#CA  ,A ,HUMBUG

  ,MY MA/] 0 N IMMLY SUIT$1 B 9 A FEW
"DS MY NEW GROOM CAME4 ,HE 0 A TALL1 GD-
LOOK+ FELL[ 5\<2 B IF "E "! 0 A HUMBUG 9
! %APE (A GROOM ,ALFR$ ,SMIRK 0 ! MAN4
,HE 0 V CIVIL 6ME1 & N"E US$ ME ILL2 9
FACT1 HE DID A GRT D1L ( /ROK+ & PATT+
:5 8 MA/] 0 "! 6SEE X4 ,HE ALW BRU%$ MY
MANE & TAIL ) WAT] & MY HO(S ) OIL 2F HE
BR"\ ME 6! DOOR1 6MAKE ME LOOK SM>T2 B Z
6CL1N+ MY FEET OR LOOK+ 6MY %OES1 OR
GROOM+ ME ?OR\<LY1 HE ?"\ NO M ( T ?AN
IF ,I _H BE5 A C[4 ,HE LEFT MY BIT RU/Y1
MY SA4LE DAMP1 & MY CRUPP] /IFF4
  ,ALFR$ ,SMIRK 3SID]$ HMF V H&"S2 HE
SP5T A GRT D1L ( "T AB 8 HAIR1 :ISK]S &
NECKTIE1 2F A LL LOOK+-GLASS 9 ! H>;S-
ROOM4 ,:5 8 MA/] 0 SP1K+ 6HM X 0 ALW1
8,YES1 SIR2 YES1 SIR0 -- T\*+ 8 HAT AT E
^W2 & E "O ?"\ HE 0 A V NICE "Y MAN & T
,MR4 ,B>RY 0 V =TUNATE 6MEET ) HM4 ,I %D
SAY HE 0 ! LAZIE/1 MO/ 3CEIT$ FELL[ ,I
"E CAME NE>4 ,( C\RSE1 X 0 A GRT ?+ N
6BE ILL-US$1 B !N A HORSE WANTS M ?AN T4
               ,A ,HUMBUG
,I _H A LOOSE BOX1 & MI<T H BE5 V -=TA#
IF HE _H N BE5 TOO 9DOL5T 6CL1N X \4 ,HE
N"E TOOK ALL ! /RAW AWAY1 &! SMELL F :AT
LAY "UN1? 0 V BAD2 :ILE ! /R;G VAPORS T
ROSE MADE MY EYES SM>T & 9FLAME1 & ,I
DID N FEEL ! SAME APPETITE = MY FOOD4

,"O "D 8 MA/] CAME 9 & SD1 8,ALFR$1 !
  /A# SMELLS
R /R;G2 %D N Y GIVE T /ALL A GD SCRUB
& ?R[ D[N PL5TY ( WAT]80

  8,WELL1 SIR10 HE SD1 T\*+ 8 CAP1
8,I'LL D S IF Y PL1SE1 SIR2 B X IS R
DANG]\S1 SIR1 ?R[+ D[N WAT] 9 A HORSE'S
BOX2 !Y >E V APT 6TAKE COLD1 SIR4 ,I %D
N L 6D HM AN 9JURY1 B ,I'LL D X IF Y
PL1SE1 SIR40

8,WELL10 SD 8 MA/]1 8,I %D N L HM 6TAKE
  COLD2
B ,I DON'T L ! SMELL ( ? /A#4 ,D Y ?9K !
  DRA9S
>E ALL "R80
               ,A ,HUMBUG

8,WELL1 SIR1 N[ Y M5;N X1 ,I ?9K ! DRA9
  DOES "S"TS
S5D BACK A SMELL2 "! MAY 2 "S?+ WR;G1
  SIR40

  8,!N S5D =! BRICKLAY] & H X SE5 TO10
SD 8 MA/]4
  8,YES1 SIR1 ,I W40
  ,! BRICKLAY] CAME & PULL$ UP A GRT _M
BRICKS1 B F.D NO?+ AMISS2 S HE PUT D[N
"S LIME & *>G$ ! MA/] FIVE %ILL+S1 &!
SMELL 9 MY BOX 0 Z BAD Z "E4 ,B T 0 N
ALL3 /&+ Z ,I DID ON A QUANT;Y ( MOI/
/RAW MY FEET GREW UNH1L?Y & T5D]1 &!
MA/] US$ 6SAY3
  8,I DON'T "K :AT IS ! MATT] ) ? HORSE2
HE GOES V FUM#-FOOT$4 ,I AM "S"TS AFRAID
HE W /UM#40

8,YES1 SIR10 SD ,ALFR$1 8,I H NOTIC$ !
  SAME MYF1
:5 ,I H EX]CIS$ HM40

               ,A ,HUMBUG
  ,N[ ! FACT 0 T HE H>DLY "E DID EX]CISE
ME1 & :5 ! MA/] 0 BUSY ,I (T5 /OOD = "DS
TGR )\T /RET*+ MY LEGS AT ALL1 & YET 2+
F$ J Z HI< Z IF ,I 7 AT H>D "W4 ,? (T5
4ORD]$ MY H1L?1 & MADE ME "S"TS H1VY &
DULL1 B M (T5 RE/.S & FEV]I%4 ,HE N"E
EV5 GAVE ME A M1L ( GRE5 FOOD OR A BRAN
MA%1 : WD H COOL$ ME1 = HE 0 ALT Z
IGNORANT Z HE 0 3CEIT$2 & !N1 9/1D (
EX]CISE OR *ANGE ( FOOD1 ,I _H 6TAKE
HORSE BALLS & DRAU<TS2 :1 2S ! NUIS.E (
HAV+ !M P\R$ D[N MY ?ROAT1 US$ 6MAKE ME
FEEL ILL & UNCOM=TA#4
  ,"O "D MY FEET 7 S T5D] T1 TROTT+ OV]
"S FRE% /"OS ) MY MA/] ON MY BACK1 ,I
MADE TWO S* S]I\S /UM#S T1 Z HE CAME D[N
,LANSD[N 96! C;Y1 HE /OPP$ AT ! F>RI]'S1
& ASK$ HM 6SEE :AT 0 ! MATT] ) ME4 ,!
MAN TOOK UP MY FEET "O 0"O & EXAM9$ !M2
!N /&+ UP & DU/+ 8 H&S "O AG/ ! O!R1 HE
SD3
  8,YR HORSE HAS GOT ! ,8?RU%'1 & BADLY1
TOO2 8 FEET >E V T5D]2 X IS =TUNATE T HE
HAS N BE5 D[N4 ,I WOND] YR GROOM HAS N
               ,A ,HUMBUG
SE5 6X 2F4 ,? IS ! SORT ( ?+ WE F9D 9
F\L /A#S1 ": ! LITT] IS N"E PROP]LY
CL1N$ \4 ,IF Y W S5D HM "H TM ,I W ATT5D
6! HO(1 & ,I W DIRECT YR MAN H[ 6APPLY !
L9I;T : ,I W GIVE HM40

,! NEXT "D ,I _H MY FEET ?OR\<LY CL1NS$
  & /U6$ ) T[
SOAK$ 9 "S /R;G LO;N2 & AN UNPL1SANT
  BUSI;S X WAS4

  ,! F>RI] ORD]$ ALL ! LITT] 6BE TAK5 \
( MY BOX "D 0"D1 &! FLOOR KEPT V CL1N4
,!N ,I 0 6H BRAN MA%ES1 A LL GRE5 FOOD1
& N S M* CORN1 TILL MY FEET 7 WELL AG4
,) ? TR1T;T ,I SOON REGA9$ MY _SS2 B
,MR4 ,B>RY 0 S M* 4GU/$ AT 2+ TWICE DCVD
0HIS GROOMS T HE DET]M9$ 6GIVE UP KEEP+
A HORSE1 & 6HIRE :5 HE WANT$ "O4 ,I 0
"!=E KEPT TILL MY FEET 7 Q S.D1 & 0 !N
SOLD AG4

,"P ,,III