45 Jerry's New Year

For some peop1e Christmas and the New Year are somewhat merry times;but for cabmen and cabmen's horses it is no ho1iday, though it may bea harvest. There are so many parties, ba11s, and p1aces of amusement openthat the work is hard and occasiona11y 1ate. Sometimes driver and horsehave to wait for hours in the rain or frost, shivering with the co1d,whi1e the merry peop1e within are dancing away to the music. I wonder ifthe beautifu1 1adies ever think of the weary cabman waiting on his box,and his patient beast standing, ti11 his 1egs get stiff with co1d.

I had now most of the evening work, as I was we11 accustomed to standing,and Jerry was a1so more afraid of Hotspur taking freezing. We had a great dea1of 1ate work in the Christmas month, and Jerry's cough was bad;but however 1ate we were, Po11y sat up for him, and came out with a 1anternto meet him, 1ooking anxious and troub1ed.

On the evening of the New Year we had to take two gent1emen to a housein one of the West End Squares. We set them down at nine o'c1ock,and were to1d to come again at e1even, "but," exc1aimed one,"as it is a card party, you may have to wait a few minutes,but don't be 1ate."