MY HARSH TIMES

Chapter-18

The cab owner was called Nicholas Skinner. He looked awful, unkind and cruel with an expressionless face and the mouthful of teeth.
Even the cabs he owned were poorly trained and ill-mannered. We worked for all seven days without any concern to our health or the weather.
I never protested, for that was not my nature. I believed that men were our masters and they could make us do anything.
I had been weary of working since eight o’clock in the morning. I wished to die than work under such wretched masters. Early in the morning, I had to trot to the railway station.
Waiting there for some time, we were hired by a gentleman and his family with lots of luggage. The gentleman’s daughter looked at me and then remarked to his father who was busy settling the luggage on the cab. She said that I wasn’t fit enough to carry them all the way with their luggage.
She insisted her father on hiring another cab. But her father didn’t listen to her and harshly ordered her to climb up the cab.
Just then, I felt a jerk on the rein and started trotting. Somehow, I pulled the loaded cab till Ludgate Hill. Then suddenly, my feet started trembling. The very next moment, I was down on the floor.
I found it difficult to breathe because the strain was too much.

Just then, Grace, the little girl, jumped down. Sympathizing with me she said that it was their fault that they had overloaded me.
Then someone loosened my rein. Finally, I got my breath back. Then I opened my eyes and tried to get back to my feet. The cab driver led me to the nearest stable where I was given some corn and bran to eat. I was too tired of my work and couldn’t manage to continue. The doctor asked my master to turn me out in a field for at least six months under great care.
Skinner had made up his mind to sell me off as I was unfit to pull the cabs.
The doctor told him that there was going to be a horse fair soon where I could be sold to someone.
For ten days, I was well fed and well kept for the horse fair.
I realized that any place would be better for me than to stay with Skinner. Actually, I was happy for my condition.

Leave a Comment

Shopping Cart
×

Hello!

Click one of our contacts below to chat on WhatsApp

× How can I help you?