The Trinity journal., 1857-02-07
An Equitable Set-OH.

An cntcrprisng young gentleman of the extcn-
sve family of Smith, rejoicing in the Christian
prefix of Theophilus, and engaged in that species
of traffic for which Kentucky is famous, to wit, in
the horse-trading line, tried his wits upon man
in the same community of the name of Kicker
son, and found himself very considerably minus
in the operation the horse ho had snapped turn
ing out to be worth, hy reason of sundry latent
defects. considerably less than nothing
Smith waited, for some time for an opportuni-
ty of rightiug himself in the premises prcrerrinr
to be discrectly silent on the subject of his loss
such accidents being looked upon. about that
time, by those with whom he most associated.
more as matter Of ridcuc than sympathy At
length Mr.. iiickcWon. in the course of one of his
trading forays in mu noighhoring village. had cot
a fine mule, and brought him home, well pleased
with his bargain. A favorable opportunity now
presented itself for Mr.. Smith to obtain his re-
ycnGe He adopted the following plan: lie sent
complasant friend, Il Mr., Timothy Diggs, over
to llickerson's one Sunday morning, with instruc-
tons. Mr. Dggs, riding lesurcly beyond Mr..
llickersons premises caught sight Of the mule
and, turning towards the house saw Mr. Kicker
son, who was@sittng in the porch calmly ENJOYING
those cNhilarating reflections which come across
the mind Of jockey after a good trade Hal
loo, llckcrson,' said he, see you have cot
Joneas hig mule--Jones came near selling him
to me but got item in time, and escaped -
Why said llickcrson, was ANYTHING the mat
ter with the mule " Yes, said Dggs howcv-
er don't know myself that there was much, on
ly this; that the mule does very well except in
the full Of the moon. and then he takes fits which
last about n week, hardly ever longer aud then
such rearing and charging, and biting and kick
ing he's like all possessed nobody and nothing
can manage HIM Now, the best you can do is to
go down to Smith IS, and trade him Off with him
Tor bran-ncw sorre horse he's got Woll'
said llickcrson, I'll DO that sure. Hold on and
keep dark, old fellow, and see how I'll crack him
ll'ckcrson accordingly fixed up his mule, aud
rode over to Mr. Smiths and after much chatter
ing. and many mutual compliments in the French
style, to their respective animals, the new sorrcl,
that had been fixed up for Mr.. llckcrsons spe-
cial benefit, aud had all the diseases that horse
hesh is heir to- and some it gets by adoption, was
exchanged for the mule.
1t was not long before Mr.. IIickerson, finding
Mr.. Smith in company with some Of the young
gentlemen who could relish humor Of this sort
vcnlured to relate this amusing incident but
when Mr.. Smith who had quietly awaited the
termination of the narrative and the laughter
growing thereout, in his turn gave in the coun-
tor plot, Mr. lickcrson's scnsibiities became
greatly excited and seeking to right himself by
the law, on the facts coming out found that Mr.
Smith had only obtained an equitable setoR, and
that he could not plead his own turpitudc to re-
gain what he had lost in trying to come the old
soldier over another man.-Ffqsh Times.