Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-02-16

interest; Tor Just then r0L0er IeQ-IACeu
young fellow, IN . quiet groom's nvery,
passed me, leading a vary good locking
darx cob, very plump looking, full head:
short well carried tai, four black legs, good
dark, glossy coat, but rather playful-lOok-
ing, and given to dance about s322g sl
let the man pass me two or three
times as I looked unconcernedly on, while
first one hOrsey man went up, and then
another. wanting to try the horse, and
talking In loud and depreciatory accents |:
hut the groom was very gurly, and seemed
g If he would have none 81 them, always
walking OF . ~ ysrds befofe he came 70
another stand.
= Horse for ssle, ny.1adr,I saidat last
The groom looked at me surlily all over,
his eyes resting lopgzon ny white hands
ketciisf : Do wn nt q ssy1ose" Ne
said at last.
"WeIl. / don't know" said, smiling
but that don't seem to be the way to sell
him"
.Oh, don't i'll sP'raps II DON'T" said
1.-THE man 81 know what I'm up to-"
"What,s the riceS" said, a. ] walked
round the cob, liking his looks more and
aNow look here" said the groom, gazing
at me as searchingly as In him lay: "do
YOU want to buy him! Because, if you do,
say 90 if you don't inst leave me aloha,
please, FOR I've been humbugged enough
y aWeli, my lad,r I said, syouu are not
very civil but do want to buy cob"
He looked at me again, and then q
bright thought seemed 70 aiaah' cross him.
4" You're clergyman, amt you'll"
Yes" / said, smiling - i''t ~"
"Then where's your card ?" ua "a
He smiled triumphantly as he said this,
evidently thinking that he had posed me /;
but drew out my card case and gave him
Isa card-Rev. T. TozeT, Stogglesby Rectory
when the mans face underwent com.
plete change, and he touched his hat re-
spectfully. Ns baatl - sae
Z -"Beg pardon, sir; bat didn't know but
what you might be chanter dressed up
like parson; Master sent me here to sell
the pony and told me to be very careful
and not get done, and I've nearly been
chiseled out Of him twyste. Here's these
Fellows come round you with flash notes
and duflng. suvrmgs, and more Sdodges
than you'd eyer tairf q sad i y nakass one
stWho u your master9" I said.
| "Mr.s George Smith, sir, Of Louth. ~ :
| did not know the gentleman, but the
livery buttons on tho, sgroom's coat bore
| the welLkn0Wn crest III the Smiths-a fist
clenched upon ahammef and I Asked him
few more questions.
"What i1e paftingwHh the cob for?
was amongs tile festA 4 -
"Missus used to drive him, sir; but
we're going to have a broom now and
sixteen handler. It is a pity, though, for
this, here's g mecca little thing - ever
stepped. That quiet you may do any man
ner O. thing with him." 60,
"Not very young, my lad. = said, know
ingly, after a look in the horses mouth.
No, slr, he ain't young but he amt q
old 'oss, Masters only had him two years.
/ don't believe he's eight year, that l
don't"
I had him walked; I had him trotted
l had him tried in harness, any drove
him myself; and then he was once more
reduced to the haltas.fa qa4 sgS2a s33 a
Rather more skittish than I like"
said. q .e4ylH,}EF 1RfIA.
"Skittish, sir" said the groom. "He
amt skittish but I'll tell you what he is,
sir; he's that fat and lazy, and full OF
| play, that he's spoiled. Just fancy your
self As shs$ h1 inn lodte box, and the
misBus coming and blowing you out with
corn at unteg'le timel tillyou blew upon
it. wouldn't You be skittish Why, see
how slow he is; he might do two mile
more an hour if he warn't SO fat"
swell, and now how about price :"
Fortys guinness, siE, = Sid the groom
forVtHo poundl IN god ssss,sy
Which means that five-and thirty
pounds will buy him, / suppose" said
for liked the horse, the man, and the
| L. .c q, a. olA
The groom looked hard at me for few
moments, and then his face wlinkied all
over into a simple grin. SWELL, sir, mas
ter said, Ask forty pound, and stick to it
lbut if you can't get fve-and-thirty, bring
him back again. ,"
looked the cob over and over again,
felt his hooks and fetlocks, and, with all
my manipulation, found him as quiet as a
swell, my lad" I I'D, after bidding
him thirty in vain, |" III give you the five
and thirty pcunds.n
! I" Suvtlngs, dr.
| well cheek O. Gax1t'sg bank will
'V a1 dons know sosaise 49, check.
nor notes, sir; euvdnSs Tor - please, u
said ths Id and the purchase was com
pleted by my fetching the gold from the
kbank myself TO retarn 1ading the groon
Jjust moving off. s.s,.. -
AThoughtit was all & dn; sir, said the
man, touching his hat and brightsping upj
and then, on my remembering Mn Nttk
five shillings, 10 Id my&puEskAse TO the
inn, where he was put to; and l drove
home delighted with my bargain, for no
horse could have gone better. He re-
quired touch or two with the whip once,
but, on the whole, he trotted along most
respectfully, and was a. snice-lookipg .
| plump cob as a'pAr1on need Wish 10 drive
Our boy was absent on my return, and /
had to take the new horse out myself my
wife coming % "a MINI BY hntafnth6hf,
patting him, and expressing her admira-
| ton loudly.
Farmer Tpmson being AM early man,
was oversnexts morning BY the time we
had done breakfast and proudly led him
out TO the stable, unfastened the halter,
and brOaght cat tie purchase smilin9ly,
while the old man walked round it, and
round it again looked At its head, its tail /;
ran his hand all bver'it; stopped down by
its legs one by one, and then looked at me.
Wsll"i nd What ought "a have