẃl I g bac fr ɖ uɖr.”

A tōl, brōd man stept fwd n tc m, n Jemz dartd bac intu ɖ stebl. I set p a śril ẃini az I sw him g. Jinjr tld m afṭwd ɖt ẃini wz ɖ bst ʈñ I cd hv dn fr hr, fr hd ś nt hŕd m ǎtsd ś wd nvr hv hd curij t cm ǎt.

Ɖr wz mć cnfyźn in ɖ yard; ɖ horsz biyñ got ǎt v uɖr steblz, n ɖ caṛjz n gigz biyñ pld ǎt v hǎzz n śedz, lest ɖ flemz śd spred frɖr. On ɖ uɖr sîd ɖ yardwindoz wr ʈroun p, n ppl wr śǎtñ ol sorts v ʈñz; bt I cept mî î fixt on ɖ stebldor, ẃr ɖ smoc pord ǎt ʈicr ɖn evr, n I cd si flaśz v red lît; prezntli I hŕd abv ol ɖ str n din a lǎd, clir vôs, ẃć I ń wz mastr’z:

“Jemz Hawd! Jemz Hawd! R y ɖr?” Ɖr wz no ansr, bt I hŕd a craś v smʈñ fōlñ in ɖ stebl, n ɖ nxt momnt I gev a lǎd, jôfl ne, fr I sw Jemz cmñ ʈru ɖ smoc līdñ Jinjr wɖ him; ś wz cofñ vayḷntli, n h wz nt ebl t spīc.

“Mî brev lad!” sd mastr, leyñ hiz hand on hiz śoldr, “r y hrt?”

Jemz śc hiz hed, fr h cd nt yt spīc.

“Ai,” sd ɖ big man hu hld m; “h z a brev lad, n no mstec.”

“N nǎ,” sd mastr, “ẃn y hv got yr breʈ, Jemz, w’l gt ǎt v ɖs ples az qcli az w cn,” n w wr muvñ twd ɖ entri, ẃn fṛm ɖ marcitples ɖr cem a sǎnd v gaḷpñ fīt n lǎd rumḅlñ ẃīlz.

“’Tiz ɖ fîr-enjin! ɖ fîr-enjin!” śǎtd tū or ʈri vôsz, “stand bac, mc we!” n claṭrñ n ʈunḍrñ ovr ɖ stonz tū horsz daśt intu ɖ yard wɖ a hevi enjin bhnd ɖm. Ɖ fîrṃn lept t ɖ grǎnd; ɖr wz no nīd t asc ẃr ɖ fîr wz – it wz rolñ p in a gret blêz fṛm ɖ rūf.

W got ǎt az fast az w cd intu ɖ brōd qayt marcitples; ɖ starz wr śînñ, n xpt ɖ nôz bhnd s, ol wz stil.

Mastr léd ɖ we t a larj hotel on ɖ uɖr sîd, n az sn az ɖ hoslr cem, h sd, “Jemz, I mst nǎ hesn t yr mistris; I trust ɖ horsz intîrli t y, ordr ẃtvr y ʈnc z nīdd,” n wɖ ɖt h wz gn. Ɖ mastr dd nt run, bt I nvr sw mortl man wōc so fast az h dd ɖt nît.

Ɖr wz a dredfl sǎnd bfr w got intu ǎr stōlz – ɖ śrīcz v ɖoz pur horsz ɖt wr left brnñ t deʈ in ɖ stebl – it wz vri teṛbl! n md bʈ Jinjr n m fīl vri bad. W, hvr, wr tecn in n wel dn bî.

Ɖ nxt mornñ ɖ mastr cem t si hǎ w wr n t spīc t Jemz. I dd nt hír mć, fr ɖ hoslr wz rubñ m dǎn, bt I cd si ɖt Jemz lct vri hapi, n I ʈt ɖ mastr wz prǎd v him. Ǎr mistris hd bn so mć alarmd in ɖ nît ɖt ɖ jrni wz pt of tl ɖ afṭnun, so Jemz hd ɖ mornñ on hand, n wnt frst t ɖ ín t si abt ǎr harnis n ɖ carij, n ɖen t hír mor abt ɖ fîr. Ẃn h cem bac w hŕd him tel ɖ hoslr abt it. At frst nwn cd ges hǎ ɖ fîr hd bn cōzd, bt at last a man sd h sw Dic Tǎlr g intu ɖ stebl wɖ a pîp in hiz mǎʈ, n ẃn h cem ǎt h hd nt wn, n wnt t ɖ tap fr anɖr. Ɖen ɖ unḍhoslr sd h hd asct Dic t g p ɖ ladr t pt dǎn sm he, bt tld him t le dǎn hiz pîp frst. Dic dnaid tecñ ɖ pîp wɖ him, bt nwn b’livd him. I rmembr ǎr Jon Manli’z rūl, nvr t alǎ a pîp in ɖ stebl, n ʈt it òt t b ɖ rūl evrẃr.

Jemz sd ɖ rūf n flor hd ol fōḷn in, n ɖt onli ɖ blac wōlz wr standñ; ɖ tū pur horsz ɖt cd nt b got ǎt wr berid undr ɖ brnt raftrz n tîlz.

“Ɖr z wn ʈñ qt clir, yuñ man,” h sd, “yr horsz nǒ hu ɖe cn trust; it z wn v ɖ hardist ʈñz in ɖ wrld t gt horsz ǎt v a stebl ẃn ɖr z îɖr fîr or flud. I d’nt nǒ ẃ ɖe w’nt cm ǎt, bt ɖe w’nt – nt wn in twenti.”

W stopt tū or ʈri dez at ɖs ples n ɖen rtrnd hom. Ol wnt wel on ɖ jrni; w wr glad t b in ǎr ǒn stebl agn, n Jon wz īqli glad t si s.

Bfr h n Jemz left s fr ɖ nît Jemz sd, “I wundr hu z cmñ in mî ples.”

“Litl Jo Grīn at ɖ loj,” sd Jon.

“Litl Jo Grīn! ẃ, h’z a ćîld!”

“H z fortīn n a haf,” sd Jon. “Bt h z sć a litl ćap!”

“Yes, h z smōl, bt h z qc n wilñ, n cînd-hartd, tù, n ɖen h wśz vri mć t cm, n hiz faɖr wd lîc it; n I nǒ ɖ mastr wd lîc t gv him ɖ ćans. H sd f I ʈt h wd nt d h wd lc ǎt fr a bigr bô; bt I sd I wz qt agriybl t trî him fr six wīcs.”

“Six wīcs!” sd Jemz; “ẃ, it wl b six munʈs bfr h cn b v mć ys! It wl mc y a dīl v wrc, Jon.”

“Wel,” sd Jon wɖ a laf, “wrc n I r vri gd frendz; I nvr wz afreid v wrc yt.”

“Y r a vri gd man,” sd Jemz. “I wś I me evr b lîc y.”

“I d’nt ofn spīc v mslf,” sd Jon, “bt az y r gwñ awe fṛm s ǎt intu ɖ wrld t śift fr yrslf I’l jst tel y hǎ I lc on ɖz ʈñz. I wz jst az old az Jozif ẃn mî faɖr n muɖr daid v ɖ fīvr wɖn ten dez v ć uɖr, n left m n mî cripl sistr Neli alon in ɖ wrld, wɖt a rleśn ɖt w cd lc t fr hlp. I wz a farmr’z bô, nt rnñ inuf t cīp mslf, mć les bʈ v s, n ś mst hv gn t ɖ wrchǎs bt fr ǎr mistris (Neli cōlz hr hr enjl, n ś hz gd rît t d so). Ś wnt n hîrd a rūm fr hr wɖ old Wido Malit, n ś gev hr nitñ n nīdlwrc ẃn ś wz ebl t d it; n ẃn ś wz il ś snt hr dinrz n mni nîs, cumf̣tbl ʈñz, n wz lîc a muɖr t hr. Ɖen ɖ mastr h tc m intu ɖ stebl undr old Normn, ɖ coćmn ɖt wz ɖen. I hd mî fūd at ɖ hǎs n mî bed in ɖ loft, n a sūt v cloɖz, n ʈri śilñz a wīc, so ɖt I cd hlp Neli. Ɖen ɖr wz Normn; h mt hv trnd rnd n sd at hiz ej h cd nt b trubld wɖ a rw bô fṛm ɖ plǎteil, bt h wz lîc a faɖr t m, n tc no end v penz wɖ m. Ẃn ɖ old man daid sm yirz aftr, I stept intu hiz ples, n nǎ v cors I hv top wejz, n cn le bî fr a reni de or a súni de, az it me hapn, n Neli z az hapi az a brd.

So y si, Jemz, I am nt ɖ man ɖt śd trn p hiz nǒz at a litl bô n vx a gd, cînd mastr. No, no! I śl mis y vri mć, Jemz, bt w śl pl ʈru, n ɖr’z nʈñ lîc dwñ a cîndnis ẃn ’tiz pt in yr we, n I am glad I cn d it.”

“Ɖen,” sd Jemz, “y d’nt hold wɖ ɖt seyñ, ‘Evrbdi lc aftr himslf, n tec cer v numbr wn’?”

“No, indd,” sd Jon, “ẃr śd I n Neli hv bn f mastr n mistris n old Normn hd onli tecn cer v numbr wn? Ẃ, ś in ɖ wrchǎs n I howñ trnips! Ẃr wd Blac Byti n Jinjr hv bn f y hd onli ʈt v numbr wn? ẃ, rostd t deʈ! No, Jím, no! ɖt z a slfiś, hīɖ̇niś seyñ, huevr yzz it; n eni man hu ʈncs h hz nʈñ t d bt tec cer v numbr wn, ẃ, it’s a piti bt ẃt h hd bn drǎnd lîc a pupi or a citn, bfr h got hiz îz opn; ɖt’s ẃt I ʈnc,” sd Jon, wɖ a vri dsîdd jrc v hiz hed.

Jemz laft at ɖs; bt ɖr wz a ʈicnis in hiz vôs ẃn h sd, “Y hv bn mî bst frend xpt mî muɖr; I hop y w’nt fget m.”

“No, lad, no!” sd Jon, “n f evr I cn d y a gd trn I hop y w’nt fget m.”

Ɖ nxt de Jo cem t ɖ steblz t lrn ol h cd bfr Jemz left. H lrnt t swīp ɖ stebl, t brñ in ɖ strw n he; h bgan t clīn ɖ harnis, n hlpt t woś ɖ carij. Az h wz qt tù śort t d enʈñ in ɖ we v grūmñ Jinjr n m, Jemz tòt him upn Merilegz, fr h wz t hv fl ćarj v him, undr Jon. H wz a nîs litl brît felo, n olwz cem ẃiṣlñ t hiz wrc.

Merilegz wz a gd dīl pt ǎt at biyñ “mōld abt,” az h sd, “bî a bô hu ń nʈñ;” bt twd ɖ end v ɖ secnd wīc h tld m conf̣dnṣ́li ɖt h ʈt ɖ bô wd trn ǎt wel.

At last ɖ de cem ẃn Jemz hd t līv s; ćirfl az h olwz wz, h lct qt dǎn-hartd ɖt mornñ.

“Y si,” h sd t Jon, “I am līvñ a gret dīl bhnd; mî muɖr n Betsi, n y, n a gd mastr n mistris, n ɖen ɖ horsz, n mî old Merilegz. At ɖ ny ples ɖr wl nt b a soul ɖt I śl nǒ. F it wr nt ɖt I śl gt a hayr ples, n b ebl t hlp mî muɖr betr, I d’nt ʈnc I śd hv md p mî mînd t it; it z a riyl pinć, Jon.”

“Ai, Jemz, lad, so it z; bt I śd nt ʈnc mć v y f y cd līv yr hom fr ɖ frst tîm n nt fīl it. Ćir p, y’l mc frendz ɖr; n f y gt on wel, az I am śr y wl, it wl b a fîn ʈñ fr yr muɖr, n ś wl b prǎd inuf ɖt y hv got intu sć a gd ples az ɖt.”

So Jon ćird him p, bt evrwn wz sori t lūz Jemz; az fr Merilegz, h pînd aftr him fr sevṛl dez, n wnt qt of hiz aṗtît. So Jon tc him ǎt sevṛl mornñz wɖ a līdñrein, ẃn h x’sîzd m, n, trotñ n gaḷpñ bî mî sîd, got p ɖ litl felo’z spirits agn, n h wz sn ol rît.

Jo’z faɖr wd ofn cm in n gv a litl hlp, az h unḍstd ɖ wrc; n Jo tc a gret dīl v penz t lrn, n Jon wz qt incurijd abt him.

“Nǎ, Jon,” h sd, “rîd fr yr lîf – ɖt z, fr yr mistris’ lîf; ɖr z nt a momnt t lūz. Gv ɖs not t Dr. Ẃît; gv yr hors a rest at ɖ ín, n b bac az sn az y cn.”

Jon sd, “Yes, sr,” n wz on mî bac in a minit. Ɖ gardnr hu livd at ɖ loj hd hŕd ɖ bel rñ, n wz redi wɖ ɖ get opn, n awe w wnt ʈru ɖ parc, n ʈru ɖ vilij, n dǎn ɖ hil tl w cem t ɖ tolget. Jon cōld vri lǎd n ʈumt upn ɖ dor; ɖ man wz sn ǎt n fluñ opn ɖ get.

“Nǎ,” sd Jon, “d y cīp ɖ get opn fr ɖ doctr; hir’z ɖ muni,” n of h wnt agn.

Ɖr wz bfr s a loñ pìs v levl rod bî ɖ rivr sîd; Jon sd t m, “Nǎ, Byti, d yr bst,” n so I dd; I wontd no ẃip nr spr, n fr tū mîlz I gaḷpt az fast az I cd le mî fīt t ɖ grǎnd; I d’nt b’liv ɖt mî old granfaɖr, hu wún ɖ rês at Nymarcit, cd hv gn fastr. Ẃn w cem t ɖ brij Jon pld m p a litl n patd mî nec. “Wel dn, Byti! gd old felo,” h sd. H wd hv let m g slowr, bt mî spirit wz p, n I wz of agn az fast az bfr. Ɖ er wz frosti, ɖ mūn wz brît; it wz vri pleznt. W cem ʈru a vilij, ɖen ʈru a darc wŭd, ɖen uphil, ɖen dǎnhil, tl aftr et mîlz’ run w cem t ɖ tǎn, ʈru ɖ strīts n intu ɖ marcitples. It wz ol qt stil xpt ɖ clatr v mî fīt on ɖ stonz – evrbdi wz aslip. Ɖ ćrćcloc struc ʈri az w drù p at Dr. Ẃît’s dor. Jon rañ ɖ bel twîs, n ɖen noct at ɖ dor lîc ʈundr. A windo wz ʈroun p, n Dr. Ẃît, in hiz nîtcap, pt hiz hed ǎt n sd, “Ẃt d y wont?”

“Msz. Gordn z vri il, sr; mastr wonts y t g at wns; h ʈncs ś wl dî f y canot gt ɖr. Hir z a not.”

“Wêt,” h sd, “I wl cm.”

H śut ɖ windo, n wz sn at ɖ dor.

“Ɖ wrst v it z,” h sd, “ɖt mî hors hz bn ǎt ol de n z qt dn p; mî sun hz jst bn snt fr, n h hz tecn ɖ uɖr. Ẃt z t b dn? Cn I hv yr hors?”

“H hz cm at a gaḷp nirli ol ɖ we, sr, n I wz t gv him a rest hir; bt I ʈnc mî mastr wd nt b agnst it, f y ʈnc fit, sr.”

“Ol rît,” h sd; “I wl sn b redi.”                                                                                                         pai

Jon std bî m n stroct mî nec; I wz vri hot. Ɖ doctr cem ǎt wɖ hiz rîdñẃip.

“Y nīd nt tec ɖt, sr,” sd Jon; “Blac Byti wl g tl h drops. Tec cer v him, sr, f y cn; I śd nt lîc eni harm t cm t him.”

“No, no, Jon,” sd ɖ doctr, “I hop nt,” n in a minit w hd left Jon far bhnd.

I wl nt tel abt ǎr we bac. Ɖ doctr wz a hevịr man ɖn Jon, n nt so gd a rîdr; hvr, I dd mî vri bst. Ɖ man at ɖ tolget hd it opn. Ẃn w cem t ɖ hil ɖ doctr drù m p. “Nǎ, mî gd felo,” h sd, “tec sm breʈ.” I wz glad h dd, fr I wz nirli spent, bt ɖt briɖñ hlpt m on, n sn w wr in ɖ parc. Jo wz at ɖ lojget; mî mastr wz at ɖ hōldor, fr h hd hŕd s cmñ. H spouc nt a wrd; ɖ doctr wnt intu ɖ hǎs wɖ him, n Jo léd m t ɖ stebl. I wz glad t gt hom; mî legz śc undr m, n I cd onli stand n pant. I hd nt a drî her on mî bodi, ɖ wōtr ran dǎn mî legz, n I stīmd ol ovr, Jo yst t se, lîc a pot on ɖ fîr. Pur Jo! h wz yuñ n smōl, n az yt h ń vri litl, n hiz faɖr, hu wd hv hlpt him, hd bn snt t ɖ nxt vilij; bt I am śr h dd ɖ vri bst h ń. H rubd mî legz n mî ćst, bt h dd nt pt mî worm cloʈ on m; h ʈt I wz so hot I śd nt lîc it. Ɖen h gev m a peilfl v wōtr t drinc; it wz cold n vri gd, n I dranc it ol; ɖen h gev m sm he n sm corn, n ʈncñ h hd dn rît, h wnt awe. Sn I bgan t śec n trembl, n trnd dedli cold; mî legz ect, mî lônz ect, n mî ćst ect, n I flt sor ol ovr. Ǒ! hǎ I wśt fr mî worm, ʈic cloʈ, az I std n trembld. I wśt fr Jon, bt h hd et mîlz t wōc, so I le dǎn in mî strw n traid t g t slīp. Aftr a loñ ẃl I hŕd Jon at ɖ dor; I gev a lo mon, fr I wz in gret pen. H wz at mî sîd in a momnt, stūpñ dǎn bî m. I cd nt tel him hǎ I flt, bt h sīmd t nǒ it ol; h cuvrd m p wɖ tū or ʈri worm cloʈs, n ɖen ran t ɖ hǎs fr sm hot wōtr; h md m sm worm gruwl, ẃć I dranc, n ɖen I ʈnc I wnt t slīp.

Jon sīmd t b vri mć pt ǎt. I hŕd him se t himslf ovr n ovr agn, “Stypid bô! stypid bô! no cloʈ pt on, n I der se ɖ wōtr wz cold, tù; bôz r no gd;” bt Jo wz a gd bô, aftr ol.

I wz nǎ vri il; a stroñ infḷmeśn hd atact mî luñz, n I cd nt drw mî breʈ wɖt pen. Jon nrst m nît n de; h wd gt p tū or ʈri tîmz in ɖ nît t cm t m. Mî mastr, tù, ofn cem t si m. “Mî pur Byti,” h sd wn de, “mî gd hors, y sevd yr mistris’ lîf, Byti; yes, y sevd hr lîf.” I wz vri glad t hír ɖt, fr it sīmz ɖ doctr hd sd f w hd bn a litl longr it wd hv bn tù lêt. Jon tld mî mastr h nvr sw a hors g so fast in hiz lîf. It sīmd az f ɖ hors ń ẃt wz ɖ matr. V cors I dd, ɖo Jon ʈt nt; at līst I ń az mć az ɖs – ɖt Jon n I mst g at ɖ top v ǎr spīd, n ɖt it wz fr ɖ sec v ɖ mistris.

Jinjr n Merilegz hd bn muvd intu ɖ uɖr stebl, so ɖt I mt b qayt, fr ɖ fīvr md m vri qc v hírñ; eni litl nôz sīmd qt lǎd, n I cd tel evrwn’z ftstep gwñ t n fṛm ɖ hǎs. I ń ol ɖt wz gwñ on. Wn nît Jon hd t gv m a dráft; Toṃs Grīn cem in t hlp him. Aftr I hd tecn it n Jon hd md m az cumf̣tbl az h cd, h sd h śd ste haf an aur t si hǎ ɖ medisn setld. Toṃs sd h

wd ste wɖ him, so ɖe wnt n sat dǎn on a benć ɖt hd bn bròt intu Merilegz’ stōl, n pt dǎn ɖ lantn at ɖer fīt, ɖt I mt nt b dstrbd wɖ ɖ lît.

Fr a ẃl bʈ men sat sîḷnt, n ɖen Tom Grīn sd in a lo vôs:

“I wś, Jon, y’d se a bit v a cînd wrd t Jo. Ɖ bô z qt brocn-hartd; h c’nt īt hiz mīlz, n h c’nt smîl. H sz h nz it wz ol hiz fōlt, ɖo h z śr h dd ɖ bst h ń, n h sz f Byti dîz nwn wl evr spīc t him agn. It gz t mî hart t hír him. I ʈnc y mt gv him jst a wrd; h z nt a bad bô.”

Aftr a śort pōz Jon sd slǒli, “Y mst nt b tù hard upn m, Tom. I nǒ h mnt no harm, I nvr sd h dd; I nǒ h z nt a bad bô. Bt y si, I am sor mslf; ɖt hors z ɖ prîd v mî hart, t se nʈñ v hiz biyñ sć a feṿrit wɖ ɖ mastr n mistris; n t ʈnc ɖt hiz lîf me b fluñ awe in ɖs manr z mor ɖn I cn ber. Bt f y ʈnc I am hard on ɖ bô I wl trî t gv him a gd wrd tmoro – ɖt z, I mīn f Byti z betr.”

“Wel, Jon, ʈanc y. I ń y dd nt wś t b tù hard, n I am glad y si it wz onli ignṛns.”

Jon’z vôs olmst startld m az h ansrd:

“Onli ignṛns! onli ignṛns! hǎ cn y tōc abt onli ignṛns? D’nt y nǒ ɖt it z ɖ wrst ʈñ in ɖ wrld, nxt t wicidnis? – n ẃć dz ɖ most misćif hevn onli nz. F ppl cn se, ‘Ǒ! I dd nt nǒ, I dd nt mīn eni harm,’ ɖe ʈnc it z ol rît. I s’poz Marʈa Mulwoś dd nt mīn t cil ɖt bebi ẃn ś dost it wɖ Dōlbi n suɖñ siṛps; bt ś dd cil it, n wz traid fr manslōtr.”

“N srv hr rît, tù,” sd Tom. “A wmn śd nt unḍtec t nrs a tndr litl ćîld wɖt nwñ ẃt z gd n ẃt z bad fr it.”

“Bil Starci,” cntinyd Jon, “dd nt mīn t frîtn hiz bruɖr intu fits ẃn h drest p lîc a gost n ran aftr him in ɖ mūnlît; bt h dd; n ɖt brît, hansm litl felo, ɖt mt hv bn ɖ prîd v eni muɖr’z hart z jst no betr ɖn an idịt, n nvr wl b, f h livz t b eti yirz old. Y wr a gd dīl cut p yrslf, Tom, tū wīcs ago, ẃn ɖoz yuñ lediz left yr hothǎs dor opn, wɖ a frosti īst wind blowñ rît in; y sd it cild a gd mni v yr plants.”

“A gd mni!” sd Tom; “ɖr wz nt wn v ɖ tndr cutñz ɖt wz nt nipt of. I śl hv t strîc ol ovr agn, n ɖ wrst v it z ɖt I d’nt nǒ ẃr t g t gt freś wnz. I wz nirli mad ẃn I cem in n sw ẃt wz dn.”

“N yt,” sd Jon, “I am śr ɖ yuñ lediz dd nt mīn it; it wz onli ignṛns.”

I hŕd no mor v ɖs convseśn, fr ɖ medisn dd wel n snt m t slīp, n in ɖ mornñ I flt mć betr; bt I ofn ʈt v Jon’z wrdz ẃn I cem t nǒ mor v ɖ wrld.

Ɖ not wz dlivrd, n w wr qaytli rtrnñ ẃn w cem t ɖ bricfīld. Hir w sw a cart heṿli lêdn wɖ brics; ɖ ẃīlz hd stuc fast in ɖ stif mud v sm dīp ruts, n ɖ cartr wz śǎtñ n flogñ ɖ tū horsz unmrsifli. Jo pld p. It wz a sad sît. Ɖr wr ɖ tū horsz strenñ n struġlñ wɖ ol ɖer mt t drag ɖ cart ǎt, bt ɖe cd nt muv it; ɖ swet strīmd fṛm ɖer legz n flancs, ɖer sîdz hīvd, n evri musl wz strend, ẃl ɖ man, firsli pŭlñ at ɖ hed v ɖ fōr hors, swòr n laśt most brūṭli.

“Hold hard,” sd Jo; “d’nt g on flogñ ɖ horsz lîc ɖt; ɖ ẃīlz r so stuc ɖt ɖe canot muv ɖ cart.”

Ɖ man tc no hīd, bt wnt on laśñ.

“Stop! pre stop!” sd Jo. “I’l hlp y t lîtn ɖ cart; ɖe c’nt muv it nǎ.”

“Mînd yr ǒn biznis, y impydnt yuñ rāscl, n I’l mînd mîn!” Ɖ man wz in a tǎrñ paśn n ɖ wrs fr drinc, n leid on ɖ ẃip agn. Jo trnd mî hed, n ɖ nxt momnt w wr gwñ at a rǎnd gaḷp twd ɖ hǎs v ɖ mastr bric-mcr. I canot se f Jon wd hv apruvd v ǎr pes, bt Jo n I wr bʈ v wn mînd, n so angri ɖt w cd nt hv gn slowr.

Ɖ hǎs std clos bî ɖ rodsîd. Jo noct at ɖ dor, n śǎtd, “Hlu! Z Mr. Cle at hom?” Ɖ dor wz opnd, n Mr. Cle himslf cem ǎt.

“Hlu, yuñ man! Y sīm in a huri; eni ordrz fṛm ɖ sqîr ɖs mornñ?”

“No, Mr. Cle, bt ɖr’z a felo in yr bricyard flogñ tū horsz t deʈ. I tld him t stop, n h wd’nt; I sd I’d hlp him t lîtn ɖ cart, n h wd’nt; so I hv cm t tel y. Pre, sr, g.” Jo’z vôs śc wɖ xîtmnt.

“Ʈanc yi, mî lad,” sd ɖ man, runñ in fr hiz hat; ɖen pōzñ fr a momnt, “Wl y gv evidns v ẃt y sw f I śd brñ ɖ felo p bfr a maɉstret?”

“Ɖt I wl,” sd Jo, “n glad tù.” Ɖ man wz gn, n w wr on ǎr we hom at a smart trot.

“Ẃ, ẃt’s ɖ matr wɖ y, Jo? Y lc angri ol ovr,” sd Jon, az ɖ bô fluñ himslf fṛm ɖ sadl.

“I am angri ol ovr, I cn tel y,” sd ɖ bô, n ɖen in hurid, xîtd wrdz h tld ol ɖt hd hapnd. Jo wz yẓ́li sć a qayt, jntl litl felo ɖt it wz wundrfl t si him so rǎzd.

“Rît, Jo! y dd rît, mî bô, ẃɖr ɖ felo gts a sumnz or nt. Mni focs wd hv ridn bî n sd it wz nt ɖer biznis t inṭfir. Nǎ I se ɖt wɖ cruwlti n opreśn it z evrbdi’z biznis t inṭfir ẃn ɖe si it; y dd rît, mî bô.”

Jo wz qt cām bî ɖs tîm, n prǎd ɖt Jon apruvd v him, n clīnd ǎt mî fīt n rubd m dǎn wɖ a frmr hand ɖn yźl.

Ɖe wr jst gwñ hom t dinr ẃn ɖ ftmn cem dǎn t ɖ stebl t se ɖt Jo wz wontd d’recli in mastr’z prîṿt rūm; ɖr wz a man bròt p fr il-yzñ horsz, n Jo’z evidns wz wontd. Ɖ bô fluśt p t hiz fōrhed, n hiz îz sparcld. “Ɖe śl hv it,” sd h.

“Pt yrslf a bit stret,” sd Jon. Jo gev a pl at hiz nectî n a twić at hiz jacit, n wz of in a momnt. Ǎr mastr biyñ wn v ɖ cǎntimaɉstrets, cesz wr ofn bròt t him t setl, or se ẃt śd b dn. In ɖ stebl w hŕd no mor fr sm tîm, az it wz ɖ men’z dinr aur, bt ẃn Jo cem nxt intu ɖ stebl I sw h wz in hî spirits; h gev m a gd-nećrd slap, n sd, “W w’nt si sć ʈñz dn, wl w, old felo?” W hŕd afṭwd ɖt h hd gvn hiz evidns so clirli, n ɖ horsz wr in sć an xōstd stet, bẹrñ marcs v sć brūtl ysij, ɖt ɖ cartr wz cmitd t tec hiz trîl, n mt poṣbli b sntnst t tū or ʈri munʈs in prizn.

It wz wundrfl ẃt a ćenj hd cm ovr Jo. Jon laft, n sd h hd groun an inć tōlr in ɖt wīc, n I b’liv h hd. H wz jst az cînd n jntl az bfr, bt ɖr wz mor prṗs n dtrṃneśn in ol ɖt h dd – az f h hd jumt at wns fṛm a bô intu a man.

Jon wnt abt hiz wrc sîḷnt n sad, n Jo scersli ẃisld. Ɖr wz a gret dīl v cmñ n gwñ; Jinjr n I hd fl wrc.

Ɖ frst v ɖ parti hu wnt wr Mis Jesi n Flora, wɖ ɖer guṿnes. Ɖe cem t bid s gdbî. Ɖe hugd pur Merilegz lîc an old frend, n so indd h wz. Ɖen w hŕd ẃt hd bn arenjd fr s. Mastr hd sold Jinjr n m t hiz old frend, ɖ Rl v W–– , fr h ʈt w śd hv a gd ples ɖr. Merilegz h hd gvn t ɖ vicr, hu wz wontñ a poni fr Msz. Blūmfīld, bt it wz on ɖ cndiśn ɖt h śd nvr b sold, n ɖt ẃn h wz past wrc h śd b śot n berid.

Jo wz ingejd t tec cer v him n t hlp in ɖ hǎs, so I ʈt ɖt Merilegz wz wel of. Jon hd ɖ ofr v sevṛl gd plesz, bt h sd h śd wêt a litl n lc rnd.

Ɖ īvnñ bfr ɖe left ɖ mastr cem intu ɖ stebl t gv sm d’rex́nz, n t gv hiz horsz ɖ last pat. H sīmd vri lo-spiṛtd; I ń ɖt bî hiz vôs. I b’liv w horsz cn tel mor bî ɖ vôs ɖn mni men cn.

“Hv y dsîdd ẃt t d, Jon?” h sd. “I fînd y hv nt axptd îɖr v ɖoz ofrz.”

“No, sr; I hv md p mî mînd ɖt f I cd gt a sićueśn wɖ sm frst-ret coltbrecr n horstrenr, it wd b ɖ rît ʈñ fr m. Mni yuñ animlz r frîtnd n spôld bî roñ trītmnt, ẃć nīd nt b f ɖ rît man tc ɖm in hand. I olwz gt on wel wɖ horsz, n f I cd hlp sm v ɖm t a fer start I śd fīl az f I wz dwñ sm gd. Ẃt d y ʈnc v it, sr?”

“I d’nt nǒ a man enẃr,” sd mastr, “ɖt I śd ʈnc so sūṭbl fr it az yrslf. Y unḍstand horsz, n smhǎ ɖe unḍstand y, n in tîm y mt set p fr yrslf; I ʈnc y cd nt d betr. F in eni we I cn hlp y, rait t m. I śl spīc t mî ejnt in Lundn, n līv yr caṛctr wɖ him.”

Mastr gev Jon ɖ nem n adres, n ɖen h ʈanct him fr hiz loñ n feʈfl srvis; bt ɖt wz tù mć fr Jon. “Pre, d’nt, sr, I c’nt ber it; y n mî dir mistris hv dn so mć fr m ɖt I cd nvr rpe it. Bt w śl nvr fget y, sr, n plīz God, w me sm de si mistris bac agn lîc hrslf; w mst cīp p hop, sr.” Mastr gev Jon hiz hand, bt h dd nt spīc, n ɖe bʈ left ɖ stebl.

Ɖ last sad de hd cm; ɖ ftmn n ɖ hevi lugij hd gn of ɖ de bfr, n ɖr wr onli mastr n mistris n hr meid. Jinjr n I bròt ɖ carij p t ɖ hōldor fr ɖ last tîm. Ɖ srvnts bròt ǎt cŭśnz n rugz n mni uɖr ʈñz; n ẃn ol wr arenjd mastr cem dǎn ɖ steps cariyñ ɖ mistris in hiz armz (I wz on ɖ sîd nxt t ɖ hǎs, n cd si ol ɖt wnt on); h plest hr cerf̣li in ɖ carij, ẃl ɖ hǎșrvnts std rnd crayñ.

“Gdbî, agn,” h sd; “w śl nt fget eni v y,” n h got in. “Drîv on, Jon.”

Jo jumt p, n w trotd slǒli ʈru ɖ parc n ʈru ɖ vilij, ẃr ɖ ppl wr standñ at ɖer dorz t hv a last lc n t se, “God bles ɖm.”

Ẃn w rīćt ɖ relwe-steśn I ʈnc mistris wōct fṛm ɖ carij t ɖ wêtñrūm. I hŕd hr se in hr ǒn swīt vôs, “Gdbî, Jon. God bles y.” I flt ɖ rein twić, bt Jon md no ansr; phps h cd nt spīc. Az sn az Jo hd tecn ɖ ʈñz ǎt v ɖ carij Jon cōld him t stand bî ɖ horsz, ẃl h wnt on ɖ platform. Pur Jo! h std clos p t ǎr hedz t hîd hiz tirz. Vri sn ɖ tren cem pufñ p intu ɖ steśn; ɖen tū or ʈri minits, n ɖ dorz wr slamd t, ɖ gard ẃisld, n ɖ tren glîdd awe, līvñ bhnd it onli clǎdz v ẃît smoc n sm vri hevi hārts.

Ẃn it wz qt ǎt v sît Jon cem bac.

“W śl nvr si hr agn,” h sd – ”nvr.” H tc ɖ reinz, mǎntd ɖ box, n wɖ Jo drouv slǒli hom; bt it wz nt ǎr hom nǎ.