Loñ strñz v yuñ horsz ǎt v ɖ cuntri, freś fṛm ɖ marśz; n drovz v śagi litl Wlś poniz, no hayr ɖn Merilegz; n hundṛdz v carthorsz v ol sorts, sm v ɖm wɖ ɖer loñ teilz brêdd p n taid wɖ scarlit cord; n a gd mni lîc mslf, hansm n hî-bréd, bt fōḷn intu ɖ midl clas, ʈru sm axidnt or blemiś, unsǎndnis v wind, or sm uɖr cmplent. Ɖr wr sm splendid animlz qt in ɖer prîm, n fit fr enʈñ; ɖe wr ʈrowñ ǎt ɖer legz n śowñ of ɖer pesz in hî stîl, az ɖe wr trotd ǎt wɖ a līdñrein, ɖ grūm runñ bî ɖ sîd. Bt rnd in ɖ bacgrǎnd ɖr wr a numbr v pur ʈñz, sadli brocn dǎn wɖ hard wrc, wɖ ɖer niz nuc̣lñ ovr n ɖer hîndlegz swññ ǎt at evri step, n ɖr wr sm vri djctd-lcñ old horsz, wɖ ɖ unḍlip haññ dǎn n ɖ irz layñ bac heṿli, az f ɖr wr no mor pleźr in lîf, n no mor hop; ɖr wr sm so ʈin y mt si ol ɖer ribz, n sm wɖ old sorz on ɖer bacs n hips. Ɖz wr sad sîts fr a hors t lc upn, hu nz nt bt h me cm t ɖ sem stet.

Ɖr wz a gret dīl v barġnñ, v runñ p n bìtñ dǎn; n f a hors me spīc hiz mînd so far az h unḍstandz, I śd se ɖr wr mor lîz tld n mor tric̣ri at ɖt horsfer ɖn a clevr man cd gv an acǎnt v. I wz pt wɖ tū or ʈri uɖr stroñ, ysfl-lcñ horsz, n a gd mni ppl cem t lc at s. Ɖ jntlṃn olwz trnd fṛm m ẃn ɖe sw mî brocn niz; ɖo ɖ man hu hd m swòr it wz onli a slip in ɖ stōl.

Ɖ frst ʈñ wz t pl mî mǎʈ opn, ɖen t lc at mî îz, ɖen fīl ol ɖ we dǎn mî legz, n gv m a hard fīl v ɖ scin n fleś, n ɖen trî mî pesz. It wz wundrfl ẃt a difṛns ɖr wz in ɖ we ɖz ʈñz wr dn. Sm dd it in a ruf, ofhand we, az f wn wz onli a pìs v wŭd; ẃl uɖrz wd tec ɖer handz jntli ovr wn’z bodi, wɖ a pat nǎ n ɖen, az mć az t se, “Bî yr līv.” V cors I jujd a gd dīl v ɖ bayrz bî ɖer manrz t mslf.

Ɖr wz wn man, I ʈt, f h wd bai m, I śd b hapi. H wz nt a jntlmn, nr yt wn v ɖ lǎd, flaśi sort ɖt cōl ɖmslvz so. H wz rɖr a smōl man, bt wel md, n qc in ol hiz mośnz. I ń in a momnt bî ɖ we h handld m, ɖt h wz yst t horsz; h spouc jntli, n hiz gre î hd a cîndli, ćiri lc in it. It me sīm strenj t se – bt it z tru ol ɖ sem – ɖt ɖ clīn, freś smel ɖr wz abt him md m tec t him; no smel v old bir n tbaco, ẃć I hetd, bt a freś smel az f h hd cm ǎt v a hêloft. H ofrd twenti-ʈri pǎndz fr m, bt ɖt wz rfyzd, n h wōct awe. I lct aftr him, bt h wz gn, n a vri hard-lcñ, lǎd-vôst man cem. I wz dredf̣li afreid h wd hv m; bt h wōct of. Wn or tū mor cem hu dd nt mīn biznis. Ɖen ɖ hard-fest man cem bac agn n ofrd twenti-ʈri pǎndz. A vri clos bargin wz biyñ drivn, fr mî seilzmn bgan t ʈnc h śd nt gt ol h asct, n mst cm dǎn; bt jst ɖen ɖ gre-aid man cem bac agn. I cd nt hlp rīćñ ǎt mî hed twd him. H stroct mî fes cîndli.

“Wel, old ćap,” h sd, “I ʈnc w śd sūt ć uɖr. I’l gv twenti-for fr him.”

“Se twenti-fîv n y śl hv him.”

“Twenti-for ten,” sd mî frend, in a vri dsîdd ton, “n nt anɖr sixpns – yes or no?”

“Dn,” sd ɖ seilzmn; “n y me dpnd upn it ɖr’z a monstṛs dīl v qoḷti in ɖt hors, n f y wont him fr cabwrc h’z a bargin.”

Ɖ muni wz peid on ɖ spot, n mî ny mastr tc mî hōltr, n léd m ǎt v ɖ fer t an ín, ẃr h hd a sadl n braidl redi. H gev m a gd fīd v ots n std bî ẃl I ét it, tōcñ t himslf n tōcñ t m. Haf an aur aftr w wr on ǎr we t Lundn, ʈru pleznt lenz n cuntrirodz, untl w cem intu ɖ gret Lundn ʈuṛfér, on ẃć w travld steḍli, tl in ɖ twîlît w rīćt ɖ gret siti. Ɖ gaslamps wr olrdi lîtd; ɖr wr strīts t ɖ rît, n strīts t ɖ left, n strīts crosñ ć uɖr, fr mîl upn mîl. I ʈt w śd nvr cm t ɖ end v ɖm. At last, in pasñ ʈru wn, w cem t a loñ cabstand, ẃn mî rîdr cōld ǎt in a ćiri vôs, “Gd-nît, guvnr!”

“Hlu!” craid a vôs. “Hv y got a gd wn?” “I ʈnc so,” rplaid mî ǒnr.

“I wś y luc wɖ him.”

“Ʈanc y, guvnr,” n h roud on. W sn trnd p wn v ɖ sîdstrīts, n abt hafwe p ɖt w trnd intu a vri naro strīt, wɖ rɖr pur-lcñ hǎzz on wn sîd, n ẃt sīmd t b coćhǎzz n steblz on ɖ uɖr.

Mî ǒnr pld p at wn v ɖ hǎzz n ẃisld. Ɖ dor flù opn, n a yuñ wmn, foloud bî a litl grl n bô, ran ǎt. Ɖr wz a vri lîvli grītñ az mî rîdr dsmǎntd.

“Nǎ, ɖen, Hari, mî bô, opn ɖ gets, n muɖr wl brñ s ɖ lantn.”

Ɖ nxt minit ɖe wr ol standñ rnd m in a smōl steblyard. “Z h jntl, faɖr?”

“Yes, Doli, az jntl az yr ǒn citn; cm n pat him.”

At wns ɖ litl hand wz patñ abt ol ovr mî śoldr wɖt fir. Hǎ gd it flt!

“Let m gt him a bran maś ẃl y rub him dǎn,” sd ɖ muɖr.

“D, Poli, it’s jst ẃt h wonts; n I nǒ y’v got a bytifl maś redi fr m.”

“Sosij dumplñ n apl trnovr!” śǎtd ɖ bô, ẃć set ɖm ol lafñ. I wz léd intu a cumf̣tbl, clīn-smelñ stōl, wɖ plenti v drî strw, n aftr a capitl supr I le dǎn, ʈncñ I wz gwñ t b hapi.

Ɖ nxt mornñ, ẃn I wz wel-grūmd, Poli n Doli cem intu ɖ yard t si m n mc frendz. Hari hd bn hlpñ hiz faɖr sins ɖ rli mornñ, n hd stetd hiz opińn ɖt I śd trn ǎt a “reğlr bric”. Poli bròt m a slîs v apl, n Doli a pìs v bred, n md az mć v m az f I hd bn ɖ “Blac Byti” v oldn tîm. It wz a gret trīt t b petd agn n tōct t in a jntl vôs, n I let ɖm si az wel az I cd ɖt I wśt t b frendli. Poli ʈt I wz vri hansm, n a gret dīl tù gd fr a cab, f it wz nt fr ɖ brocn niz.

“V cors ɖr’z nwn t tel s huz fōlt ɖt wz,” sd Jeri, “n az loñ az I d’nt nǒ I śl gv him ɖ beṇfit v ɖ dǎt; fr a frmr, nītr stepr I nvr roud. W’l cōl him ‘Jac’, aftr ɖ old wn – śl w, Poli?”

“D,” ś sd, “fr I lîc t cīp a gd nem gwñ.”

Captin wnt ǎt in ɖ cab ol ɖ mornñ. Hari cem in aftr scūl t fīd m n gv m wōtr. In ɖ afṭnun I wz pt intu ɖ cab. Jeri tc az mć penz t si f ɖ colr n braidl fitd cumf̣tbli az f h hd bn Jon Manli ovr agn. Ẃn ɖ crupr wz let ǎt a houl or tū it ol fitd wel. Ɖr wz no ćecrein, no crb, nʈñ bt a plen rñsnafl. Ẃt a blesñ ɖt wz!

Aftr drîvñ ʈru ɖ sîdstrīt w cem t ɖ larj cabstand ẃr Jeri hd sd “Gd-nît”. On wn sîd v ɖs wîd strīt wr hî hǎzz wɖ wundrfl śopfrunts, n on ɖ uɖr wz an old ćrć n ćrćyard, srǎndd bî ayn paḷsedz. Alñsd ɖz ayn relz a numbr v cabz wr drwn p, wêtñ fr pasinjrz; bits v he wr layñ abt on ɖ grǎnd; sm v ɖ men wr standñ tgɖr tōcñ; sm wr sitñ on ɖer boxz rīdñ ɖ nyzpepr; n wn or tū wr fīdñ ɖer horsz wɖ bits v he, n gvñ ɖm a drinc v wōtr. W pld p in ɖ ranc at ɖ bac v ɖ last cab. Tū or ʈri men cem rnd n bgan t lc at m n pas ɖer rmarcs.

“Vri gd fr a fynṛl,” sd wn.

“Tù smart-lcñ,” sd anɖr, śecñ hiz hed in a vri wîz we; “y’l fînd ǎt smʈñ roñ wn v ɖz fîn mornñz, or mî nem z’nt Jǒnz.”

“Wel,” sd Jeri plezntli, “I s’poz I nīd nt fînd it ǎt tl it fîndz m ǎt, ê? N f so, I’l cīp p mî spirits a litl longr.”

Ɖen ɖr cem p a brōd-fest man, drest in a gret gre cot wɖ gret gre cep n gret ẃît butnz, a gre hat, n a blu cumf̣tr lūsli taid rnd hiz nec; hiz her wz gre, tù; bt h wz a joli-lcñ felo, n ɖ uɖr men md we fr him.

H lct m ol ovr, az f h hd bn gwñ t bai m; n ɖen streṭnñ himslf p wɖ a grunt, h sd, “H’z ɖ rît sort fr y, Jeri; I d’nt cer ẃt y gev fr him, h’l b wrʈ it.” Ɖus mî caṛctr wz istabliśt on ɖ stand.

Ɖs man’z nem wz Grant, bt h wz cōld “Gre Grant”, or “Guvnr Grant”. H hd bn ɖ longist on ɖt stand v eni v ɖ men, n h tc it upn himslf t setl matrz n stop dspyts. H wz jenṛli a gd-hymrd, snṣbl man; bt f hiz tmpr wz a litl ǎt, az it wz smtmz ẃn h hd drunc tù mć, nbdi lîct t cm tù nir hiz fist, fr h cd dīl a vri hevi blo.

Ɖ frst wīc v mî lîf az a cabhors wz vri trayñ. I hd nvr bn yst t Lundn, n ɖ nôz, ɖ huri, ɖ crǎdz v horsz, carts, n caṛjz ɖt I hd t mc mî we ʈru md m fīl añśs n haṛst; bt I sn faund ɖt I cd prf̣cli trust mî drîvr, n ɖen I md mslf īzi n got yst t it.

Jeri wz az gd a drîvr az I hd evr noun, n ẃt wz betr, h tc az mć ʈt fr hiz horsz az h dd fr himslf. H sn faund ǎt ɖt I wz wilñ t wrc n d mî bst, n h nvr leid ɖ ẃip on m unls it wz jntli drw̃ ɖ end v it ovr mî bac ẃn I wz t g on; bt jenṛli I ń ɖs qt wel bî ɖ we in ẃć h tc p ɖ reinz, n I b’liv hiz ẃip wz mor frīqntli stuc p bî hiz sîd ɖn in hiz hand.

In a śort tîm I n mî mastr unḍstd ć uɖr az wel az hors n man cn d. In ɖ stebl, tù, h dd ol ɖt h cd fr ǎr cumf̣t. Ɖ stōlz wr ɖ old-faśnd stîl, tù mć on ɖ slǒp; bt h hd tū muṿbl barz fixt acrs ɖ bac v ǎr stōlz, so ɖt at nît, n ẃn w wr restñ, h jst tc of ǎr hōltrz n pt p ɖ barz, n ɖus w cd trn abt n stand ẃćvr we w plizd, ẃć z a gret cumf̣t.

Jeri cept s vri clīn, n gev s az mć ćenj v fūd az h cd, n olwz plenti v it; n nt onli ɖt, bt h olwz gev s plenti v clīn freś wōtr, ẃć h alaud t stand bî s bʈ nît n de, xpt v cors ẃn w cem in worm. Sm ppl se ɖt a hors òt nt t drinc ol h lîcs; bt I nǒ f w r alaud t drinc ẃn w wont it w drinc onli a litl at a tîm, n it dz s a gret dīl mor gd ɖn swolowñ dǎn haf a bucitfl at a tîm, bcz w hv bn left wɖt tl w r ʈrsti n mizṛbl.

Sm grūmz wl g hom t ɖer bir n līv s fr aurz wɖ ǎr drî he n ots n nʈñ t môsn ɖm; ɖen v cors w gulp dǎn tù mć at wns, ẃć hlps t spôl ǎr briɖñ n smtmz ćilz ǎr stuṃcs. Bt ɖ bst ʈñ w hd hir wz ǎr Súndez fr rest; w wrct so hard in ɖ wīc ɖt I d nt ʈnc w cd hv cept p t it bt fr ɖt de; bsdz, w hd ɖen tîm t injô ć uɖr’z cumṗni. It wz on ɖz dez ɖt I lrnt mî cmpańn’z hisṭri.

“Ɖt part v it,” sd h, “wz dredfl! V cors w cd nt wōc of ɖ land intu ɖ śip; so ɖe wr oblîjd t pt stroñ straps undr ǎr bodiz, n ɖen w wr liftd of ǎr legz in spît v ǎr struglz, n wr swuñ ʈru ɖ er ovr ɖ wōtr, t ɖ dec v ɖ gret vesl. Ɖr w wr plest in smōl clos stōlz, n nvr fr a loñ tîm sw ɖ scî, or wr ebl t streć ǎr legz. Ɖ śip smtmz rold abt in hî windz, n w wr noct abt, n flt bad inuf.

“Hvr, at last it cem t an end, n w wr hōld p, n swuñ ovr agn t ɖ land; w wr vri glad, n snortd n neid fr jô, ẃn w wns mor flt frm grǎnd undr ǎr fīt.

“W sn faund ɖt ɖ cuntri w hd cm t wz vri difṛnt fṛm ǎr ǒn n ɖt w hd mni hardśps t indyr bsdz ɖ fîtñ; bt mni v ɖ men wr so fond v ɖer horsz ɖt ɖe dd evrʈñ ɖe cd t mc ɖm cumf̣tbl in spît v sno, wet, n ol ʈñz ǎt v ordr.”

“Bt ẃt abt ɖ fîtñ?” sd I, “wz nt ɖt wrs ɖn enʈñ els?”

“Wel,” sd h, “I hardli nǒ; w olwz lîct t hír ɖ trumpit sǎnd, n t b cōld ǎt, n wr impeśnt t start of, ɖo smtmz w hd t stand fr aurz, wêtñ fr ɖ wrd v cmand; n ẃn ɖ wrd wz gvn w yst t sprñ fwd az gêli n īgrli az f ɖr wr no cánnbōlz, beynits, or bŭlits. I b’liv so loñ az w flt ǎr rîdr frm in ɖ sadl, n hiz hand stedi on ɖ braidl, nt wn v s gev we t fir, nt īvn ẃn ɖ teṛbl bom-ślz ẃrld ʈru ɖ er n brst intu a ʈǎznd pìsz.

“I, wɖ mî nobl mastr, wnt intu mni ax́nz tgɖr wɖt a wūnd; n ɖo I sw horsz śot dǎn wɖ bŭlits, pirst ʈru wɖ lansz, n gaśt wɖ firfl sebrcuts; ɖo w left ɖm ded on ɖ fīld, or dayñ in ɖ aġni v ɖer wūndz, I d’nt ʈnc I fird fr mslf. Mî mastr’z ćiri vôs, az h incurijd hiz men, md m fīl az f h n I cd nt b cild. I hd sć prfict trust in him ɖt ẃl h wz gîdñ m I wz redi t ćarj p t ɖ vri cánn’z mǎʈ. I sw mni brev men cut dǎn, mni fōl morṭli wūndd fṛm ɖer sadlz. I hd hŕd ɖ crîz n gronz v ɖ dayñ, I hd cantrd ovr grǎnd sliṗri wɖ blud, n frīqntli hd t trn asd t avôd tramṗlñ on wūndd man or hors, bt, untl wn dredfl de, I hd nvr flt terr; ɖt de I śl nvr fget.”

Hir old Captin pōzd fr a ẃl n drù a loñ breʈ; I wêtd, n h wnt on.

“It wz wn ōtm̦ornñ, n az yźl, an aur bfr dêbrec ǎr cavlri hd trnd ǎt, redi cparisnd fr ɖ de’z wrc, ẃɖr it mt b fîtñ or wêtñ. Ɖ men std bî ɖer horsz wêtñ, redi fr ordrz. Az ɖ lît incrist ɖr sīmd t b sm xîtmnt amñ ɖ ofisrz; n bfr ɖ de wz wel bgun w hŕd ɖ fîrñ v ɖ eṇmi’z gunz.

“Ɖen wn v ɖ ofisrz roud p n gev ɖ wrd fr ɖ men t mǎnt, n in a secnd evri man wz in hiz sadl, n evri hors std xpctñ ɖ tuć v ɖ rein, or ɖ preśr v hiz rîdr’z hìlz, ol aṇmetd, ol īgr; bt stl w hd bn trênd so wel ɖt, xpt bî ɖ ćampñ v ǎr bits, n ɖ restiv tosñ v ǎr hedz fṛm tîm t tîm, it cd nt b sd ɖt w strd.

“Mî dir mastr n I wr at ɖ hed v ɖ lîn, n az ol sat mośnlis n woćfl, h tc a litl stre loc v mî mein ẃć hd trnd ovr on ɖ roñ sîd, leid it ovr on ɖ rît, n smuɖd it dǎn wɖ hiz hand; ɖen patñ mî nec, h sd, ‘W śl hv a de v it tde, Beard, mî byti; bt w’l d ǎr dyti az w hv dn.’ H stroct mî nec ɖt mornñ mor, I ʈnc, ɖn h hd evr dn bfr; qaytli on n on, az f h wr ʈncñ v smʈñ els. I luvd t fīl hiz hand on mî nec, n arćt mî crest prǎdli n haṗli; bt I std vri stil, fr I ń ol hiz mūdz, n ẃn h lîct m t b qayt, n ẃn ge.

“I canot tel ol ɖt hapnd on ɖt de, bt I wl tel v ɖ last ćarj ɖt w md tgɖr; it wz acrs a vali rît in frunt v ɖ eṇmi’z cánn. Bî ɖs tîm w wr wel yst t ɖ ror v hevi gunz, ɖ ratl v muscitfîr, n ɖ flayñ v śot nir s; bt nvr hd I bn undr sć a fîr az w roud ʈru on ɖt de.

Fṛm ɖ rît, fṛm ɖ left, n fṛm ɖ frunt, śot n śel pord in upn s. Mni a brev man wnt dǎn, mni a hors fél, flññ hiz rîdr t ɖ rʈ; mni a hors wɖt a rîdr ran wîldli ǎt v ɖ rancs; ɖen teṛfaid at biyñ alon, wɖ no hand t gîd him, cem presñ in amñ hiz old cmpańnz, t gaḷp wɖ ɖm t ɖ ćarj.

“Firfl az it wz, nwn stopt, nwn trnd bac. Evri momnt ɖ rancs wr ʈind, bt az ǎr comredz fél, w clozd in t cīp ɖm tgɖr; n instd v biyñ śecn or stagrd in ǎr pes ǎr gaḷp bcem fastr n fastr az w nird ɖ cánn.

“Mî mastr, mî dir mastr wz ćirñ on hiz comredz wɖ hiz rît arm rezd on hî, ẃn wn v ɖ bōlz ẃizñ clos t mî hed struc him. I flt him stagr wɖ ɖ śoc, ɖo h utrd no crî; I traid t ćec mî spīd, bt ɖ sord dropt fṛm hiz rît hand, ɖ rein fél lūs fṛm ɖ left, n sncñ bcwd fṛm ɖ sadl h fél t ɖ rʈ; ɖ uɖr rîdrz swept past s, n bî ɖ fors v ɖer ćarj I wz drivn fṛm ɖ spot.

“I wontd t cīp mî ples bî hiz sîd n nt līv him undr ɖt ruś v horsz’ fīt, bt it wz in ven; n nǎ wɖt a mastr or a frend I wz alon on ɖt gret slōtrgrǎnd; ɖen fir tc hold on m, n I trembld az I hd nvr trembld bfr; n I tù, az I hd sìn uɖr horsz d, traid t jôn in ɖ rancs n gaḷp wɖ ɖm; bt I wz bìtn of bî ɖ sordz v ɖ soljrz. Jst ɖen a soljr huz hors hd bn cild undr him còt at mî braidl n mǎntd m, n wɖ ɖs ny mastr I wz agn gwñ fwd; bt ǎr gaḷnt cumṗni wz cruwli oṿpǎrd, n ɖoz hu rmend alîv aftr ɖ firs fît fr ɖ gunz cem gaḷpñ bac ovr ɖ sem grǎnd. Sm v ɖ horsz hd bn so badli wūndd ɖt ɖe cd scersli muv fṛm ɖ los v blud; uɖr nobl crīćrz wr trayñ on ʈri legz t drag ɖmslvz alñ, n uɖrz wr struġlñ t rîz on ɖer fōrfīt, ẃn ɖer hîndlegz hd bn śatrd bî śot. Aftr ɖ batl ɖ wūndd men wr bròt in n ɖ ded wr berid.”

“N ẃt abt ɖ wūndd horsz?” I sd; “wr ɖe left t dî?”

“No, ɖ armifarịrz wnt ovr ɖ fīld wɖ ɖer pistlz n śot ol ɖt wr ruind; sm ɖt hd onli slît wūndz wr bròt bac n atndd t, bt ɖ gretr part v ɖ nobl, wilñ crīćrz ɖt wnt ǎt ɖt mornñ nvr cem bac! In ǎr steblz ɖr wz onli abt wn in for ɖt rtrnd.

“I nvr sw mî dir mastr agn. I b’liv h fél ded fṛm ɖ sadl. I nvr luvd eni uɖr mastr so wel. I wnt intu mni uɖr ingejmnts, bt wz onli wns wūndd, n ɖen nt sirịsli; n ẃn ɖ wor wz ovr I cem bac agn t Ñgḷnd, az sǎnd n stroñ az ẃn I wnt ǎt.”

I sd, “I hv hŕd ppl tōc abt wor az f it wz a vri fîn ʈñ.”

“Ā!” sd h, “I śd ʈnc ɖe nvr sw it. No dǎt it z vri fîn ẃn ɖr z no eṇmi, ẃn it z jst x’sîz n p’red n śam fît. Yes, it z vri fîn ɖen; bt ẃn ʈǎzndz v gd brev men n horsz r cild or cripld fr lîf, it hz a vri difṛnt lc.”

“D y nǒ ẃt ɖe fòt abt?” sd I.

“No,” h sd, “ɖt z mor ɖn a hors cn unḍstand, bt ɖ eṇmi mst hv bn ōf̣li wicid ppl, f it wz rît t g ol ɖt we ovr ɖ sì on prṗs t cil ɖm.”

“Cm, faɖr n muɖr,

N sistr n bruɖr,

Cm, ol v y, trn t

N hlp wn anɖr.”

N so ɖe dd; Hari wz az clevr at steblwrc az a mć oldr bô, n olwz wontd t d ẃt h cd. Ɖen Poli n Doli yst t cm in ɖ mornñ t hlp wɖ ɖ cab – t bruś n bìt ɖ cŭśnz, n rub ɖ glas, ẃl Jeri wz gvñ s a clīnñ in ɖ yard, n Hari wz rubñ ɖ harnis. Ɖr yst t b a gret dīl v lafñ n fun btwn ɖm, n it pt Captin n m in mć betr spirits ɖn f w hd hŕd scoldñ n hard wrdz. Ɖe wr olwz rli in ɖ mornñ, fr Jeri wd se:

“F y in ɖ mornñ

Ʈro minits awe,

Y c’nt pic ɖm p

In ɖ cors v a de.

Y me huri n scuri,

N fluri n wuri,

Y’v lost ɖm fr evr,

Fr evr n ai.”

H cd nt ber eni cerlis lôṭrñ n west v tîm; n nʈñ wz so nir mcñ him angri az t fînd ppl, hu wr olwz lêt, wontñ a cabhors t b drivn hard, t mc p fr ɖer îdlnis.

Wn de tū wîld-lcñ yuñ men cem ǎt v a tavn clos bî ɖ stand, n cōld Jeri.

“Hir, cabi! lc śarp, w r rɖr lêt; pt on ɖ stīm, wl y, n tec s t ɖ Victoria in tîm fr ɖ wn o’cloc tren? Y śl hv a śilñ xtra.”

“I wl tec y at ɖ reğlr pes, jntlṃn; śilñz d’nt pe fr ptñ on ɖ stīm lîc ɖt.”

Lari’z cab wz standñ nxt t ǎrz; h fluñ opn ɖ dor, n sd, “I’m yr man, jntlṃn! tec mî cab, mî hors wl gt y ɖr ol rît;” n az h śut ɖm in, wɖ a wnc twd Jeri, sd, “It’s agnst hiz conśns t g bynd a jogtrot.” Ɖen slaśñ hiz jedd hors, h set of az hard az h cd. Jeri patd m on ɖ nec: “No, Jac, a śilñ wd nt pe fr ɖt sort v ʈñ, wd it, old bô?”

Olɖo Jeri wz dtrmindli set agnst hard drîvñ, t plīz cerlis ppl, h olwz wnt a gd fer pes, n wz nt agnst ptñ on ɖ stīm, az h sd, f onli h ń ẃ.

I wel rmembr wn mornñ, az w wr on ɖ stand wêtñ fr a fér, ɖt a yuñ man, cariyñ a hevi portmanto, trod on a pìs v orinjpīl ẃć le on ɖ pevmnt, n fél dǎn wɖ gret fors.

Jeri wz ɖ frst t run n lift him p. H sīmd mć stund, n az ɖe léd him intu a śop h wōct az f h wr in gret pen. Jeri v cors cem bac t ɖ stand, bt in abt ten minits wn v ɖ śopṃn cōld him, so w drù p t ɖ pevmnt.

“Cn y tec m t ɖ Sǎʈ-īstn Relwe?” sd ɖ yuñ man; “ɖs unluci fōl hz md m lêt, I fir; bt it z v gret importns ɖt I śd nt lūz ɖ twelv o’cloc tren. I śd b most ʈancfl f y cd gt m ɖr in tîm, n wl gladli pe y an xtra fér.”

“I’l d mî vri bst,” sd Jeri harṭli, “f y ʈnc y r wel inuf, sr,” fr h lct dredf̣li ẃît n il.

“I mst g,” h sd rṇstli, “plīz t opn ɖ dor, n let s lūz no tîm.”

Ɖ nxt minit Jeri wz on ɖ box; wɖ a ćiri ćiṛp t m, n a twić v ɖ rein ɖt I wel unḍstd.

“Nǎ ɖen, Jac, mî bô,” sd h, “spin alñ, w’l śo ɖm hǎ w cn gt ovr ɖ grǎnd, f w onli nǒ ẃ.”

It z olwz dificlt t drîv fast in ɖ siti in ɖ midl v ɖ de, ẃn ɖ strīts r fl v trafic, bt w dd ẃt cd b dn; n ẃn a gd drîvr n a gd hors, hu unḍstand ć uɖr, r v wn mînd, it z wundrfl ẃt ɖe cn d. I hd a vri gd mǎʈ – ɖt z I cd b gîdd bî ɖ slîtist tuć v ɖ rein; n ɖt z a gret ʈñ in Lundn, amñ caṛjz, omnibusz, carts, vanz, trucs, cabz, n gret wagnz crīpñ alñ at a wōcñ pes; sm gwñ wn we, sm anɖr, sm gwñ slǒli, uɖrz wontñ t pas ɖm; omnibusz stopñ śort evri fy minits t tec p a pasinjr, oblîjñ ɖ hors ɖt z cmñ bhnd t pl p tù, or t pas, n gt bfr ɖm; phps y trî t pas, bt jst ɖen smʈñ els cmz daśñ in ʈru ɖ naro oṗnñ, n y hv t cīp in bhnd ɖ omnibus agn; prezntli y ʈnc y si a ćans, n manij t gt t ɖ frunt, gwñ so nir ɖ ẃīlz on ć sîd ɖt haf an inć nirr n ɖe wd screp. Wel, y gt alñ fr a bit, bt sn fînd yrslf in a loñ tren v carts n caṛjz ol oblîjd t g at a wōc; phps y cm t a reğlr bloc-up, n hv t stand stil fr minits tgɖr, tl smʈñ clirz ǎt intu a sîdstrīt, or ɖ p’līsmn inṭfirz; y hv t b redi fr eni ćans – t daś fwd f ɖr b an oṗnñ, n b qc az a ratdog t si f ɖr b rūm n f ɖr b tîm, lest y gt yr ǒn ẃīlz loct or smaśt, or ɖ śaft v sm uɖr viycl run intu yr ćst or śoldr. Ol ɖs z ẃt y hv t b redi fr. F y wont t gt ʈru Lundn fast in ɖ midl v ɖ de it wonts a dīl v practis.

Jeri n I wr yst t it, n nwn cd bìt s at gtñ ʈru ẃn w wr set upn it. I wz qc n bold n cd olwz trust mî drîvr; Jeri wz qc n peśnt at ɖ sem tîm, n cd trust hiz hors, ẃć wz a gret ʈñ tù. H vri sldm yzd ɖ ẃip; I ń bî hiz vôs, n hiz clic, clic, ẃn h wontd t gt on fast, n bî ɖ rein ẃr I wz t g; so ɖr wz no nīd fr ẃipñ; bt I mst g bac t mî stori.

Ɖ strīts wr vri fl ɖt de, bt w got on priti wel az far az ɖ botm v Ćīpsîd, ẃr ɖr wz a bloc fr ʈri or for minits. Ɖ yuñ man pt hiz hed ǎt n sd añśsli, “I ʈnc I hd betr gt ǎt n wōc; I śl nvr gt ɖr f ɖs gz on.”

“I’l d ol ɖt cn b dn, sr,” sd Jeri; “I ʈnc w śl b in tîm. Ɖs bloc-up canot last mć longr, n yr lugij z vri hevi fr y t cari, sr.”

Jst ɖen ɖ cart in frunt v s bgan t muv on, n ɖen w hd a gd trn. In n ǎt, in n ǎt w wnt, az fast az horsfleś cd d it, n fr a wundr hd a gd clir tîm on Lundn Brij, fr ɖr wz a hol tren v cabz n caṛjz ol gwñ ǎr we at a qc trot, phps wontñ t cać ɖt vri tren. At eni ret, w ẃrld intu ɖ steśn wɖ mni mor, jst az ɖ gret cloc pôntd t et minits t twelv o’cloc.

“Ʈanc God! w r in tîm,” sd ɖ yuñ man, “n ʈanc y, tù, mî frend, n yr gd hors. Y hv sevd m mor ɖn muni cn evr pe fr. Tec ɖs xtra haf-crǎn.”

“No, sr, no, ʈanc y ol ɖ sem; so glad w hit ɖ tîm, sr; bt d’nt ste nǎ, sr, ɖ bel z rññ. Hir, portr! tec ɖs jntlmn’z lugij – Dovr lîn twelv o’cloc tren – ɖt’s it,” n wɖt wêtñ fr anɖr wrd Jeri ẃīld m rnd t mc rūm fr uɖr cabz ɖt wr daśñ p at ɖ last minit, n drù p on wn sîd tl ɖ cruś wz past.

“’So glad!’ h sd, ’so glad!’ Pur yuñ felo! I wundr ẃt it wz ɖt md him so añśs!”

Jeri ofn tōct t himslf qt lǎd inuf fr m t hír ẃn w wr nt muvñ.

On Jeri’z rtrn t ɖ ranc ɖr wz a gd dīl v lafñ n ćafñ at him fr drîvñ hard t ɖ tren fr an xtra fér, az ɖe sd, ol agnst hiz prínsiplz, n ɖe wontd t nǒ hǎ mć h hd poc̣td.

“A gd dīl mor ɖn I jenṛli gt,” sd h, nodñ slîli; “ẃt h gev m wl cīp m in litl cumf̣ts fr sevṛl dez.”

“Gamn!” sd wn.

“H’z a humbug,” sd anɖr; “prīćñ t s n ɖen dwñ ɖ sem himslf.”

“Lc hir, mêts,” sd Jeri; “ɖ jntlmn ofrd m haf a crǎn xtra, bt I dd’nt tec it; ’tẉz qt pe inuf fr m t si hǎ glad h wz t cać ɖt tren; n f Jac n I ćūz t hv a qc run nǎ n ɖen t plīz ǎrslvz, ɖt’s ǎr biznis n nt yrz.”

“Wel,” sd Lari, “y’l nvr b a rić man.”

“Most lîcli nt,” sd Jeri; “bt I d’nt nǒ ɖt I śl b ɖ les hapi fr ɖt. I hv hŕd ɖ cmandmnts réd a gret mni tîmz n I nvr notist ɖt eni v ɖm sd, ’Ɖǎ śalt b rić’; n ɖr r a gd mni krịs ʈñz sd in ɖ Ny Tsṭmnt abt rić men ɖt I ʈnc wd mc m fīl rɖr qir f I wz wn v ɖm.”

“F y evr d gt rić,” sd Guvnr Gre, lcñ ovr hiz śoldr acrs ɖ top v hiz cab, “y’l dzrv it, Jeri, n y w’nt fînd a crs cm wɖ yr wlʈ. Az fr y, Lari, y’l dî pur; y spend tù mć in ẃipcord.”

“Wel,” sd Lari, “ẃt z a felo t d f hiz hors w’nt g wɖt it?”

“Y nvr tec ɖ trubl t si f h wl g wɖt it; yr ẃip z olwz gwñ az f y hd ɖ St. Vîṭs’ dans in yr arm, n f it dz nt wer y ǎt it werz yr hors ǎt; y nǒ y r olwz ćenjñ yr horsz; n ẃ? Bcz y nvr gv ɖm eni pīs or incurijmnt.”

“Wel, I hv nt hd gd luc,” sd Lari, “ɖt’s ẃr it z.”

“N y nvr wl,” sd ɖ guvnr. “Gd Luc z rɖr ptiklr hu ś rîdz wɖ, n mostli prifŕz ɖoz hu hv got comn-sns n a gd hart; at līst ɖt z mî xpirịns.”

Guvnr Gre trnd rnd agn t hiz nyzpepr, n ɖ uɖr men wnt t ɖer cabz.

“Gd mornñ, Mr. Barcr,” sd ɖ jntlmn. “I śd b glad t mc sm arenjmnts wɖ y fr tecñ Msz. Brigz reğlrli t ćrć on Súnde mornñz. W g t ɖ Ny Ćrć nǎ, n ɖt z rɖr frɖr ɖn ś cn wōc.”

“Ʈanc y, sr,” sd Jeri, “bt I hv onli tecn ǎt a six-dez’ lîsns,* n ɖrfr I cd nt tec a fér on a Súnde; it wd nt b līgl.”

* A fy yirz sins ɖ ańl ćarj fr a cablîsns wz vri mć rdyst, n ɖ difṛns btwn ɖ six n sevn dez’ cabz wz aboliśt.

“Ǒ!” sd ɖ uɖr, “I dd nt nǒ yrz wz a six-dez’ cab; bt v cors it wd b vri īzi t oltr yr lîsns. I wd si ɖt y dd nt lūz bî it; ɖ fact z, Msz. Brigz vri mć prifŕz y t drîv hr.”

“I śd b glad t oblîj ɖ ledi, sr, bt I hd a sevn-dez’ lîsns wns, n ɖ wrc wz tù hard fr m, n tù hard fr mî horsz. Yir in n yir ǎt, nt a de’z rest, n nvr a Súnde wɖ mî wîf n ćildṛn; n nvr ebl t g t a ples v wrśp, ẃć I hd olwz bn yst t d bfr I tc t ɖ drîvñbox. So fr ɖ last fîv yirz I hv onli tecn a six-dez’ lîsns, n I fînd it betr ol ɖ we rnd.”

“Wel, v cors,” rplaid Mr. Brigz, “it z vri propr ɖt evri prsn śd hv rest, n b ebl t g t ćrć on Súndez, bt I śd hv ʈt y wd nt hv mîndd sć a śort distns fr ɖ hors, n onli wns a de; y wd hv ol ɖ afṭnun n īvnñ fr yrslf, n w r vri gd custmrz, y nǒ.”

“Yes, sr, ɖt z tru, n I am gretfl fr ol fevrz, I am śr; n enʈñ ɖt I cd d t oblîj y, or ɖ ledi, I śd b prǎd n hapi t d; bt I c’nt gv p mî Súndez, sr, indd I c’nt. I réd ɖt God md man, n h md horsz n ol ɖ uɖr bīsts, n az sn az H hd md ɖm H md a de v rest, n bád ɖt ol śd rest wn de in sevn; n I ʈnc, sr, H mst hv noun ẃt wz gd fr ɖm, n I am śr it z gd fr m; I am strongr n hlʈịr oltgɖr, nǎ ɖt I hv a de v rest; ɖ horsz r freś tù, n d nt wer p nirli so fast. Ɖ six-de drîvrz ol tel m ɖ sem, n I hv leid bî mor muni in ɖ sevñz banc ɖn evr I dd bfr; n az fr ɖ wîf n ćildṛn, sr, ẃ, hart alîv! ɖe wd nt g bac t ɖ sevn dez fr ol ɖe cd si.”

“Ǒ, vri wel,” sd ɖ jntlmn. “D’nt trubl yrslf, Mr. Barcr, eni frɖr. I wl inqîr smẃr els,” n h wōct awe.

“Wel,” sz Jeri t m, “w c’nt hlp it, Jac, old bô; w mst hv ǎr Súndez.”

“Poli!” h śǎtd, “Poli! cm hir.”

Ś wz ɖr in a minit.

“Ẃt z it ol abt, Jeri?”

“Ẃ, mî dir, Mr. Brigz wonts m t tec Msz. Brigz t ćrć evri Súnde mornñ. I se I hv onli a six-dez’ lîsns. H sz, ‘Gt a sevn-dez’ lîsns, n I’l mc it wrʈ yr ẃl;’ n y nǒ, Poli, ɖe r vri gd custmrz t s. Msz. Brigz ofn gz ǎt śopñ fr aurz, or mcñ cōlz, n ɖen ś pez dǎn fer n onṛbl lîc a ledi; ɖr’z no bìtñ dǎn or mcñ ʈri aurz intu tū aurz n a haf, az sm focs d; n it z īzi wrc fr ɖ horsz; nt lîc tẹrñ alñ t cać trenz fr ppl ɖt r olwz a qortr v an aur tù lêt; n f I d’nt oblîj hr in ɖs matr it z vri lîcli w śl lūz ɖm oltgɖr. Ẃt d y se, litl wmn?”

“I se, Jeri,” sz ś, spīcñ vri slǒli, “I se, f Msz. Brigz wd gv y a sovrin evri Súnde mornñ, I wd nt hv y a sevn-dez’ cabmn agn. W hv noun ẃt it wz t hv no Súndez, n nǎ w nǒ ẃt it z t cōl ɖm ǎr ǒn. Ʈanc God, y rn inuf t cīp s, ɖo it z smtmz clos wrc t pe fr ol ɖ ots n he, ɖ lîsns, n ɖ rent bsdz; bt Hari wl sn b rnñ smʈñ, n I wd rɖr strugl on hardr ɖn w d ɖn g bac t ɖoz horid tîmz ẃn y hardli hd a minit t lc at yr ǒn ćildṛn, n w nvr cd g t a ples v wrśp tgɖr, or hv a hapi, qayt de. God fbid ɖt w śd evr trn bac t ɖoz tîmz; ɖt’s ẃt I se, Jeri.”

“N ɖt z jst ẃt I tld Mr. Brigz, mî dir,” sd Jeri, “n ẃt I mīn t stic t. So d’nt g n fret yrslf, Poli” (fr ś hd bgun t crî); “I wd nt g bac t ɖ old tîmz f I ŕnd twîs az mć, so ɖt z setld, litl wmn. Nǎ, ćir p, n I’l b of t ɖ stand.”

Ʈri wīcs hd pást awe aftr ɖs convseśn, n no ordr hd cm fṛm Msz. Brigz; so ɖr wz nʈñ bt tecñ jobz fṛm ɖ stand. Jeri tc it t hart a gd dīl, fr v cors ɖ wrc wz hardr fr hors n man. Bt Poli wd olwz ćir him p, n se, “Nvr mînd, faɖr, nvr, mînd.

“‘D yr bst,

N līv ɖ rest,

’Twil ol cm rît

Sm de or nît.’”

It sn bcem noun ɖt Jeri hd lost hiz bst custmr, n fr ẃt rīzn. Most v ɖ men sd h wz a fūl, bt tū or ʈri tc hiz part.

“F wrcñmen d’nt stic t ɖer Súnde,” sd Trūmn, “ɖ’l sn hv nn left; it z evri man’z rît n evri bīst’s rît. Bî God’z lw w hv a de v rest, n bî ɖ lw v Ñgḷnd w hv a de v rest; n I se w òt t hold t ɖ rîts ɖz lwz gv s n cīp ɖm fr ǎr ćildṛn.”

“Ol vri wel fr y rlijs ćaps t tōc so,” sd Lari; “bt I’l trn a śilñ ẃn I cn. I d’nt b’liv in rlijn, fr I d’nt si ɖt yr rlijs ppl r eni betr ɖn ɖ rest.”

“F ɖe r nt betr,” pt in Jeri, “it z bcz ɖe r nt rlijs. Y mt az wel se ɖt ǎr cuntri’z lwz r nt gd bcz sm ppl brec ɖm. F a man gvz we t hiz tmpr, n spīcs īvl v hiz nebr, n dz nt pe hiz déts, h z nt rlijs, I d’nt cer hǎ mć h gz t ćrć. F sm men r śamz n humbugz, ɖt dz nt mc rlijn untru. Riyl rlijn z ɖ bst n truist ʈñ in ɖ wrld, n ɖ onli ʈñ ɖt cn mc a man riyli hapi or mc ɖ wrld w liv in eni betr.”

“F rlijn wz gd fr enʈñ,” sd Jǒnz, “it wd privnt yr rlijs ppl fṛm mcñ s wrc on Súndez, az y nǒ mni v ɖm d, n ɖt’s ẃ I se rlijn z nʈñ bt a śam; ẃ, f it wz nt fr ɖ ćrć n ćapl-gwrz it wd b hardli wrʈ ẃl ǎr cmñ ǎt on a Súnde. Bt ɖe hv ɖer privḷjz, az ɖe cōl ɖm, n I g wɖt. I śl xpct ɖm t ansr fr mî soul, f I c’nt gt a ćans v sevñ it.”

Sevṛl v ɖ men aplōdd ɖs, tl Jeri sd:

“Ɖt me sǎnd wel inuf, bt it w’nt d; evri man mst lc aftr hiz ǒn soul; y c’nt le it dǎn at anɖr man’z dor lîc a fǎndlñ n xpct him t tec cer v it; n d’nt y si, f y r olwz sitñ on yr box wêtñ fr a fér, ɖe wl se, ‘F w d’nt tec him smwn els wl, n h dz nt lc fr eni Súnde.’ V cors, ɖe d’nt g t ɖ botm v it, or ɖe wd si f ɖe nvr cem fr a cab it wd b no ys yr standñ ɖr; bt ppl d’nt olwz lîc t g t ɖ botm v ʈñz; it me nt b cnvińnt t d it; bt f y Súnde drîvrz wd ol strîc fr a de v rest ɖ ʈñ wd b dn.”

“N ẃt wd ol ɖ gd ppl d f ɖe cd nt gt t ɖer feṿrit prīćrz?” sd Lari.

“’Tiz nt fr m t le dǎn planz fr uɖr ppl,” sd Jeri, “bt f ɖe c’nt wōc so far ɖe cn g t ẃt z nirr; n f it śd ren ɖe cn pt on ɖer mac̣ntośz az ɖe d on a wīcde. F a ʈñ z rît it cn b dn, n f it z roñ it cn b dn wɖt; n a gd man wl fînd a we. N ɖt z az tru fr s cabṃn az it z fr ɖ ćrć-gwrz.”

“It hz ol cm rît, Jeri; Msz. Brigz snt hr srvnt ɖs afṭnun t asc y t tec hr ǎt tmoro at ilevn o’cloc. I sd, ‘Yes, I ʈt so, bt w s’pozd ś imploid smwn els nǎ.’”

“‘Wel,’ sd h, ‘ɖ riyl fact z, mastr wz pt ǎt bcz Mr. Barcr rfyzd t cm on Súndez, n h hz bn trayñ uɖr cabz, bt ɖr’z smʈñ roñ wɖ ɖm ol; sm drîv tù fast, n sm tù slo, n ɖ mistris sz ɖr z nt wn v ɖm so nîs n clīn az yrz, n nʈñ wl sūt hr bt Mr. Barcr’z cab agn.’”

Poli wz olmst ǎt v breʈ, n Jeri brouc ǎt intu a meri laf. “‘’Twil ol cm rît sm de or nît’: y wr rît, mî dir; y jenṛli r. Run in n gt ɖ supr, n I’l hv Jac’s harnis of n mc him snug n hapi in no tîm.”

Aftr ɖs Msz. Brigz wontd Jeri’z cab qt az ofn az bfr, nvr, hvr, on a Súnde; bt ɖr cem a de ẃn w hd Súnde wrc, n ɖs wz hǎ it hapnd. W hd ol cm hom on ɖ Saṭde nît vri tîrd, n vri glad t ʈnc ɖt ɖ nxt de wd b ol rest, bt so it wz nt t b.

On Súnde mornñ Jeri wz clīnñ m in ɖ yard, ẃn Poli stept p t him, lcñ vri fl v smʈñ.

“Ẃt z it?” sd Jeri.

“Wel, mî dir,” ś sd, “pur Dîna Brǎn hz jst hd a letr bròt t se ɖt hr muɖr z denjṛsli il, n ɖt ś mst g d’recli f ś wśz t si hr alîv. Ɖ ples z mor ɖn ten mîlz awe fṛm hir, ǎt in ɖ cuntri, n ś sz f ś tecs ɖ tren ś śd stl hv for mîlz t wōc; n so wìc az ś z, n ɖ bebi onli for wīcs old, v cors ɖt wd b imposbl; n ś wonts t nǒ f y wd tec hr in yr cab, n ś proṃsz t pe y feʈf̣li, az ś cn gt ɖ muni.”

“Tut, tut! w’l si abt ɖt. It wz nt ɖ muni I wz ʈncñ abt, bt v luzñ ǎr Súnde; ɖ horsz r tîrd, n I am tîrd, tù – ɖt’s ẃr it pinćz.”

“It pinćz ol rnd, fr ɖt matr,” sd Poli, “fr it’s onli haf Súnde wɖt y, bt y nǒ w śd d t uɖr ppl az w śd lîc ɖe śd d t s; n I nǒ vri wel ẃt I śd lîc f mî muɖr wz dayñ; n Jeri, dir, I am śr it w’nt brec ɖ Saḅʈ; fr f pŭlñ a pur bīst or donci ǎt v a pit wd nt spôl it, I am qt śr tecñ pur Dîna wd nt d it.”

“Ẃ, Poli, y r az gd az ɖ ministr, n so, az I’v hd mî Súnde-mornñ srmn rli tde, y me g n tel Dîna ɖt I’l b redi fr hr az ɖ cloc strîcs ten; bt stop – jst step rnd t bćr Brêdn’z wɖ mî complimnts, n asc him f h wd lend m hiz lît trap; I nǒ h nvr yzz it on ɖ Súnde, n it wd mc a wundrfl difṛns t ɖ hors.”

Awe ś wnt, n sn rtrnd, seyñ ɖt h cd hv ɖ trap n welcm.

“Ol rît,” sd h; “nǎ pt m p a bit v bred n ćīz, n I’l b bac in ɖ afṭnun az sn az I cn.”

“N I’l hv ɖ mìt pî redi fr an rli ti instd v fr dinr,” sd Poli; n awe ś wnt, ẃl h md hiz preṗreśnz t ɖ tyn v “Poli’z ɖ wmn n no mstec”, v ẃć tyn h wz vri fond.

I wz s’lectd fr ɖ jrni, n at ten o’cloc w startd, in a lît, hî-ẃīld gig, ẃć ran so īẓli ɖt aftr ɖ for-ẃīld cab it sīmd lîc nʈñ.

It wz a fîn Me de, n az sn az w wr ǎt v ɖ tǎn, ɖ swīt er, ɖ smel v ɖ freś gras, n ɖ soft cuntrirodz wr az pleznt az ɖe yst t b in ɖ old tîmz, n I sn bgan t fīl qt freś.

Dîna’z faṃli livd in a smōl farmhǎs, p a grīn len, clos bî a medo wɖ sm fîn śêdi triz; ɖr wr tū cǎz fīdñ in it.

A yuñ man asct Jeri t brñ hiz trap intu ɖ medo, n h wd tî m p in ɖ cǎśed; h wśt h hd a betr stebl t ofr.

“F yr cǎz wd nt b ofndd,” sd Jeri, “ɖr z nʈñ mî hors wd lîc so wel az t hv an aur or tū in yr bytifl medo; h’z qayt, n it wd b a rer trīt fr him.”

“D, n welcm,” sd ɖ yuñ man; “ɖ bst w hv z at yr srvis fr yr cîndnis t mî sistr; w śl b hvñ sm dinr in an aur, n I hop y’l cm in, ɖo wɖ muɖr so il w r ol ǎt v sorts in ɖ hǎs.”

Jeri ʈanct him cîndli, bt sd az h hd sm dinr wɖ him ɖr wz nʈñ h śd lîc so wel az wōcñ abt in ɖ medo.

Ẃn mî harnis wz tecn of I dd nt nǒ ẃt I śd d frst – ẃɖr t īt ɖ gras, or rol ovr on mî bac, or lî dǎn n rest, or hv a gaḷp acrs ɖ medo ǎt v śir spirits at biyñ fri; n I dd ol bî trnz. Jeri sīmd t b qt az hapi az I wz; h sat dǎn bî a banc undr a śêdi tri, n lisnd t ɖ brdz, ɖen h sañ himslf, n réd ǎt v ɖ litl brǎn bc h z so fond v, ɖen wondrd rnd ɖ medo, n dǎn bî a litl brŭc, ẃr h pict ɖ flǎrz n ɖ hwʈorn, n taid ɖm p wɖ loñ sprez v îvi; ɖen h gev m a gd fīd v ɖ ots ẃć h hd bròt wɖ him; bt ɖ tîm sīmd ol tù śort – I hd nt bn in a fīld sins I left pur Jinjr at Rlz Hōl.

W cem hom jntli, n Jeri’z frst wrdz wr, az w cem intu ɖ yard, “Wel, Poli, I hv nt lost mî Súnde aftr ol, fr ɖ brdz wr sññ hímz in evri bś, n I jônd in ɖ srvis; n az fr Jac, h wz lîc a yuñ colt.”

Ẃn h handd Doli ɖ flǎrz ś jumt abt fr jô.

Sm v ɖ drîvrz hd a wōtr-prūf cuvr t ʈro ovr, ẃć wz a fîn ʈñ; bt sm v ɖ men wr so pur ɖt ɖe cd nt pṛtct îɖr ɖmslvz or ɖer horsz, n mni v ɖm sufrd vri mć ɖt wintr. Ẃn w horsz hd wrct haf ɖ de w wnt t ǎr drî steblz, n cd rest, ẃl ɖe hd t sit on ɖer boxz, smtmz steyñ ǎt az lêt az wn or tū o’cloc in ɖ mornñ f ɖe hd a parti t wêt fr.

Ẃn ɖ strīts wr sliṗri wɖ frost or sno ɖt wz ɖ wrst v ol fr s horsz. Wn mîl v sć traṿlñ, wɖ a weit t drw n no frm ftñ, wd tec mor ǎt v s ɖn for on a gd rod; evri nrv n musl v ǎr bodiz z on ɖ stren t cīp ǎr baḷns; n, add t ɖs, ɖ fir v fōlñ z mor xōstñ ɖn enʈñ els. F ɖ rodz r vri bad indd ǎr śuz r ruft, bt ɖt mcs s fīl nrṿs at frst.

Ẃn ɖ weɖr wz vri bad mni v ɖ men wd g n sit in ɖ tavn clos bî, n gt smwn t woć fr ɖm; bt ɖe ofn lost a fér in ɖt we, n cd nt, az Jeri sd, b ɖr wɖt spendñ muni. H nvr wnt t ɖ Rîzñ Sún; ɖr wz a cofiśop nir, ẃr h nǎ n ɖen wnt, or h bòt v an old man, hu cem t ǎr ranc wɖ tinz v hot cofi n pîz. It wz hiz opińn ɖt spirits n bir md a man coldr afṭwd, n ɖt drî cloɖz, gd fūd, ćirflnis, n a cumf̣tbl wîf at hom, wr ɖ bst ʈñz t cīp a cabmn worm. Poli olwz s’plaid him wɖ smʈñ t īt ẃn h cd nt gt hom, n smtmz h wd si litl Doli pīpñ fṛm ɖ cornr v ɖ strīt, t mc śr f “faɖr” wz on ɖ stand. F ś sw him ś wd run of at fl spīd n sn cm bac wɖ smʈñ in a tin or bascit, sm hot sūp or pŭdñ Poli hd redi. It wz wundrfl hǎ sć a litl ʈñ cd gt sefli acrs ɖ strīt, ofn ʈroñd wɖ horsz n caṛjz; bt ś wz a brev litl meid, n flt it qt an onr t brñ “faɖr’z frst cors”, az h yst t cōl it. Ś wz a jenṛl feṿrit on ɖ stand, n ɖr wz nt a man hu wd nt hv sìn hr sefli acrs ɖ strīt, f Jeri hd nt bn ebl t d it.

Wn cold windi de Doli hd bròt Jeri a besn v smʈñ hot, n wz standñ bî him ẃl h ét it. H hd scersli bgun ẃn a jntlmn, wōcñ twd s vri fast, hld p hiz umbrela. Jeri tućt hiz hat in rtrn, gev ɖ besn t Doli, n wz tecñ of mî cloʈ, ẃn ɖ jntlmn, heṣnñ p, craid ǎt, “No, no, finiś yr sūp, mî frend; I hv nt mć tîm t sper, bt I cn wêt tl y hv dn, n set yr litl grl sef on ɖ pevmnt.” So seyñ, h sītd himslf in ɖ cab. Jeri ʈanct him cîndli, n cem bac t Doli.

“Ɖr, Doli, ɖt’s a jntlmn; ɖt’s a riyl jntlmn, Doli; h hz got tîm n ʈt fr ɖ cumf̣t v a pur cabmn n a litl grl.”

Jeri finiśt hiz sūp, set ɖ ćîld acrs, n ɖen tc hiz ordrz t drîv t Clapm Rîz. Sevṛl tîmz aftr ɖt ɖ sem jntlmn tc ǎr cab. I ʈnc h wz vri fond v dogz n horsz, fr ẃnvr w tc him t hiz ǒn dor tū or ʈri dogz wd cm bǎndñ ǎt t mīt him. Smtmz h cem rnd n patd m, seyñ in hiz qayt, pleznt we, “Ɖs hors hz got a gd mastr, n h dzrvz it.”

It wz a vri rer ʈñ fr enwn t notis ɖ hors ɖt hd bn wrcñ fr him. I hv noun lediz t d it nǎ n ɖen, n ɖs jntlmn, n wn or tū uɖrz hv gvn m a pat n a cînd wrd; bt nînti-nîn prsnz ǎt v a hundṛd wd az sn ʈnc v patñ ɖ stīm-enjin ɖt drù ɖ tren.

Ɖ jntlmn wz nt yuñ, n ɖr wz a fwd stūp in hiz śoldrz az f h wz olwz gwñ at smʈñ. Hiz lips wr ʈin n clos śut, ɖo ɖe hd a vri pleznt smîl; hiz î wz cīn, n ɖr wz smʈñ in hiz jw n ɖ mośn v hiz hed ɖt md wn ʈnc h wz vri dtrmind in enʈñ h set abt. Hiz vôs wz pleznt n cînd; eni hors wd trust ɖt vôs, ɖo it wz jst az dsîdd az evrʈñ els abt him.

Wn de h n anɖr jntlmn tc ǎr cab; ɖe stopt at a śop in R–– Strīt, n ẃl hiz frend wnt in h std at ɖ dor. A litl ahd v s on ɖ uɖr sîd v ɖ strīt a cart wɖ tū vri fîn horsz wz standñ bfr sm wînvōlts; ɖ cartr wz nt wɖ ɖm, n I canot tel hǎ loñ ɖe hd bn standñ, bt ɖe sīmd t ʈnc ɖe hd wêtd loñ inuf, n bgan t muv of.

Bfr ɖe hd gn mni pesz ɖ cartr cem runñ ǎt n còt ɖm. H sīmd fyrịs at ɖer hvñ muvd, n wɖ ẃip n rein puniśt ɖm brūṭli, īvn bìtñ ɖm abt ɖ hed. Ǎr jntlmn sw it ol, n stepñ qcli acrs ɖ strīt, sd in a dsîdd vôs:

“F y d’nt stop ɖt d’recli, I’l hv y arestd fr līvñ yr horsz, n fr brūtl conduct.”

Ɖ man, hu hd clirli bn drincñ, pord fʈ sm abysiv lanḡj, bt h left of nocñ ɖ horsz abt, n tecñ ɖ reinz, got intu hiz cart; mntm ǎr frend hd qaytli tecn a not-bc fṛm hiz pocit, n lcñ at ɖ nem n adres pentd on ɖ cart, h rout smʈñ dǎn.

“Ẃt d y wont wɖ ɖt?” grǎld ɖ cartr, az h cract hiz ẃip n wz muvñ on. A nod n a grim smîl wz ɖ onli ansr h got.

On rtrnñ t ɖ cab ǎr frend wz jônd bî hiz cmpańn, hu sd lafñli, “I śd hv ʈt, Rait, y hd inuf biznis v yr ǒn t lc aftr, wɖt truḅlñ yrslf abt uɖr ppl’z horsz n srvnts.”

Ǎr frend std stil fr a momnt, n ʈrowñ hiz hed a litl bac, “D y nǒ ẃ ɖs wrld z az bad az it z?”

“No,” sd ɖ uɖr.

“Ɖen I’l tel y. It z bcz ppl ʈnc onli abt ɖer ǒn biznis, n w’nt trubl ɖmslvz t stand p fr ɖ oprest, nr brñ ɖ roñ-dwr t lît. I nvr si a wicid ʈñ lîc ɖs wɖt dwñ ẃt I cn, n mni a mastr hz ʈanct m fr letñ him nǒ hǎ hiz horsz hv bn yzd.”

“I wś ɖr wr mor jntlṃn lîc y, sr,” sd Jeri, “fr ɖe r wontd badli inuf in ɖs siti.”

Aftr ɖs w cntinyd ǎr jrni, n az ɖe got ǎt v ɖ cab ǎr frend wz seyñ, “Mî doctrin z ɖs, ɖt f w si cruwlti or roñ ɖt w hv ɖ pǎr t stop, n d nʈñ, w mc ǎrslvz śerrz in ɖ gilt.”

Wn de a śabi, mizṛbl-lcñ drîvr, hu wnt bî ɖ nem v “Sīdi Sam”, bròt in hiz hors lcñ dredf̣li bìt, n ɖ guvnr sd:

“Y n yr hors lc mor fit fr ɖ p’līșteśn ɖn fr ɖs ranc.”

Ɖ man fluñ hiz tatrd rug ovr ɖ hors, trnd fl rnd upn ɖ Guvnr n sd in a vôs ɖt sǎndd olmst despṛt:

“F ɖ p’līs hv eni biznis wɖ ɖ matr it òt t b wɖ ɖ mastrz hu ćarj s so mć, or wɖ ɖ férz ɖt r fixt so lo. F a man hz t pe etīn śilñz a de fr ɖ ys v a cab n tū horsz, az mni v s hv t d in ɖ sīzn, n mst mc ɖt p bfr w rn a peni fr ǎrslvz I se ’tiz mor ɖn hard wrc; nîn śilñz a de t gt ǎt v ć hors bfr y bgin t gt yr ǒn livñ. Y nǒ ɖt’s tru, n f ɖ horsz d’nt wrc w mst starv, n I n mî ćildṛn hv noun ẃt ɖt z bfr nǎ.

I’v six v ’m, n onli wn rnz enʈñ; I am on ɖ stand fortīn or sixtīn aurz a de, n I hv’nt hd a Súnde ɖz ten or twelv wīcs; y nǒ Scinr nvr gvz a de f h cn hlp it, n f I d’nt wrc hard, tel m hu dz! I wont a worm cot n a mac̣ntoś, bt wɖ so mni t fīd hǎ cn a man gt it? I hd t plej mî cloc a wīc ago t pe Scinr, n I śl nvr si it agn.”

Sm v ɖ uɖr drîvrz std rnd nodñ ɖer hedz n seyñ h wz rît. Ɖ man wnt on:

“Y ɖt hv yr ǒn horsz n cabz, or drîv fr gd mastrz, hv a ćans v gtñ on n a ćans v dwñ rît; I hv’nt. W c’nt ćarj mor ɖn sixpns a mîl aftr ɖ frst, wɖn ɖ for-mîl redịs. Ɖs vri mornñ I hd t g a clir six mîlz n onli tc ʈri śilñz. I cd nt gt a rtrnfér, n hd t cm ol ɖ we bac; ɖr’z twelv mîlz fr ɖ hors n ʈri śilñz fr m. Aftr ɖt I hd a ʈri-mîl fér, n ɖr wr bagz n boxz inuf t hv bròt in a gd mni tupnsz f ɖe hd bn pt ǎtsd; bt y nǒ hǎ ppl d; ol ɖt cd b pîld p insd on ɖ frunt sīt wr pt in n ʈri hevi boxz wnt on ɖ top. Ɖt wz sixpns, n ɖ fér wn n sixpns; ɖen I got a rtrn fr a śilñ. Nǎ ɖt mcs etīn mîlz fr ɖ hors n six śilñz fr m; ɖr’z ʈri śilñz stl fr ɖt hors t rn n nîn śilñz fr ɖ afṭnun hors bfr I tuć a peni. V cors, it z nt olwz so bad az ɖt, bt y nǒ it ofn z, n I se ’tiz a moc̣ri t tel a man ɖt h mst nt oṿwrc hiz hors, fr ẃn a bīst z dǎnrît tîrd ɖr’z nʈñ bt ɖ ẃip ɖt wl cīp hiz legz a-gwñ; y c’nt hlp yrslf – y mst pt yr wîf n ćildṛn bfr ɖ hors; ɖ mastrz mst lc t ɖt, w c’nt. I d’nt il-yz mî hors fr ɖ sec v it; nn v y cn se I d.

Ɖr’z roñ lez smẃr – nvr a de’z rest, nvr a qayt aur wɖ ɖ wîf n ćildṛn. I ofn fīl lîc an old man, ɖo I’m onli forti-fîv. Y nǒ hǎ qc sm v ɖ jntri r t sspct s v ćītñ n oṿćarjñ; ẃ, ɖe stand wɖ ɖer prsz in ɖer handz cǎntñ it ovr t a peni n lcñ at s az f w wr picpocits. I wś sm v ’m hd got t sit on mî box sixtīn aurz a de n gt a livñ ǎt v it n etīn śilñz bsd, n ɖt in ol weɖrz; ɖe wd nt b so uncomn ptiklr nvr t gv s a sixpns ovr or t cram ol ɖ lugij insd. V cors, sm v ’m tip s priti hansm nǎ n ɖen, or els w cd nt liv; bt y c’nt dpnd upn ɖt.”

Ɖ men hu std rnd mć apruvd ɖs spīć, n wn v ɖm sd, “It z despṛt hard, n f a man smtmz dz ẃt z roñ it z no wundr, n f h gts a dram tù mć hu’z t blo him p?”

Jeri hd tecn no part in ɖs convseśn, bt I nvr sw hiz fes lc so sad bfr. Ɖ guvnr hd std wɖ bʈ hiz handz in hiz pocits; nǎ h tc hiz hanc̣ćif ǎt v hiz hat n wîpt hiz fōrhed.

“Y’v bìtn m, Sam,” h sd, “fr it’s ol tru, n I w’nt cast it p t y eni mor abt ɖ p’līs; it wz ɖ lc in ɖt hors’z î ɖt cem ovr m. It z hard lînz fr man n it z hard lînz fr bīst, n hu’z t mnd it I d’nt nǒ: bt enwe y mt tel ɖ pur bīst ɖt y wr sori t tec it ǎt v him in ɖt we. Smtmz a cînd wrd z ol w cn gv ’m, pur brūts, n ’tiz wundrfl ẃt ɖe d unḍstand.”

A fy mornñz aftr ɖs tōc a ny man cem on ɖ stand wɖ Sam’z cab.

“Hlu!” sd wn, “ẃt’s p wɖ Sīdi Sam?”

“H’z il in bed,” sd ɖ man; “h wz tecn last nît in ɖ yard, n cd scersli crōl hom. Hiz wîf snt a bô ɖs mornñ t se hiz faɖr wz in a hî fīvr n cd nt gt ǎt, so I’m hir instd.”

Ɖ nxt mornñ ɖ sem man cem agn. “Hǎ z Sam?” inqîrd ɖ guvnr. “H’z gn,” sd ɖ man.

“Ẃt, gn? Y d’nt mīn t se h’z ded?”

“Jst snuft ǎt,” sd ɖ uɖr; “h daid at for o’cloc ɖs mornñ; ol yesṭde h wz revñ – revñ abt Scinr, n hvñ no Súndez. ‘I nvr hd a Súnde’z rest,’ ɖz wr hiz last wrdz.”

Nwn spouc fr a ẃl, n ɖen ɖ guvnr sd, “I’l tel y ẃt, mêts, ɖs z a wornñ fr s.”

It wz Jinjr! bt hǎ ćenjd! Ɖ bytifli arćt n glosi nec wz nǎ stret, n lanc, n fōḷn in; ɖ clīn stret legz n delic̣t fetlocs wr sweld; ɖ jônts wr groun ǎt v śep wɖ hard wrc; ɖ fes, ɖt wz wns so fl v spirit n lîf, wz nǎ fl v suf̣rñ, n I cd tel bî ɖ hīvñ v hr sîdz, n hr frīqnt cof, hǎ bad hr breʈ wz.

Ǎr drîvrz wr standñ tgɖr a litl we of, so I sîdld p t hr a step or tū, ɖt w mt hv a litl qayt tōc. It wz a sad têl ɖt ś hd t tel.

Aftr a twelvmunʈ’s run of at Rlz Hōl, ś wz cnsidrd t b fit fr wrc agn, n wz sold t a jntlmn. Fr a litl ẃl ś got on vri wel, bt aftr a longr gaḷp ɖn yźl ɖ old stren rtrnd, n aftr biyñ restd n doctrd ś wz agn sold. In ɖs we ś ćenjd handz sevṛl tîmz, bt olwz gtñ lowr dǎn.

“N so at last,” sd ś, “I wz bòt bî a man hu cīps a numbr v cabz n horsz, n lets ɖm ǎt. Y lc wel of, n I am glad v it, bt I cd nt tel y ẃt mî lîf hz bn. Ẃn ɖe faund ǎt mî wìcnis ɖe sd I wz nt wrʈ ẃt ɖe gev fr m, n ɖt I mst g intu wn v ɖ lo cabz, n jst b yzd p; ɖt z ẃt ɖe r dwñ, ẃipñ n wrcñ wɖ nvr wn ʈt v ẃt I sufr – ɖe peid fr m, n mst gt it ǎt v m, ɖe se. Ɖ man hu hires m nǎ pez a dīl v muni t ɖ ǒnr evri de, n so h hz t gt it ǎt v m tù; n so it’s ol ɖ wīc rnd n rnd, wɖ nvr a Súnde rest.”

I sd, “Y yst t stand p fr yrslf f y wr il-yzd.”

“Ā!” ś sd, “I dd wns, bt it’s no ys; men r strongist, n f ɖe r cruwl n hv no fīlñ, ɖr z nʈñ ɖt w cn d, bt jst ber it – ber it on n on t ɖ end. I wś ɖ end wz cm, I wś I wz ded. I hv sìn ded horsz, n I am śr ɖe d nt sufr pen; I wś I me drop dǎn ded at mî wrc, n nt b snt of t ɖ nacrz.”

I wz vri mć trubld, n I pt mî nǒz p t hrz, bt I cd se nʈñ t cumf̣t hr. I ʈnc ś wz plizd t si m, fr ś sd, “Y r ɖ onli frend I evr hd.”

Jst ɖen hr drîvr cem p, n wɖ a tug at hr mǎʈ bact hr ǎt v ɖ lîn n drouv of, līvñ m vri sad indd.

A śort tîm aftr ɖs a cart wɖ a ded hors in it pást ǎr cabstand. Ɖ hed huñ ǎt v ɖ carțeil, ɖ lîflis tuñ wz slǒli dropñ wɖ blud; n ɖ suncn îz! bt I c’nt spīc v ɖm, ɖ sît wz tù dredfl. It wz a ćesnut hors wɖ a loñ, ʈin nec. I sw a ẃît strīc dǎn ɖ fōrhed. I b’liv it wz Jinjr; I hopt it wz, fr ɖen hr trublz wd b ovr. Ǒ! f men wr mor mrsifl ɖe wd śūt s bfr w cem t sć miẓri.

I ofn notist ɖ gret spīd at ẃć bćrz’ horsz wr md t g, ɖo I dd nt nǒ ẃ it wz so tl wn de ẃn w hd t wêt sm tîm in St. Jon’z Wŭd. Ɖr wz a bćr’z śop nxt dor, n az w wr standñ a bćr’z cart cem daśñ p at a gret pes.

Ɖ hors wz hot n mć xōstd; h huñ hiz hed dǎn, ẃl hiz hīvñ sîdz n tremḅlñ legz śoud hǎ hard h hd bn drivn. Ɖ lad jumt ǎt v ɖ cart n wz gtñ ɖ bascit ẃn ɖ mastr cem ǎt v ɖ śop mć dsplizd. Aftr lcñ at ɖ hors h trnd angṛli t ɖ lad.

“Hǎ mni tîmz śl I tel y nt t drîv in ɖs we? Y ruind ɖ last hors n brouc hiz wind, n y r gwñ t ruin ɖs in ɖ sem we. F y wr nt mî ǒn sun I wd dsmis y on ɖ spot; it z a dsgres t hv a hors bròt t ɖ śop in a cndiśn lîc ɖt; y r laybl t b tecn p bî ɖ p’līs fr sć drîvñ, n f y r y nīd nt lc t m fr beil, fr I hv spocn t y tl I’m tîrd; y mst lc ǎt fr yrslf.”

Jrñ ɖs spīć ɖ bô hd std bî, suḷn n dogid, bt ẃn hiz faɖr sīst h brouc ǎt angṛli. It wz’nt hiz fōlt, n h wd’nt tec ɖ blem; h wz onli gwñ bî ordrz ol ɖ tîm.

“Y olwz se, ‘Nǎ b qc; nǎ lc śarp!’ n ẃn I g t ɖ hǎzz wn wonts a leg v mutn fr an rli dinr n I mst b bac wɖ it in a qortr v an aur; anɖr cc hz fgotn t ordr ɖ bīf; I mst g n feć it n b bac in no tîm, or ɖ mistris wl scold; n ɖ hǎscīpr sz ɖe hv cumṗni cmñ unxpctidli n mst hv sm ćops snt p d’recli; n ɖ ledi at No. 4, in ɖ Cresnt, nvr ordrz hr dinr tl ɖ mìt cmz in fr lunć, n it’s nʈñ bt huri, huri, ol ɖ tîm. F ɖ jntri wd ʈnc v ẃt ɖe wont, n ordr ɖer mìt ɖ de bfr, ɖr nīd nt b ɖs blo p!”

“I wś t gdnis ɖe wd,” sd ɖ bćr; “’tẉd sev m a wundrfl dīl v haṛs, n I cd sūt mî custmrz mć betr f I ń bfrhnd – Bt ɖr! ẃt’s ɖ ys v tōcñ – hu evr ʈncs v a bćr’z cnvīńns or a bćr’z hors! Nǎ, ɖen, tec him in n lc t him wel; mînd, h dz nt g ǎt agn tde, n f enʈñ els z wontd y mst cari it yrslf in ɖ bascit.” Wɖ ɖt h wnt in, n ɖ hors wz léd awe.

Bt ol bôz r nt cruwl. I hv sìn sm az fond v ɖer poni or donci az f it hd bn a feṿrit dog, n ɖ litl crīćrz hv wrct awe az ćirf̣li n wilñli fr ɖer yuñ drîvrz az I wrc fr Jeri. It me b hard wrc smtmz, bt a frend’z hand n vôs mc it īzi.

Ɖr wz a yuñ costrbô hu cem p ǎr strīt wɖ grīnz n ptetoz; h hd an old poni, nt vri hansm, bt ɖ ćirf̣list n pluciist litl ʈñ I evr sw, n t si hǎ fond ɖoz tū wr v ć uɖr wz a trīt. Ɖ poni foloud hiz mastr lîc a dog, n ẃn h got intu hiz cart wd trot of wɖt a ẃip or a wrd, n ratl dǎn ɖ strīt az meṛli az f h hd cm ǎt v ɖ qīn’z steblz. Jeri lîct ɖ bô, n cōld him “Prins Ćarli”, fr h sd h wd mc a cñ v drîvrz sm de.

Ɖr wz an old man, tù, hu yst t cm p ǎr strīt wɖ a litl colcart; h wòr a colhīvr’z hat, n lct ruf n blac. H n hiz old hors yst t plod tgɖr alñ ɖ strīt, lîc tū gd partnrz hu unḍstd ć uɖr; ɖ hors wd stop v hiz ǒn acord at ɖ dorz ẃr ɖe tc col v him; h yst t cīp wn ir bnt twd hiz mastr. Ɖ old man’z crî cd b hŕd p ɖ strīt loñ bfr h cem nir. I nvr ń ẃt h sd, bt ɖ ćildṛn cōld him “Old Baaar Huuu”, fr it sǎndd lîc ɖt. Poli tc hr col v him, n wz vri frendli, n Jeri sd it wz a cumf̣t t ʈnc hǎ hapi an old hors mt b in a pur ples.

“Wel, Poli, y me se ɖt mî cab wl b uɖ̇wz ingejd. I śd nt lîc t hv it pestd ovr wɖ ɖer gret bílz, n az t mcñ Jac n Captin rês abt t ɖ publichǎzz t brñ p haf-druncn votrz, ẃ, I ʈnc ’tẉd b an insult t ɖ horsz. No, I ś’nt d it.”

“I s’poz y’l vot fr ɖ jntlmn? H sd h wz v yr poḷtics.”

“So h z in sm ʈñz, bt I śl nt vot fr him, Poli; y nǒ ẃt hiz tred z?”

“Yes.”

“Wel, a man hu gts rić bî ɖt tred me b ol vri wel in sm wez, bt h z blînd az t ẃt wrcñmen wont; I cd nt in mî conśns snd him p t mc ɖ lwz. I der se ɖ’l b angri, bt evri man mst d ẃt h ʈncs t b ɖ bst fr hiz cuntri.”

On ɖ mornñ bfr ɖ ilex́n, Jeri wz ptñ m intu ɖ śafts, ẃn Doli cem intu ɖ yard sobñ n crayñ, wɖ hr litl blu froc n ẃît piṇfor spatrd ol ovr wɖ mud.

“Ẃ, Doli, ẃt z ɖ matr?”

“Ɖoz nōti bôz,” ś sobd, “hv ʈroun ɖ drt ol ovr m, n cōld m a litl raga – raga – ”

“Ɖe cōld hr a litl ‘blu’ raġmufin, faɖr,” sd Hari, hu ran in lcñ vri angri; “bt I hv gvn it t ɖm; ɖe w’nt insult mî sistr agn. I hv gvn ɖm a ʈraśñ ɖe wl rmembr; a set v cawdli, rasc̣li ‘orinj’ blagardz.”

Jeri cist ɖ ćîld n sd, “Run in t muɖr, mî pet, n tel hr I ʈnc y hd betr ste at hom tde n hlp hr.”

Ɖen trnñ grevli t Hari:

“Mî bô, I hop y wl olwz dfnd yr sistr, n gv enbdi hu insults hr a gd ʈraśñ – ɖt z az it śd b; bt mînd, I w’nt hv eni ilex́n blagardñ on mî preṃsz. Ɖr r az mni ‘blu’ blagardz az ɖr r ‘orinj’, n az mni ẃît az ɖr r prpl, or eni uɖr culr, n I w’nt hv eni v mî faṃli mixt p wɖ it. Īvn wimin n ćildṛn r redi t qoṛl fr ɖ sec v a culr, n nt wn in ten v ɖm nz ẃt it z abt.”

“Ẃ, faɖr, I ʈt blu wz fr Liḅti.”

“Mî bô, Liḅti dz nt cm fṛm culrz, ɖe onli śo parti, n ol ɖ liḅti y cn gt ǎt v ɖm z, liḅti t gt drunc at uɖr ppl’z xpns, liḅti t rîd t ɖ poul in a drti old cab, liḅti t abyz enwn ɖt dz nt wer yr culr, n t śǎt yrslf hōrs at ẃt y onli haf-unḍstand – ɖt’s yr liḅti!”

“Ǒ, faɖr, y r lafñ.”

“No, Hari, I am sirịs, n I am aśemd t si hǎ men g on hu òt t nǒ betr. An ilex́n z a vri sirịs ʈñ; at līst it òt t b, n evri man òt t vot acordñ t hiz conśns, n let hiz nebr d ɖ sem.”

I faund I hd a gd fīd v cruśt ots wetd p wɖ a litl bran; ɖs wd b a trīt eni de, bt vri rfreśñ ɖen. Jeri wz so ʈtfl n cînd – ẃt hors wd nt d hiz bst fr sć a mastr? Ɖen h tc ǎt wn v Poli’z mìt pîz, n standñ nir m, h bgan t īt it. Ɖ strīts wr vri fl, n ɖ cabz, wɖ ɖ canddets’ culrz on ɖm, wr daśñ abt ʈru ɖ crǎd az f lîf n lim wr v no consiqns; w sw tū ppl noct dǎn ɖt de, n wn wz a wmn. Ɖ horsz wr hvñ a bad tîm v it, pur ʈñz! bt ɖ votrz insd ʈt nʈñ v ɖt; mni v ɖm wr haf-drunc, hrā-ñ ǎt v ɖ cabwindoz f ɖer ǒn parti cem bî. It wz ɖ frst ilex́n I hd sìn, n I d’nt wont t b in anɖr, ɖo I hv hŕd ʈñz r betr nǎ.

Jeri n I hd nt ītn mni mǎʈflz bfr a pur yuñ wmn, cariyñ a hevi ćîld, cem alñ ɖ strīt. Ś wz lcñ ɖs we n ɖt we, n sīmd qt bwildrd. Prezntli ś md hr we p t Jeri n asct f h cd tel hr ɖ we t St. Toṃs’ Hospitl, n hǎ far it wz t gt ɖr. Ś hd cm fṛm ɖ cuntri ɖt mornñ, ś sd, in a marcitcart; ś dd nt nǒ abt ɖ ilex́n, n wz qt a strenjr in Lundn. Ś hd got an ordr fr ɖ hospitl fr hr litl bô. Ɖ ćîld wz crayñ wɖ a fībl, pînñ crî.

“Pur litl felo!” ś sd, “h sufrz a dīl v pen; h z for yirz old n c’nt wōc eni mor ɖn a bebi; bt ɖ doctr sd f I cd gt him intu ɖ hospitl h mt gt wel; pre, sr, hǎ far z it; n ẃć we z it?”

“Ẃ, misis,” sd Jeri, “y c’nt gt ɖr wōcñ ʈru crǎdz lîc ɖs! ẃ, it z ʈri mîlz awe, n ɖt ćîld z hevi.”

“Yes, bles him, h z; bt I am stroñ, ʈanc God, n f I ń ɖ we I ʈnc I śd gt on smhǎ; plīz tel m ɖ we.”

“Y c’nt d it,” sd Jeri, “y mt b noct dǎn n ɖ ćîld b run ovr. Nǎ lc hir, jst gt intu ɖs cab, n I’l drîv y sef t ɖ hospitl. D’nt y si ɖ ren z cmñ on?”

“No, sr, no; I c’nt d ɖt, ʈanc y, I hv onli jst muni inuf t gt bac wɖ. Plīz tel m ɖ we.”

“Lc y hir, misis,” sd Jeri, “I’v got a wîf n dir ćildṛn at hom, n I nǒ a faɖr’z fīlñz; nǎ gt y intu ɖt cab, n I’l tec y ɖr fr nʈñ. I’d b aśemd v mslf t let a wmn n a sic ćîld run a risc lîc ɖt.”

“Hevn bles y!” sd ɖ wmn, n brst intu tirz.

“Ɖr, ɖr, ćir p, mî dir, I’l sn tec y ɖr; cm, let m pt y insd.”

Az Jeri wnt t opn ɖ dor tū men, wɖ culrz in ɖer hats n butnhoulz, ran p cōlñ ǎt, “Cab!”

“Ingejd,” craid Jeri; bt wn v ɖ men, pśñ past ɖ wmn, sprañ intu ɖ cab, foloud bî ɖ uɖr. Jeri lct az strn az a p’līsmn. “Ɖs cab z olrdi ingejd, jntlṃn, bî ɖt ledi.”

“Ledi!” sd wn v ɖm; “ǒ! ś cn wêt; ǎr biznis z vri importnt, bsdz w wr in frst, it z ǎr rît, n w śl ste in.”

A drol smîl cem ovr Jeri’z fes az h śut ɖ dor upn ɖm. “Ol rît, jntlṃn, pre ste in az loñ az it sūts y; I cn wêt ẃl y rest yrslvz.” N trnñ hiz bac upn ɖm h wōct p t ɖ yuñ wmn, hu wz standñ nir m. “Ɖ’l sn b gn,” h sd, lafñ; “d’nt trubl yrslf, mî dir.”

N ɖe sn wr gn, fr ẃn ɖe unḍstd Jeri’z doj ɖe got ǎt, cōlñ him ol sorts v bad nemz n blusṭrñ abt hiz numbr n gtñ a sumnz. Aftr ɖs litl stopij w wr sn on ǎr we t ɖ hospitl, gwñ az mć az poṣbl ʈru bî-strīts. Jeri ruñ ɖ gret bel n hlpt ɖ yuñ wmn ǎt.

“Ʈanc y a ʈǎznd tîmz,” ś sd; “I cd nvr hv got hir alon.”

“Y’r cîndli welcm, n I hop ɖ dir ćîld wl sn b betr.”

H woćt hr g in at ɖ dor, n jntli h sd t himslf, “In’zmć az yi hv dn it t wn v ɖ līst v ɖz.” Ɖen h patd mî nec, ẃć wz olwz hiz we ẃn enʈñ plizd him.

Ɖ ren wz nǎ cmñ dǎn fast, n jst az w wr līvñ ɖ hospitl ɖ dor opnd agn, n ɖ portr cōld ǎt, “Cab!” W stopt, n a ledi cem dǎn ɖ steps. Jeri sīmd t nǒ hr at wns; ś pt bac hr veil n sd, “Barcr! Jeṛmaia Barcr, z it y? I am vri glad t fînd y hir; y r jst ɖ frend I wont, fr it z vri dificlt t gt a cab in ɖs part v Lundn tde.”

“I śl b prǎd t srv y, mām; I am rît glad I hapnd t b hir. Ẃr me I tec y t, mām?”

“T ɖ Padñtn Steśn, n ɖen f w r in gd tîm, az I ʈnc w śl b, y śl tel m ol abt Mẹri n ɖ ćildṛn.”

W got t ɖ steśn in gd tîm, n biyñ undr śltr ɖ ledi std a gd ẃl tōcñ t Jeri. I faund ś hd bn Poli’z mistris, n aftr mni inqîriz abt hr ś sd:

“Hǎ d y fînd ɖ cabwrc sūt y in wintr? I nǒ Mẹri wz rɖr añśs abt y last yir.”

“Yes, mām, ś wz; I hd a bad cof ɖt foloud m p qt intu ɖ worm weɖr, n ẃn I am cept ǎt lêt ś dz wuri hrslf a gd dīl. Y si, mām, it z ol aurz n ol weɖrz, n ɖt dz trî a man’z consttyśn; bt I am gtñ on priti wel, n I śd fīl qt lost f I hd nt horsz t lc aftr. I wz bròt p t it, n I am afreid I śd nt d so wel at enʈñ els.”

“Wel, Barcr,” ś sd, “it wd b a gret piti ɖt y śd sirịsli risc yr hlʈ in ɖs wrc, nt onli fr yr ǒn bt fr Mẹri’z n ɖ ćildṛn’z sec; ɖr r mni plesz ẃr gd drîvrz or gd grūmz r wontd, n f evr y ʈnc y òt t gv p ɖs cabwrc let m nǒ.”

Ɖen sndñ sm cînd meṣjz t Mẹri ś pt smʈñ intu hiz hand, seyñ, “Ɖr z fîv śilñz ć fr ɖ tū ćildṛn; Mẹri wl nǒ hǎ t spend it.”

Jeri ʈanct hr n sīmd mć plizd, n trnñ ǎt v ɖ steśn w at last rīćt hom, n I, at līst, wz tîrd.

H n Jeri hd tecn a parti t ɖ gret relwe-steśn ovr Lundn Brij, n wr cmñ bac, smẃr btwn ɖ brij n ɖ mońmnt, ẃn Jeri sw a bruwr’z emti dre cmñ alñ, drwn bî tū pǎrfl horsz. Ɖ drêmn wz laśñ hiz horsz wɖ hiz hevi ẃip; ɖ dre wz lît, n ɖe startd of at a fyrịs ret; ɖ man hd no cntrol ovr ɖm, n ɖ strīt wz fl v trafic.

Wn yuñ grl wz noct dǎn n run ovr, n ɖ nxt momnt ɖe daśt p agnst ǎr cab; bʈ ɖ ẃīlz wr torn of n ɖ cab wz ʈroun ovr. Captin wz dragd dǎn, ɖ śafts splintrd, n wn v ɖm ran intu hiz sîd. Jeri, tù, wz ʈroun, bt wz onli bruzd; nbdi cd tel hǎ h iscept; h olwz sd ’tẉz a miṛcl. Ẃn pur Captin wz got p h wz faund t b vri mć cut n noct abt. Jeri léd him hom jntli, n a sad sît it wz t si ɖ blud sǒcñ intu hiz ẃît cot n dropñ fṛm hiz sîd n śoldr. Ɖ drêmn wz pruvd t b vri drunc, n wz fînd, n ɖ bruwr hd t pe daṃjz t ǎr mastr; bt ɖr wz nwn t pe daṃjz t pur Captin.

Ɖ farịr n Jeri dd ɖ bst ɖe cd t īz hiz pen n mc him cumf̣tbl. Ɖ flî hd t b mndd, n fr sevṛl dez I dd nt g ǎt, n Jeri ŕnd nʈñ. Ɖ frst tîm w wnt t ɖ stand aftr ɖ axidnt ɖ guvnr cem p t hír hǎ Captin wz.

“H’l nvr gt ovr it,” sd Jeri, “at līst nt fr mî wrc, so ɖ farịr sd ɖs mornñ. H sz h me d fr cartñ, n ɖt sort v wrc. It hz pt m ǎt vri mć. Cartñ, indd! I’v sìn ẃt horsz cm t at ɖt wrc rnd Lundn. I onli wś ol ɖ druncdz cd b pt in a lūṇtic asîḷm instd v biyñ alaud t run fǎl v sobr ppl. F ɖe wd brec ɖer ǒn bonz, n smaś ɖer ǒn carts, n lem ɖer ǒn horsz, ɖt wd b ɖer ǒn afer, n w mt let ɖm alon, bt it sīmz t m ɖt ɖ iṇsnt olwz sufr; n ɖen ɖe tōc abt compnseśn! Y c’nt mc compnseśn; ɖr’z ol ɖ trubl, n vxeśn, n los v tîm, bsdz luzñ a gd hors ɖt’s lîc an old frend – it’s nonsns tōcñ v compnseśn! F ɖr’z wn devl ɖt I śd lîc t si in ɖ botmlis pit mor ɖn anɖr, it’s ɖ drincdevl.”

“I se, Jeri,” sd ɖ guvnr, “y r trédñ priti hard on mî toz, y nǒ; I’m nt so gd az y r, mor śem t m; I wś I wz.”

“Wel,” sd Jeri, “ẃ d’nt y cut wɖ it, guvnr? Y r tù gd a man t b ɖ slev v sć a ʈñ.”

“I’m a gret fūl, Jeri, bt I traid wns fr tū dez, n I ʈt I śd hv daid; hǎ dd y d?”

“I hd hard wrc at it fr sevṛl wīcs; y si I nvr dd gt drunc, bt I faund ɖt I wz nt mî ǒn mastr, n ɖt ẃn ɖ crevñ cem on it wz hard wrc t se ‘no’. I sw ɖt wn v s mst noc undr, ɖ drincdevl or Jeri Barcr, n I sd ɖt it śd nt b Jeri Barcr, God hlpñ m; bt it wz a strugl, n I wontd ol ɖ hlp I cd gt, fr tl I traid t brec ɖ habit I dd nt nǒ hǎ stroñ it wz; bt ɖen Poli tc sć penz ɖt I śd hv gd fūd, n ẃn ɖ crevñ cem on I yst t gt a cup v cofi, or sm péprmint, or réd a bit in mî bc, n ɖt wz a hlp t m; smtmz I hd t se ovr n ovr t mslf, ’Gv p ɖ drinc or lūz yr soul! Gv p ɖ drinc or brec Poli’z hart!’ Bt ʈancs b t God, n mî dir wîf, mî ćenz wr brocn, n nǎ fr ten yirz I hv nt testd a drop, n nvr wś fr it.”

“I’v a gret mînd t trî at it,” sd Grant, “fr ’tiz a pur ʈñ nt t b wn’z ǒn mastr.”

“D, guvnr, d, y’l nvr rpnt it, n ẃt a hlp it wd b t sm v ɖ pur feloz in ǎr ranc f ɖe sw y d wɖt it. I nǒ ɖr’z tū or ʈri wd lîc t cīp ǎt v ɖt tavn f ɖe cd.”

At frst Captin sīmd t d wel, bt h wz a vri old hors, n it wz onli hiz wundrfl consttyśn, n Jeri’z cer, ɖt hd cept him p at ɖ cabwrc so loñ; nǎ h brouc dǎn vri mć. Ɖ farịr sd h mt mnd p inuf t sel fr a fy pǎndz, bt Jeri sd, no! a fy pǎndz got bî selñ a gd old srvnt intu hard wrc n miẓri wd cancr ol ɖ rest v hiz muni, n h ʈt ɖ cîndist ʈñ h cd d fr ɖ fîn old felo wd b t pt a śr bŭlit ʈru hiz hed, n ɖen h wd nvr sufr mor; fr h dd nt nǒ ẃr t fînd a cînd mastr fr ɖ rest v hiz dez.

Ɖ de aftr ɖs wz dsîdd Hari tc m t ɖ forj fr sm ny śuz; ẃn I rtrnd Captin wz gn. I n ɖ faṃli ol flt it vri mć.

Jeri hd nǎ t lc ǎt fr anɖr hors, n h sn hŕd v wn ʈru an aqentns hu wz unḍgrum in a noblmn’z steblz. H wz a vałbl yuñ hors, bt h hd run awe, smaśt intu anɖr carij, fluñ hiz lordśp ǎt, n so cut n blemiśt himslf ɖt h wz no longr fit fr a jntlmn’z steblz, n ɖ coćmn hd ordrz t lc rnd, n sel him az wel az h cd.

“I cn d wɖ hî spirits,” sd Jeri, “f a hors z nt viśs or hard-mǎɖd.”

“Ɖr z nt a bit v vîs in him,” sd ɖ man; “hiz mǎʈ z vri tndr, n I ʈnc mslf ɖt wz ɖ cōz v ɖ axidnt; y si h hd jst bn clipt, n ɖ weɖr wz bad, n h hd nt hd x’sîz inuf, n ẃn h dd g ǎt h wz az fl v sprñ az a b’lūn. Ǎr guvnr (ɖ coćmn, I mīn) hd him harnist in az tît n stroñ az h cd, wɖ ɖ martngel, n ɖ ćecrein, a vri śarp crb, n ɖ reinz pt in at ɖ botm bar. It z mî b’lif ɖt it md ɖ hors mad, biyñ tndr in ɖ mǎʈ n so fl v spirit.”

“Lîcli inuf; I’l cm n si him,” sd Jeri.

Ɖ nxt de Hotspr, ɖt wz hiz nem, cem hom; h wz a fîn brǎn hors, wɖt a ẃît her in him, az tōl az Captin, wɖ a vri hansm hed, n onli fîv yirz old. I gev him a frendli grītñ bî we v gd felośp, bt dd nt asc him eni qsćnz. Ɖ frst nît h wz vri restlis. Instd v layñ dǎn, h cept jrcñ hiz hōltr rop p n dǎn ʈru ɖ rñ, n nocñ ɖ bloc abt agnst ɖ menjr tl I cd nt slīp. Hvr, ɖ nxt de, aftr fîv or six aurz in ɖ cab, h cem in qayt n snṣbl. Jeri patd n tōct t him a gd dīl, n vri sn ɖe unḍstd ć uɖr, n Jeri sd ɖt wɖ an īzi bit n plenti v wrc h wd b az jntl az a lam; n ɖt it wz an il wind ɖt blù nbdi gd, fr f hiz lordśp hd lost a hundṛd-gini feṿrit, ɖ cabmn hd gend a gd hors wɖ ol hiz streñʈ in him.

Hotspr ʈt it a gret cm-dǎn t b a  cabhors, n wz dsgustd at standñ in ɖ ranc, bt h cnfest t m at ɖ end v ɖ wīc ɖt an īzi mǎʈ n a fri hed md p fr a gret dīl, n aftr ol, ɖ wrc wz nt so dgredñ az hvñ wn’z hed n teil fasnd t ć uɖr at ɖ sadl. In fact, h setld in wel, n Jeri lîct him vri mć.

I hd nǎ most v ɖ īvnñ wrc, az I wz wel acustmd t standñ, n Jeri wz olso mor afreid v Hotspr tecñ cold. W hd a gret dīl v lêt wrc in ɖ Crisṃs wīc, n Jeri’z cof wz bad; bt hvr lêt w wr, Poli sat p fr him, n cem ǎt wɖ a lantn t mīt him, lcñ añśs n trubld.

On ɖ īvnñ v ɖ Ny Yir w hd t tec tū jntlṃn t a hǎs in wn v ɖ Wst End Sqerz. W set ɖm dǎn at nîn o’cloc, n wr tld t cm agn at ilevn, “bt,” sd wn, “az it z a cardparti, y me hv t wêt a fy minits, bt d’nt b lêt.”

Az ɖ cloc struc ilevn w wr at ɖ dor, fr Jeri wz olwz puñćl. Ɖ cloc ćîmd ɖ qortrz, wn, tū, ʈri, n ɖen struc twelv, bt ɖ dor dd nt opn.

Ɖ wind hd bn vri ćenɉbl, wɖ sqōlz v ren jrñ ɖ de, bt nǎ it cem on śarp, drîvñ slīt, ẃć sīmd t cm ol ɖ we rnd; it wz vri cold, n ɖr wz no śltr. Jeri got of hiz box n cem n pld wn v mî cloʈs a litl mor ovr mî nec; ɖen h tc a trn or tū p n dǎn, stampñ hiz fīt; ɖen h bgan t bìt hiz armz, bt ɖt set him of cofñ; so h opnd ɖ cab dor n sat at ɖ botm wɖ hiz fīt on ɖ pevmnt, n wz a litl śltrd. Stl ɖ cloc ćîmd ɖ qortrz, n nwn cem. At haf-past twelv h rañ ɖ bel n asct ɖ srvnt f h wd b wontd ɖt nît.

“Ǒ, yes, y’l b wontd sef inuf,” sd ɖ man; “y mst nt g, it wl sn b ovr,” n agn Jeri sat dǎn, bt hiz vôs wz so hōrs I cd hardli hír him.

At a qortr past wn ɖ dor opnd, n ɖ tū jntlṃn cem ǎt; ɖe got intu ɖ cab wɖt a wrd, n tld Jeri ẃr t drîv, ɖt wz nirli tū mîlz. Mî legz wr num wɖ cold, n I ʈt I śd hv stumbld. Ẃn ɖ men got ǎt ɖe nvr sd ɖe wr sori t hv cept s wêtñ so loñ, bt wr angri at ɖ ćarj; hvr, az Jeri nvr ćarjd mor ɖn wz hiz dy, so h nvr tc les, n ɖe hd t pe fr ɖ tū aurz n a qortr wêtñ; bt it wz hard-ŕnd muni t Jeri.

At last w got hom; h cd hardli spīc, n hiz cof wz dredfl. Poli asct no qsćnz, bt opnd ɖ dor n hld ɖ lantn fr him.

“C’nt I d smʈñ?” ś sd.

“Yes; gt Jac smʈñ worm, n ɖen bôl m sm gruwl.”

Ɖs wz sd in a hōrs ẃispr; h cd hardli gt hiz breʈ, bt h gev m a rub-dǎn az yźl, n īvn wnt p intu ɖ hêloft fr an xtra bundl v strw fr mî bed. Poli bròt m a worm maś ɖt md m cumf̣tbl, n ɖen ɖe loct ɖ dor.

It wz lêt ɖ nxt mornñ bfr enwn cem, n ɖen it wz onli Hari. H clīnd s n féd s, n swept ǎt ɖ stōlz, ɖen h pt ɖ strw bac agn az f it wz Súnde. H wz vri stil, n nɖr ẃisld nr sañ. At nūn h cem agn n gev s ǎr fūd n wōtr; ɖs tîm Doli cem wɖ him; ś wz crayñ, n I cd gaɖr fṛm ẃt ɖe sd ɖt Jeri wz denjṛsli il, n ɖ doctr sd it wz a bad ces. So tū dez pást, n ɖr wz gret trubl indorz. W onli sw Hari, n smtmz Doli. I ʈnc ś cem fr cumṗni, fr Poli wz olwz wɖ Jeri, n h hd t b cept vri qayt.

On ɖ ʈrd de, ẃl Hari wz in ɖ stebl, a tap cem at ɖ dor, n Guvnr Grant cem in.

“I wd’nt g t ɖ hǎs, mî bô,” h sd, “bt I wont t nǒ hǎ yr faɖr z.”

“H z vri bad,” sd Hari, “h c’nt b mć wrs; ɖe cōl it ‘broncîtis’; ɖ doctr ʈncs it wl trn wn we or anɖr tnît.”

“Ɖt’s bad, vri bad,” sd Grant, śecñ hiz hed; “I nǒ tū men hu daid v ɖt last wīc; it tecs ’m of in no tîm; bt ẃl ɖr’z lîf ɖr’z hop, so y mst cīp p yr spirits.”

“Yes,” sd Hari qcli, “n ɖ doctr sd ɖt faɖr hd a betr ćans ɖn most men, bcz h dd’nt drinc. H sd yesṭde ɖ fīvr wz so hî ɖt f faɖr hd bn a drincñ man it wd hv brnd him p lîc a pìs v pepr; bt I b’liv h ʈncs h wl gt ovr it; d’nt y ʈnc h wl, Mr. Grant?”

Ɖ guvnr lct puzld.

“F ɖr’z eni rūl ɖt gd men śd gt ovr ɖz ʈñz, I’m śr h wl, mî bô; h’z ɖ bst man I nǒ. I’l lc in rli tmoro.”

Rli nxt mornñ h wz ɖr. “Wel?” sd h.

“Faɖr z betr,” sd Hari. “Muɖr hops h wl gt ovr it.”

“Ʈanc God!” sd ɖ guvnr, “n nǎ y mst cīp him worm, n cīp hiz mînd īzi, n ɖt brñz m t ɖ horsz; y si Jac wl b ol ɖ betr fr ɖ rest v a wīc or tū in a worm stebl, n y cn īẓli tec him a trn p n dǎn ɖ strīt t streć hiz legz; bt ɖs yuñ wn, f h dz nt gt wrc, h wl sn b ol p on end, az y me se, n wl b rɖr tù mć fr y; n ẃn h dz g ǎt ɖr’l b an axidnt.”

“It z lîc ɖt nǎ,” sd Hari. “I hv cept him śort v corn, bt h’z so fl v spirit I d’nt nǒ ẃt t d wɖ him.”

“Jst so,” sd Grant. “Nǎ lc hir, wl y tel yr muɖr ɖt f ś z agriybl I wl cm fr him evri de tl smʈñ z arenjd, n tec him fr a gd spel v wrc, n ẃtvr h rnz, I’l brñ yr muɖr haf v it, n ɖt wl hlp wɖ ɖ horsz’ fīd. Yr faɖr z in a gd club, I nǒ, bt ɖt w’nt cīp ɖ horsz, n ɖ’l b ītñ ɖer hedz of ol ɖs tîm; I’l cm at nūn n hír ẃt ś sz,” n wɖt wêtñ fr Hari’z ʈancs h wz gn.

At nūn I ʈnc h wnt n sw Poli, fr h n Hari cem t ɖ stebl tgɖr, harnist Hotspr, n tc him ǎt.

Fr a wīc or mor h cem fr Hotspr, n ẃn Hari ʈanct him or sd enʈñ abt hiz cîndnis, h laft it of, seyñ it wz ol gd luc fr him, fr hiz horsz wr wontñ a litl rest ẃć ɖe wd nt uɖ̇wz hv hd.

Jeri grù betr steḍli, bt ɖ doctr sd ɖt h mst nvr g bac t ɖ cabwrc agn f h wśt t b an old man. Ɖ ćildṛn hd mni conslteśnz tgɖr abt ẃt faɖr n muɖr wd d, n hǎ ɖe cd hlp t rn muni.

Wn afṭnun Hotspr wz bròt in vri wet n drti.

“Ɖ strīts r nʈñ bt sluś,” sd ɖ guvnr; “it wl gv y a gd wormñ, mî bô, t gt him clīn n drî.”

“Ol rît, guvnr,” sd Hari, “I śl nt līv him tl h z; y nǒ I hv bn trênd bî mî faɖr.”

“I wś ol ɖ bôz hd bn trênd lîc y,” sd ɖ guvnr.

Ẃl Hari wz spunjñ of ɖ mud fṛm Hotspr’z bodi n legz Doli cem in, lcñ vri fl v smʈñ.

“Hu livz at Fersto, Hari? Muɖr hz got a letr fṛm Fersto; ś sīmd so glad, n ran upsterz t faɖr wɖ it.”

“D’nt y nǒ? Ẃ, it z ɖ nem v Msz. Fǎlr’z ples – muɖr’z old mistris, y nǒ – ɖ ledi ɖt faɖr met last sumr, hu snt y n m fîv śilñz ć.”

“Ǒ! Msz. Fǎlr. V cors, I nǒ ol abt hr. I wundr ẃt ś z raitñ t muɖr abt.”

“Muɖr rout t hr last wīc,” sd Hari; “y nǒ ś tld faɖr f evr h gev p ɖ cabwrc ś wd lîc t nǒ. I wundr ẃt ś sz; run in n si, Doli.”

Hari scrubd awe at Hotspr wɖ a ẃiś! ẃiś! lîc eni old hoslr. In a fy minits Doli cem dansñ intu ɖ stebl.

“Ǒ! Hari, ɖr nvr wz enʈñ so bytifl; Msz. Fǎlr sz w r ol t g n liv nir hr. Ɖr z a cotij nǎ emti ɖt wl jst sūt s, wɖ a gardn n a henhǎs, n apltrīz, n evrʈñ! n hr coćmn z gwñ awe in ɖ sprñ, n ɖen ś wl wont faɖr in hiz ples; n ɖr r gd faṃliz rnd, ẃr y cn gt a ples in ɖ gardn or ɖ stebl, or az a peijbô; n ɖr’z a gd scūl fr m; n muɖr z lafñ n crayñ bî trnz, n faɖr dz lc so hapi!”

“Ɖt’s uncomn joli,” sd Hari, “n jst ɖ rît ʈñ, I śd se; it wl sūt faɖr n muɖr bʈ; bt I d’nt intnd t b a peijbô wɖ tît cloɖz n roz v butnz. I’l b a grūm or a gardnr.”

It wz qcli setld ɖt az sn az Jeri wz wel inuf ɖe śd rmuv t ɖ cuntri, n ɖt ɖ cab n horsz śd b sold az sn az poṣbl.

Ɖs wz hevi nyz fr m, fr I wz nt yuñ nǎ, n cd nt lc fr eni impruvmnt in mî cndiśn. Sins I left Brtwic I hd nvr bn so hapi az wɖ mî dir mastr Jeri; bt ʈri yirz v cabwrc, īvn undr ɖ bst cndiśnz, wl tel on wn’z streñʈ, n I flt ɖt I wz nt ɖ hors ɖt I hd bn.

Grant sd at wns ɖt h wd tec Hotspr, n ɖr wr men on ɖ stand hu wd hv bòt m; bt Jeri sd I śd nt g t cabwrc agn wɖ jst enbdi, n ɖ guvnr promist t fînd a ples fr m ẃr I śd b cumf̣tbl.

Ɖ de cem fr gwñ awe. Jeri hd nt bn alaud t g ǎt yt, n I nvr sw him aftr ɖt Ny Yir’z īv. Poli n ɖ ćildṛn cem t bid m gdbî. “Pur old Jac! dir old Jac! I wś w cd tec y wɖ s,” ś sd, n ɖen leyñ hr hand on mî mein ś pt hr fes clos t mî nec n cist m. Doli wz crayñ n cist m tù. Hari stroct m a gret dīl, bt sd nʈñ, onli h sīmd vri sad, n so I wz léd awe t mî ny ples.