The Portland daily press., 1871-03-25
SELECTED, STORY.
TURNING A SCREW.

IUkNlNU Il nOl1ilV'
But you won't sell bin, Toin?" said Mrs,
Tozer.
By the way my name is Tozer the Rev.
Thomas Toz.r, NJ. A Il, formerly OF Caius CO..
lege, Cambridge, and now Of Stosglesby Rec
tory, Lincolnshire Mrs Tozer being my
wife. .nrfr.rs
"My DEAR" 1 said, Humanity is humanity,
but incomes are incomes; and though the for
mer says no, the latter says yes cannot at
ford to turn the paddock into hospital for
decayed horses. This lameness decides III;
and old Prince must co."
"But where shall yon sell himp"
"Well shall not sell him at all; AR. ROM
son will do that for me at HOIncastle fair 10
morrow. am going TO drive hm over. L
dare say Prince can hobble that distance"
"And what do you suppose you Will get fer
him ?" said Mrs. Tozer
"Oh not more than ten pounds" / replied.
"Dear, dear! What a shame it seems 10
part with poor old Prince for ten pounds! !"
my love-" said, decisively, in tfat tone
which always closes discussion, at is not
the ten pounds but the cost OF keeping the
old horse II you like TO do without having
another: well aud good. Stout walking boots
Will su1hce for me in the winter"
put Mrs. Tozer seemed to think that it
would De pity to let our four-wheeled chaise
grow moudy il the coach house; and the
consequence was that the next morning at
eieVen clock was diving my chu:ch war
--oeii, Farmer Tomson, over the hall dozen
miles that interviewed between StogSlesby
aud the world famed horse fair; but very
slowly, for Princes limp in what horsey pee
pie call the "oif fore leg" was rather marked
Perhaps you'd like me to do the other bit
OF the business for you, Master Tozer?" said
NV cmfnnaniOn
"Well, no; thank you," said. ''If YOU'LL
. do the selling part, L shall be obliged.
think I'd rather buy for myself. | don't
boast, mind but if there is anything secular
[ do know little about, think it is a
horse"
Farmer Tomson chuckled. -s..i.
well, we'll" be said; "don't get took in,
for they're rough lot down here at fair time.''
That's precisely why l want YOU to sell
Prince for me. know they would oct him
from me, and then there would be some diff.
ncuity ABOUT payment; and as a clergyman, |
don't want TO be mixed up with any unpleas-
ahtnes,. And besides, you see, the class of
men who go about buying lame holses are
not those with whom l care to have deal
ings.p s1
All right, parsop, all right" said Tomson
"only don't blame NE if don't get enough
for him. promise you though, that I'll bring
back the ready CASH.
DO your best, Thomson, do your BEST and [
shall not complain" said, for had implicit
confidence in him, bis only faiIings being too
great leaning toward gin and. watar; and a
tendency to familiarity, as evinced in his ad-
dressing his pastor as "Parson."
We reached the head inn /; [ brought out a
natter, and Mr.. Tomson led of poor old
Prlnce, the chaise and harness being lett in
charge OF The hostler, fresh man.
AS the old hOI wao lad
give me mournlul look, as though he would
nave said, do you turn your back like this
upon your old friends?' And then he went
hmplng out of the yard, whiskng his gray
tail about in melancholy manner and
thought OF the many times those four white
stockings had gone over the road with our
modest conveyance; never too fast; never
taking fright: never sbying; never being in
serted, as to the hind stockings. in fierce kicks
through the splash board. And L thought
that il, for the five and thirty pounds l had
placed as the outside sum, could Get as GOOD
a steed 10 dwell with US for the next fen
years, l should do WELL
went into the coffee room TO await Farm
.er Tomson's return, and somehow | rather
regretted that had not called on veterinary
surgeon, and given Prince months rest
but the next minute | drove away the thought.
anu $1,000 at Inc window, looking out at the
N~s AAHS'' Vi tAO IlIllc tOWn CURING Lie
horse fair.
My wife had stipulated for horse as much
IKE Prince as could get; and as l stood gaz-
ing out, saw one OR two goodly looking cObs.
with one, two, and even three white stocking
Cd feet, but not even one, like old Prince, with
-four. "''''
but can't study that, u thought to nv
sell. "A good sound horse is what REQUIRE
anc biaa,ck'legged cob is likely to be more
Before had wadel half through the dav
tbefoles Times, Farmer Thompson was hack
wen how have you got on % said.
IN, just as well as | expected, parson: The
regular thing for an old horse-poupd iep .
and be dashed four soveregns down upon The
i was disappointed, for had expected don
though. 90" ~
at was his real value. parson.p he said
quietly; "the horse was lame, dead lame"
Don't say another word, Johnson. pray. D
sala hastily. Il am indeed much obiged.''
lou are quite welcome, parsou l shall
look in on you in the morning about that Bit
OF wall in the churchyard, aud then YOU can
snow me your new horse purchase"
said. '0- '''A'
mo, no, thanky," he said; 81 dare saw ]
lookout for sharpers."
Farmer Tomson departed, and | went
ABOUT the town attending TO a few domestic
COMMISSIONS before venturing upon the prime
business OF the day. At last, though. / had
10 look round to see splendid carriage horses
senins at from two hundred and fifty to three
nundred gu!neas pair, and hunters, park
nacks, ladies' well broken mares, sturdy cobs,
gigantic cart horses-every description of tbe
equine race; but though [ wondered abouf
ior quite an hour and a half, could not see
the sort OF cob that my eye Invitations TO
Day l had in plenty fro m cunning looking
gentlemen who could see what was about :
but word from any of these horsey-looking
gentry was sufficient to put me on nv guard.
ana 10 take me to another part of the fair.
1red al last OF the noise and hustle, the
SuoutinS horse-dealers and the trotting hoofs,
began to wish that, after all, [ had intrrst
cd some one else with the commission. and
waking pack to the inn, had glass OF sher-
~ ana biscuit, sat down for an hour. and
tnen went 10 have one more look round in
.oIclnS, II were unsuccessful in nv search.
10 nire horse from the inn to drive back. and
then trust my case 10 other hands,
flenty OF horses are bought through adj
yeItlsements," l said 10 myself; sand old
pa could examine 1t; MIR. Baldox being
the vet who came around our neiehborbooJ'
The very thing l want" said to myself
the next moment; but, all the same, pre-
served strict appearance OF want of inter.
est; Tor just then a rather red-faced Young
fellow, in quiet groom's livery, passed me-
leading very good looking dark cob, ypry
piump-lookng, full head, snort, we'll carried
tai, four black legs, good dark, glossy coat.
put rather playful looking and given to dane.
let the man pass me two or three times as
l looked unconcernedy on, while first one
norseyman went up, and then another, want
ing 10 try the horse, and talking in loud and
depreclatory accents; but the groom was very
surly, and seemed as if he would have none
OF them, always walking off a few yards be.
lore he came to another stand.
Horse for sale, my lad?" l said.
The groom looked at me suriiy all over his
eyes resting long on my white handkerchief.
DO you wont to buy one? ?" he said at last,
p. "Well, l don't know" said, smiling: "but
mat don't seem to me the way to sell him, "
t. "Oh, don't it? P'raps it don't" said the
man. II know what Pm up to-
WHATS the price 2" asked, as 7 walked
around the cob, liking his looks more and
more. ''N'
Now look here" said the groom, gazing at
me as searching as in him lay, edo YOU
want to buy him? Because if you do, saw So
III Won don't inst