Ruben Smith (Ch25 / Q5)

This chapter is very realistic because it is true that when people get drunk they become a menace to those around them, lose control over themselves, and become very obnoxious. In this chapter we meet Ruben Smith. He is a very responsible man and seems to be liked by everyone, especially the horses. But he is not always so responsible. He used to sometimes go off and get very drunk. A few times York, the chief liveryman in Lord W__'s stables, let him off because he was so helpful; but one time he was supposed to drive some people home but he couldn't even hold the reins and one of the passengers had to drive. Ruben was fired. But eventually he was hired again. That was a very bad thing for Beauty. Ruben was the reason he had to leave Lord W__'s stables. Ruben had ridden Beauty into town and put him in the local stables. When he came to get Beauty he was very drunk. He didn't even have Beauty's loose shoe taken care of. Also he was very rude to the hostler for no apparent reason at all. Loose shoe and all as they reached the end of town they started to gallop. Some way down the road the shoe came off. Pore Beauty. He was continuously whipped and cursed at to go faster even though Beauty was going as fast as he could. One part of the road had had fresh stones put down and was sharp and uneven. No horse could go over that without caution, but Beauty was forced to go at full speed without his shoe. His hoof was soon split and very badly cut. Eventually his knees gave out under him and Ruben was thrown to the ground. Beauty painfully got up and stood on a smooth part of the road waiting for someone to come along. Ruben did not rise.