_How to ride without a Bridle._
"Doctor, what am I to do?" said Mr. Broadcloth, the wealthy tailor of
Bond-street. "Here am I, just fifty years of age, now in the prime of
life, and cannot enjoy a moment's content. I have forty-nine hands at
work for me, in my shop every day, beside piece-work out-doors. I have
six runners of errands; four porters, to carry out my goods, and to
bring me home work. Beside all this, I have such incessant customers to
be measured, and coats to make, that from morning to night I hear
nothing but snip go, snip go, snip go! and although I work like a
journeyman, I half wish I was one of my own porters, and could go from
house to house for fresh air and exercise."
"Oh, my dear sir!" said the Doctor, "you must ride on horseback,--you
must indeed! you must be a journey-man yourself,--carry out your
clothes to Clapham, and find yourself all the better in health and
spirits."
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"Doctor, I have heard that all who can do as you bid them, are sure to
recover."
"The first of all blessings is health,--for without it
Men may think there's enjoyment in life,--but I doubt it."
"Then recover yourself, and you will own my advice to be good."
"What shall I do for a horse?"
"Do as everybody else does,--go to John Tattsall's, and get the horse
that will suit you. I shall be glad to see you on one."
The tailor was soon mounted;--but it is one thing to be
mounted,--another to be seated.
He soon complained to Mr. Tattsall, that the horse he had bought of him
would not mind the bridle.
"Then," says John, "ride him without one. In fact, your horse did belong
to a lame letter-carrier, and he never rode him with a bridle. You may
have one round his neck by way of a check rein; but this horse, you will
find, will never deceive you.
"You have nothing to do but to mount, and say, 'Go on:' he will be off
in a gentle canter along the gutter, keeping close to the pavement,
avoiding the lamp posts, oyster stalls, orange tables, trucks, and
barrows; and whenever you say 'Wo-ho,' he will make a dead stop. You may
get off, and wait an hour, if you like, he will never stir, but will
know how to take care of himself; only give him a bit of carrot or an
apple, just to let him know you are his master, as the poor old lame
duck did,--and you may mount and say 'Go on,' and 'Wo-ho,' twenty times
in a day,--and he will obey you. You will not need a bridle or a rein."
Mr. Broadcloth did so,--and never complained of his horse after,--and
quite recovered of his complaint.
Go on!--wo-ho! Good words will all command,
And gentle treatment bring the steed to hand.
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