Adams declared that she would put
a skirt on him to cover these defects, unless people stopped
turning to look after him and laugh.
But it was when he was in motion that Job exhibited his
peculiarities to the best advantage. His ordinary gait was a slow,
dignified walk, varied, at times, by a trot of which the direction
was of the up-and-down species, and made his progress even slower
than usual. But now and then the old fellow would seem to be
inspired with a little of his former spirit, and, after a skittish
little kick, he would straighten his body with a suddenness which
brought Mrs. Adams to her feet, and rush off at a mad pace that
soon faltered and failed, when the old brown head would turn, and
the gentle eyes seem to say pleadingly,--
"I did try, but I can't."
In reality, the cause of Job's slowness lay, not so much in his
age as in his afflicted knees; and they kept his driver in a
constant state of anxiety as to which pair would give out next.
Now his hind legs would suddenly fail him, and he would apparently
attempt to seat himself in the dust; then, just as he had
recovered from that shock, his front knees would collapse, and Job
would plunge madly forward on his venerable nose.
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