When Lord George took Ginger for hunting, York shook his head; he said
it ought to be a steady hand to train a horse for the first season, and
not a random rider like Lord George.
Ginger used to like it very much, but sometimes when she came back I
could see that she had been very much strained, and now and then she
gave a short cough. She had too much spirit to complain, but I could not
help feeling anxious about her.
Two days after the accident Blantyre paid me a visit; he patted me and
praised me very much; he told Lord George that he was sure the horse
knew of Annie's danger as well as he did. I could not have held him in
if I would, said he, she ought never to ride any other horse. I found
by their conversation that my young mistress was now out of danger, and
would soon be able to ride again. This was good news to me and I looked
forward to a happy life.
25 Reuben Smith
Now I must say a little about Reuben Smith, who was left in charge of
the stables when York went to London. No one more thoroughly understood
his business than he did, and when he was all right there could not be
a more faithful or valuable man. He was gentle and very clever in his
management of horses, and could doctor them almost as well as a
farrier, for he had lived two years with a veterinary surgeon. He was a
first-rate driver; he could take a four-in-hand or a tandem as easily
as a pair. He was a handsome man, a good scholar, and had very pleasant
manners. I believe everybody liked him; certainly the horses did. The
only wonder was that he should be in an under situation and not in the
place of a head coachman like York; but he had one great fault and that
was the love of drink. He was not like some men, always at it; he used
to keep steady for weeks or months together, and then he would break
out and have a bout of it, as York called it, and be a disgrace to
himself, a terror to his wife, and a nuisance to all that had to do with
him. He was, however, so useful that two or three times York had hushed
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