i. the careless driver

it was the week before christmas. everybody was ordering all sorts of good things to be sent home “just as soon as possible.”

the grocer’s boy, john, was on duty early. soon many baskets were filled with orders to be delivered.

the horse was hurried out of the stable before he had quite finished his breakfast, and john soon had the baskets piled into the wagon.

“be lively, now,” the grocer said. “get back as soon as you can.”

john jumped on the wagon, seized the whip and gave the horse a sharp cut to begin the day with.

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john kept the whip in his hand. if the horse held up his pace a minute to give himself a chance to breathe, another snap of the whip kept him on the run.

at the different houses where he left the groceries john rushed in and out as quickly as possible. in several places he was given fresh orders for articles that were needed.

so the morning passed, and dinner time arrived. as john put the horse in the stable he could not help seeing that his breath came hard and fast, and that he was wet with sweat.

“i guess it won’t do to give him any water, he is so hot,” john said, as he hurriedly put a scanty allowance of dry feed into the manger.

the worn-out horse, trembling in every nerve with the fatigue of going hard all the morning, was almost choking with thirst.

when john hurried in to his dinner, the first thing he asked for was something warm to drink. his mother gave him a cup of hot cocoa, and a good dinner, which he ate rapidly. then off he started for the afternoon’s work.

“hurry up,” said the grocer as soon as john appeared. “get out the horse and take these baskets; they are all rush orders.”

“i went to mrs. bell’s twice this morning,”[85] said john. “i should think she might give all her order at one time and not keep us running there all day.”

“i can’t help it. she is a good customer. hurry up,” answered the grocer.

john ran out to the barn. he certainly had meant to give the horse water before he started out again, but being hurried, he forgot it. in a few minutes, whip in hand, he was urging the tired, thirsty horse again over the road.

toward the close of the afternoon the horse began to hang his head. when john touched him up with the whip he did not go any faster. when he stopped for the third time at mrs. bell’s house his legs were trembling and he closed his eyes as if he were going to sleep.

mrs. bell looked out of the window and said to her aunt sarah, who was visiting her, “i think it is a shame for mr. rush to let that boy race his horse so all day. every time he comes here the horse is in a sweat, and now he looks as if he would drop. it is wicked to work a horse so!”

her aunt replied, “yes, the horses have to suffer for man’s thoughtlessness, and woman’s, too. he’s been here three times to-day, hasn’t he?” but mrs. bell did not see the point of the reply.

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ii. what happened in the barn

it was seven o’clock before john put the horse in the stable. he remembered then that he had given him no water all day. as he did not want to be obliged to go out to the barn again he gave him a pail of ice-cold water, which the horse drank greedily. then he put his supper before him and left him.

he did not stop to rub down the aching legs or to give the faithful, exhausted creature any further attention. he just threw a blanket over him and closed the barn for the night.

when john came to the store the next morning a very angry looking grocer met him at the door. “you can go home as soon as you like. i won’t have a boy that drives my horse to death,” he said.

“is the horse dead?” asked john, turning pale.

“it is not your fault if he is not dead. i have been up nearly all night with him, and i must get another horse to take his place until he is well.”

“you told me to hurry every time i went out,” answered john.

“well, if you had any sense, you would know when a horse is used up and rest him,” replied the grocer.

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the horse died that day; and the grocer, the boy driver, and mrs. bell were all to blame.

the grocer ought not to have trusted a boy who had no sympathy for animals. such a boy is not fit to drive and care for a horse.

john was too selfish to give the horse time to breathe or to eat, and he did not care whether he was made comfortable in the stable or not.

mrs. bell was thoughtless in giving her orders; so she made the horse take many unnecessary trips to her house.

so a willing, patient animal was neglected and worked to death, when with good care he might have lived many years and done faithful work. this all happened because the man, the boy, and the woman had never learned to be thoughtful and kind.

—mrs. huntington smith—adapted.

questions

what do you think of a man who is cruel to horses?

do you think people respect such a person?

did you ever hear that “cruelty is the meanest crime”?

how would you treat a pony? a horse?

did you ever read “black beauty”?

which should you like better for a friend—a man who is kind to animals or a man who does not care how they are treated, just so that he gets his work done?

when you are hurt, or sick, what do you do?

can a horse or any animal tell a friend when he is sick?