San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-07-09

don, and he takes him out into the street
where. before gods and small boys, this relic
of the past, known to elderly citizens as a
lang syne faithful coach horse, begins a gait
that Is as elastic as a hemlock board seat on
a gravel cart He is out of practice" says
my jockey friend, "but you can get him into
it in few weeks" remark at which the
small boys now clustered about us begin to
smile stealthily. Then the equine relic Is
tried on the gallop, gait which he has to
perfection, being able to bounce the most ro-
bust rider foot and half out of the saddle,
50 heavily does he come down with his stiff
ened legs.
Don Pedro is dismissed and told not to
show his head again inside the patio till he
can bring really new horse with some life
and a genuine gait about him. He doffs his
sombrero politely, and, with a courteous
"Adios, senor," this worthy jockey Is off
again. A patient race these people; you
may be sure that Don Pedro Murciaga
Alcantara will come again and again and
never be rebuffed, and even If he never sells
any one of his collection of unrivaled anti
quities, he will not be angry, but will salute
me gravely when we meet Such Is Spanish
courtesyl
OF DIFFERENT TYPE.
There Is another veteran Jockey Of quite O
different type. This is large, robust man
of mature years with Ben Franklin smile
and look Of sturdy honesty. His role is
that Of the man who has good horses but isn't
a bit anxious to close bargain, and l must
confess that the tantalizing manner in which
this clever diplomat gives you glimpse of a
good looking steed, and then carries the ami
S-,ko fDy. q, Elralrr 80
bring the weariest purchaser to the sticking
point. If you admire the horse Of Don
Mariana Fuentes de Carbellada he will i'm
mediately take that horse to some equine re-
treat and inform you that "you lost your
chance, as some one met him on the street
and bought him off hand, although you.
with your inexperience, are to be pardoned
for not at once discerning the superior points
Of the animal" In a fortnight, perhaps,
you hear that the man who bought the horse
has died, and that you have another chance
to buy him at slight advance, for the
widow doesn't wish to sell at the price the
defunct paid for it You have misgivings
about the entire story, but Don Mariana
will look you out Of countenance If you dare
intimate the slightest skepticism in the
matter. have found that horse trader
can sell you clotheshorse and squelch you
with look If you doubt its ability to clear
a five barred gate.
Then there is the countryman dodge A
couple of worthy rancheros, with the hayseed
still adjoining their locks, will ride up Of
morning. having casually heard that the
senior wanted to buy horse" They have
one which they will sell, the man for whom
be had been brought to town having moved
away. This horse Is described as second
Bucephalus tanned down. Bucefalois brought
forward and ranchero gets on him to show
him off. The animal is rushed down the
street and turned at full pace within the
space covered by blanket He will do any
thing, this brilliant animal, except turn a
somersault But something about one Of his
legs seems suspicious and you don't buy.
Your ranchero friends are not a bit sngered,
but will happen in again in a week or two
with Bucefalo second led by a rope.
Then there is the stableman, who tells you
that he will charge you good price, but will
not condeseend 30 cheat you, mo, not to the
extent of a single centavo, senor." His
horses are shiny and their names are well
combed out, there is a look Of style and swell
dom about these stable kept steeds, but dis
interested friends inform you that such one
has a swelled leg, though the swelling is not
perceptibfe; that another horse ia dosed up
into semblance of spirit, and that another
is only fit for the bull ring.
But it is not worth while to run over the
long procession of stations and Rozinantes,
the mares and the Nightmares, that have
been brought for me to look at by the frater-
nifty Of jockeys, some Of whom I'll take my
oath are gypsies, skilled in horse painting,
teeth filing, hoof mending, aware Of the uses
of beIladonna, nux vomica, etc.-City Of
Mexico Cor Boston Herald