Don't

"Look here, Tom; look at my feet. they step out a little farther along each time? It makes me almost dizzy to look at them. As sure as my name's Jom, we shall get there, depend upon it; yes, depend upon it - eh, Tom?" and Jom tried to look round his black spectacles at Tom.

"It's no use talking to that John," Tom muttered to himself. "If he thinks he is going anywhere where he won't have to begin and go all over again, his name is Jom and not John. I wish this old thing behind us would stop forever. I don't see why they fasten it on us. We don't do anything with it. And then it keeps stopping so, and it has such a horrible rattle."

Just then there was a sharp ring at the bell, and the brakes were put on.

"Hoh!" said Jom, who was tired of keeping his tongue still. "It's stopping to think, Tom stopping to think. That's a queer chattering sound it makes. I wonder what it's going to do next? Ah! there it goes again," for the bell rang, the brakes were set free, and off they went.

"Tom," continued Jom, when they were once more well under way, "I've something to ell you."

"I wish it was dinner-time," cried Tom; "you always have something to tell me. I wish I was dead I do. I'm a perfect slave. I remember when I was ridden for pleasure; yes, ridden about by little boys. They never hung one of these dreadful, jingling, rasping, heavy things behind me; and I could see out of the side of my eye, too. I don't care. I want some dinner.”

"But, Tom," said Jom, mildly, "that was a long while ago; we're going to have something better now, something better-eh, Tom?"

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Something bitter!" said Tom, sharply. "Yes, that's it, that's it," said Jom, reaching over playfully to caress Tom, "something better, something better." But the driver jerked the rein, and called out,—

"Heh there, John; mind now."

"Singular!" said Jom to himself; "whenever I want to rub my nose on Tom, there is the queerest hitch at the back of my head. But, Tom," he continued aloud, "really, now, I've something important to tell. Want to heareh, Tom? Do you remember that day the thing behind got tired, and couldn't move for a good while ?"

"I remember how I thought we never should get home."

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Well, as we were standing, there was a vegetable cart near by, and I talked with the horse. He was a good, plain sort of horse. He didn't seem to think much, though, of the vegetables he had. I said how green they were. He said he couldn't see them himself, but he didn't like to smell them. He was used to grass. Just think, Tom, he had grass at home; and he wasn't such a very fine horse, either not such a very fine horse. You used to have grass, I think you said ?"

"Of course I did," said Tom.

“Well, he said that near where he lived there were what do you guess? eh, what do you guess, Tom ?"

"I don't guess anything."

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No, that wasn't it; they were car horses, just like us! What do you think of that?"

"Well, we're not the only wretches."

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O, but they were eating grass," said Jom, and he raised his upper lip, and tried again to look round his black spectacles at Tom. "Now! Do you think we never shall get there?"

66

No, we never shall; sure as your name's John."

"Well, sure as my name s Jom, as you say,

know we shall. I feel it every time that

thing behind us begins to rattle so, and then stop to think. Sometimes, too, when I am not so deaf as usual, I hear a little tinkle sound behind. It seems to say, ' grass !

ووو

"Heigh ho!" said Tom. "Here we are at last. Now for dinner; and thank fortune I sha'n't have to listen to old Jom, as he calls himself, for an hour now."

The two horses were put into their stalls, and given their dinner. There was some talking going on about them; and presently, to Jom's surprise, he was led out of his stall. Where was he going? He went out of the stable, into the street, and then a man in a wagon took the halter-strap that was about his neck, and off they started, man and wagon, and behind, Jom, who felt unusually bright. He listened for the thing behind him. He could not hear it; and on they went without stopping, so that he was almost out of breath. They passed a vegetable wagon standing by the side of a shop.

"What! so you're going, too?" asked the vegetable horse, turning his head and recognizing Jom.

"Ye-ye-yes," nodded Jom, his head going and down, as it always did when he was in delight.

up

"I'll see you to-night," called out the vege

table horse after him. But he did not see him. Jom was going into the country, but into another part. When the sun was going down, they came to a pretty house with a grassy slope before it. Children were playing about, rolling over the hay-cocks, and laughing in great sport.

"There he is! there he is!" they cried together, as the wagon came up, and they crowded down to the farmer.

"Is this really our new horse?" they asked. The father came up.

"Well, Coleman, he has a good characterhas he?"

"O, bless you, sir, they say they never touched a whip to him. He's as gentle as a lamb. He's a bit stupid, sir, I'm thinking."

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No, I'm not stupid," said Jom, gravely. "I'm deaf."

But they did not heed him.

The children came closer, and patted him timidly. Jom raised his upper lip, and shook his head up and down, and said, "Come closer, children."

"What's his name, Mr. Coleman ?" asked the oldest.

"It's Jom," said Jom.

"Well, I don't believe his mother ever gave him any," said the farmer.