Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-07-31
For the Spectator.
Stories about a .HOrse.trader.

StOfleS aDOut a -aOfSestf80ors
There are certain men who seem to be born
for Horse traders. From their earliest child
hood nothing engages their every thought SO
much as Horses. To Horse everything in ma
ture is subordinate 10 their eyes. 1t is even
quite common to hear people born with this i'd
iosy ncracy excaim, when they see pretty wo
man, "Sbe is almost as pretty as thorough
bred mare" To this class belonged the famous
Monsieur Gervais, OF Norfolk, va.
| The French are not generally remarkable for
skill in the science of live horse fesh-thougb,
to do them justice, they said to excel in pre-
pairing it for the table. Our hero, however, was
a flushed hand at jockeying. He had been
keeper of livery-stable in his youth for reg
iment of Cavalry quartered near Paris, and be-
came afterwards riding master to the same un-
der the great Napoleon, the God of bis idolatry.
After his tall the army was reduced and Ger
vais left to shift for himself. Disguised with
les sacres cziens, les Boar6ons, he determined to
come to America, and settled in Norfolk.
Many are the stories told of him there, where
he was looked upon as the King of Horse-tra-
ders. 1t is our purpose to rescue from oblivion
a very few of the evidences of his genius, out OF
many which are told of him in his adopted city.
1t is said that no one was ever known to trad.
with the Frenchman without being deeply bit );
almost every day he did up some one 5roDner
than any OF his victims who hadsuffered before.
The first story we shall tell of Gervais will be
the famous one of Breakee de Buggee. We
must premise that our Horse trader understood
our language perfectly, and when it served his
purpose be spoke it very well; but, whenever
his object was to chsel any one, he always man
aged to employ broken English in such q way
as most etfectually to cheat his victim. Now
for our story: s
Mr.. S. wished to purchase horse for bis bug
gy, and went to Gervais' livery stable to buy
one. Our hero had few weeks before gotten
for small sum very snowy horse; but vi
cious horse he was, and had been sold by his
former owner because he had kicked his gig to
pieces, aud came near killing himself and wife.
The eyes Of Mr.. S. were attracted by the first ap-
pearance OF the animal, and enquired OF Gervais
how much he would take for him. The French
man expatiated on his fine points, exhibited
them with gusto, and wound up by saying, "As
he is yer fine horse charge you hundred and
seventy five dollars for him, and he cheap as
dirt at dat" Now this was an enormous price
in those days for horse intended for any other
purpose than the turf. Mr.. S. did not care a.
bout the price, if he could get horse to suit his
purpose Before purchasing, however, he ques-
toned Gervais as to bis temper, and asked if he
had been 'broken to q buggy" The French
man answered, "Breakee de buggeeg By Gar
be breakee de buggee fuss rate. He breakee de
eig. breakee de cart, breakee eberyting you put
him to--I answer for dat" He said these
words with a pronunciation quite unintelligible,
but accompanied with thousand gestures con-
yeving the impression that he was praising the
temper of the horse. Mr.. S. thinking more of
mis- manner than of the words he made use of,
paid him one hundred and seventy-fve dollars,
and ordered him to be sent up to his stable.--
That afternoon he lad him hitched to his bug
gv. and his servant led him out into the street.
Mr. S. got in but so soon as he tried to start,
the beast flung both heels into the front OF the
vehicle stove it into shivers, broke the traces,
and trotted off to Gervais' livery stable. Luck
ily Mr.. S. was not materially hurt, but his bug
CIV wgs ruined. When Gervais saw the animal
return with his trappiDgs dangling about him,
be understood at glance what had happened.
So. with consumrnate impudence, he wrote a
note to Mr.. S.. in which he wished he would
con6ne his horse at the Inanger until he got used
to his new lodgings" As he expected, in few
minutes Mr.. S. was at his stables complaining a.
bout Gervais having SO grievously cheated him
in his steed With the most imperturable grav-
ity Gervas replied, 81 telled you de truth, sare.
You ask me about de horse-l telled you he
breakee de buggy, de gig, de carriage, de cart
eberyting and you no right to complain now;
for de horse do just as relled you he woud.''
Mr.. S. saw how he had been sold. He threat
ened he would sue, but all to no purpose. Ger
vais had taken good pains to have witnesses at
hand to prove the bargain, and to swear to MS
uerv acords, which showed that the horse wonld
break everything he was hitched to. Accord
ingly Mr.. S. determined to make the best of
bad bargain, and sold the horse at the foot of
the market for as much as he would bring.
a-1l r.