ell," said Jerry, "why don't you cut with it, governor? You are too
good a man to be the slave of such a thing."

"I'm a great fool, Jerry, but I tried once for two days, and I thought I
should have died; how did you do?"

"I had hard work at it for several weeks; you see I never did get drunk,
but I found that I was not my own master, and that when the craving came
on it was hard work to say 'no'. I saw that one of us must knock under,
the drink devil or Jerry Barker, and I said that it should not be Jerry
Barker, God helping me; but it was a struggle, and I wanted all the
help I could get, for till I tried to break the habit I did not know how
strong it was; but then Polly took such pains that I should have good
food, and when the craving came on I used to get a cup of coffee, or
some peppermint, or read a bit in my book, and that was a help to me;
sometimes I had to say over and over to myself, 'Give up the drink or
lose your soul! Give up the drink or break Polly's heart!' But thanks be
to God, and my dear wife, my chains were broken, and now for ten years I
have not tasted a drop, and never wish for it."

"I've a great mind to try at it," said Grant, "for 'tis a poor thing not
to be one's own master."

"Do, governor, do, you'll never repent it, and what a help it would be
to some of the poor fellows in our rank if they saw you do without it. I
know there's two or three would like to keep out of that tavern if they
could."

At first Captain seemed to do well, but he was a very old horse, and it
was only his wonderful constitution, and Jerry's care, that had kept
him up at the cab work so long; now he broke down very much. The farrier
said he might mend up enough to sell for a few pounds, but Jerry said,
no! a few pounds got by selling a good old servant into hard work
and misery would canker all the rest of his money, and he thought the
kindest thing he could do for the fine old fellow would be to put a sure
bullet through his head, and then he would never suffer more; for he did
not know where to find a kind master for the rest of his days.

The day after this was decided Harry took me to the forge for some new
shoes; when I returned Captain was gone. I and the family all felt it
very much.

Jerry had now to look out for another horse, and he soon heard of one
through an acquaintance who was under-groom in a nobleman's stables. He
was a valuable young horse, but he had run away, smashed into another
carriag