“POOR OLD NICK!”
It was a short walk from the jeweler’s to the address given upon the
horse-dealer’s card, and with heart beating high with hope Isabel
quickly made her way there.
But when the dealer had bought Nick he had known what he was about.
Very little “doctoring” was required to bring the still handsome old
horse up to “market shape” and palm him off for a much younger animal
than he was. So it was no wonder that ere a week had passed dear Old
Nick, who had never known a hard day’s work in all his happy life, and
whose big, arching neck had never drawn anything heavier than a surrey,
should find it burdened with a heavy, ill-fitting collar, and himself
harnessed to a city express wagon, while the dealer patted his pocket,
congratulating himself that in a few days he had been able to make a
profit of fifty dollars. Accustomed all his life to kind treatment and
the best of care, Nick could not comprehend anything different; and the
look of surprise which came into the big, beautiful eyes when his funny
little kittenish overtures to play or to be petted were met with harsh
words or a blow was truly a revelation. When Isabel started upon her
quest, he had been hard at work for over a month, and it had told upon
the old horse.
Under ordinary conditions a local city express usually keeps its horses
busy, but when the Christmas rush begins it means early and late hours
for horse and driver, meals snatched when and where they can be, and
rushing to and fro in storm and shine.
It is really no wonder that the men become worn out and impatient, and
too often the poor horses must suffer in consequence.
From the dealer, a good-natured German, Isabel learned who had become
Nick’s owner and that his office was in Forty-second Street, so off
she started once more. The day was growing bitter cold, and the light
snowfall during the previous night had frozen upon the streets and
walks, making it exceedingly uncomfortable for pedestrians, whether
they traveled upon two feet or four. The sun shone brightly, however,
and the spirit of Christmas-tide seemed to be abroad; for as the people
slipped and slid along they laughed at one another’s mishaps.
But for the poor horses it was a different matter. Those sharp-shod
managed well enough, but those with smooth shoes were utterly wretched,
and, while striving to keep their equilibrium, struggled along,
straining and pulling, utterly exhausted by the double effort.
Turning into Fifth Avenue, Isabel started off at a brisk pace, and was
soon making good time up the steep grade which lies between Thirtieth
and Fortieth Streets. The avenue was crowded with vehicles of every
sort, from the elegantly appointed equipages of the wealthy, with
their prancing, beautiful horses, to the humble hawkers’ carts, yet
all seemed imbued with the Christmas cheer. As she neared Thirty-third
Street, an express wagon drove away from the Waldorf, the man had
come running from the hotel to spring upon his wagon and whip up his
horse with the lack of common sense so often displayed. It is a pity
that such people cannot be placed between the shafts for a short time.
The experience would prove a wholesome one, I fancy, and give them a
practical demonstration of the impossibility of moving heavy weights
suddenly without endangering some organ of the body.
The horse sprang forward, slipped, nearly fell, and was brought to a
realizing sense of his duty by another jerk and a lash. Then, with a
mighty effort, he started quickly up the hill with his heavily laden
wagon, his poor, smooth-shod feet slipping over the icy pavement in a
manner which threatened every moment to bring him down.
It had all happened in less time than it has taken to tell it, but love
has keen sight, and with a cry of “Nick! Oh, dear Old Nick!” Isabel
forgetful of everybody and everything, started up the avenue like a
deer. She had not far to run, for at Thirty-sixth Street the climax was
reached and Nick fell.
As she reached him a crowd had surrounded the prone horse. One man sat
calmly on the animal’s head, another was unhooking the traces, another
the tug-straps, while the driver was indulging in language not set
down in the Ten Commandments. The poor horse, utterly exhausted by his
double exertions, lay as still as though the hard, icy pavement were a
blissful spot. Just as the last strap was released and the men stepped
aside, Isabel came to him, and crying out, “Nick! Dear, dear Nick!”
went close to the edge of the curb and stretched out her hands toward
him. God had not given him human speech, but if ever a dumb beast spoke
Old Nick did then; for at the sound of the beloved voice the poor head
was raised quickly, and as joyous a neigh as ever greeted friend rang
out upon the frosty air.
As Isabel spoke the driver approached her, and touching his cap
respectfully, said:
“Do you know that horse, miss?”
Isabel looked quickly up, and her heart gave a joyous bound as she said:
“Yes, oh, yes! But please, please don’t harness him to that dreadful
wagon again. He was mine once, and I want to buy him back.”
“Buy him back?” incredulously.
“Yes, yes. I truly do! Where can I talk to you?”
“Will you step into this store, miss, and I’ll see what I can do for
you.”
“Thank you so much. But let me touch Nick first.”
No need to ask it. The horse was now upon his feet, and had made
straight for the sidewalk, where two arms were waiting to gather the
big head, which snuggled into them as a child might have done.
Never mind cold and ice now! Old Nick had no more to wish for, and
would have been willing to stand there for hours just to hear the
beloved voice and feel the stroke of the dear hands.
Thanks to the courtesy of the proprietor of the store in which Isabel
soon took refuge, matters were settled between the expressman and
herself, and, to judge from the expression of both faces, to their
mutual satisfaction. As the expressman left the store he was conscious
of a good day’s profit in the hundred and fifty dollars paid him
for Old Nick; and when Nick was given into his charge to be looked
after until he could be taken to the farm, Isabel felt that her first
business transaction had been a successful one.