olled
passions, dyspepsia, rheumatism, lumbago and gout; and of these the
Lloyds got their full share. To the pampered love of ease, there is no
resting place. What is pleasant today, is repulsive tomorrow; what is
soft now, is hard at another time; what is sweet in the morning, is
bitter in the evening. Neither to the wicked, nor to the idler, is there
any solid peace: _"Troubled, like the restless sea."_

I had excellent opportunities of witnessing the restless discontent and
the capricious irritation of the Lloyds. My fondness for horses--not
peculiar to me more than to other boys attracted me, much of the time,
to the stables. This establishment was especially under the care of
"old" and "young" Barney--father and son. Old Barney was a fine looking
old man, of a brownish complexion, who was quite portly, and wore a
dignified aspect for a slave. He was, evidently, much devoted to his
profession, and held his office an honorable one. He was a farrier as
well as an ostler; he could bleed, remove lampers from the mouths of the
horses, and was well instructed in horse medicines. No one on the farm
knew, so well as Old Barney, what to do with a sick horse. But his gifts
and acquirements were of little advantage to him. His office was by
no means an enviable one. He often got presents, but he got stripes as
well; for in nothing was Col. Lloyd more unreasonable and exacting,
than in respect to the management of his pleasure horses. Any supposed
inattention to these animals were sure to be visited with degrading
punishment. His horses and dogs fared better than his men. Their beds
must be softer and cleaner than those of his human cattle. No excuse
could shield Old Barney, if the colonel only suspected something
wrong about his horses; and, consequently, he was often punished when
faultless. It was absolutely painful to listen to the many unreasonable
and fretful scoldings, poured out at the stable, by Col. Lloyd, his sons
and sons-in-law. Of the latter, he had three--Messrs. Nicholson, Winder
and Lownes. These all{88} lived at the great house a portion of the
year, and enjoyed the luxury of whipping the servants when they pleased,
which was by no means unfrequently. A horse was seldom brought out of
the stable to which no objection could be raised. "There was dust in
his hair;" "there was a twist in his reins;" "his mane did not lie
straight;" "he had not been properly grained;" "his head did not look
well;" "his fore-top w