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Old Diamond 153
for he ain't so young as he once was. But for a four-wheeler as takes families and their luggages, he's the very horse. He'd carry a small house any day. I bought him cheap, and I'll sell him cheap."
"Oh, I don't want him," said Diamond's father. "A body must have time to think over an affair of so much importance. And there's the cab too. That would come to a deal of money."
"I could fit you there, I daresay," said his friend. "But come and look at the animal, anyhow."
"Since I lost my own old pair, as was Mr. Coleman's," said Diamond's father, turning to accompany the cab-master, " I ain't almost got the heart to look a horse in the face. It's a thousand pities to part man and horse."
"So it is," said his friend sympathetically.
But what was the ex-coachman's delight, when, on going into the stable where his friend led him, he found the horse he wanted him to buy was no other than his own old Diamond, grown very thin and bony and long-legged, as if they had been doing what they could to fit him for Hansom work!
"He ain't a Hansom horse," said Diamond's father indignantly.
"Well, you're right. He ain't handsome, but he's a good un," said his owner.
"Who says he ain't handsome? He's one of the handsomest horses a gentleman's coachman ever druv," said Diamond's father; remarking to himself under his breath—" though I says it as shouldn't"—for he did not |
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