Chapter III: “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.