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BLACK BEAUTY, |
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knew. He rubbed my legs and my chest, but he did not put my warm cloth on me; he thought I was so hot I should not like it. Then he gave me a pailful of water to drink; it was cold and very good, and I drank it all; then he gave me some hay and some corn, and, thinking he had done right, he went away. Soon 1 began to shake and tremble, and turned deadly cold ; my legs ached, my loins ached, and my chest ached, and 1 felt sore all over. Oh! how I wished for my warm, thick cloth as I stood and trembled. I wished for John, but he had eight miles to walk, so I lay down in my straw and tried to go to sleep. After a long while I heard him at the door; I gave a low moan, for I was in great pain. He was at my side in a moment, stooping down by me. I could not tell him how I felt, but he seemed to know it all; he covered me up with two or three warm cloths, and then ran to the house for some hot water; he made me some warm gruel, which I drank, and then I think I went to sleep.
John seemed to be very much put out. I heard him say to himself over and over again, " Stupid boy ! stupid boy! no cloth put on, and I dare say the water was cold, too ; boys are no good ;" but Joe was a good boy, after all.
I was now very ill; a strong inflammation had attacked my lungs, and I could not draw my breath without pain. John nursed me night and day ; he would get up two or three times in the night to come to me. My master, too, often came to see me. " My poor Beauty," he said one day, "my good horse, you saved your mistress's life, Beauty ; yes, you saved her life." I was very glad to hear that, for it seems the doctor had said if we had been a little later it would have been too late. John told my master he never saw a horse go so fast in his life. It seemed as if the horse knew what was the matter. Of course I did, though John thought not; at least I knew as much as this—that John and I must go at the top of our speed, and that it was for the sake of the mistress. |
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