The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-07
copyright, 1898, bg
the Author.]


sound TO all out
| quite as a sheep. too, apparently. l
wonder how the deuce you came to be
harnessed to hanson cabi'
These were the thoughts that ran
| through my mind one fine October after
noon. as. having just finished luncheon
at the Navy and Military, found my
self in Piccadilly strolling aimlessly
| along, and gazing at remarkably
good-loolling, little brown horse be-
tween the shafts of very smart ham
| som, who walked past me in the easy,
dignifed way that only a thoroughbred
can. had been among horses all my
life, and fattered myself knew good
one when saw him.
And unless you are very much mis-
taken, my boy" thought to myself,
you're looking at one now" The
sight of the little brown horse quite
fascinated me, in fact.
The cabman, smart-looking chap,
attired IN very ''down-the-road" box
coat, seeing me look his way, pulled up,
with the inquiry: Hanson, sir?'
jumped in without word; not that
wanted to go anywhere in particular,
but because l could not tear myself
away from the little brown horse. 1t
ended in my driving about the whole Of
the afternoon from one place to
another, and thus had good oppor-
tunity of seeing what the little nag
was made of. His trotting action was
like that OF many thoroughbred ones,
not particularly good, but he was de-
lightful horse to sit behind, for he
never looked to the right nor left, but
went steadily on in as old-fashioned
way as it was possible to conceive. l
don't believe traction engine even
would have rufiled his serenity Of tenn
permanent.
''That's nice horse of yours" said
I, addressing the cabman on alighting
at my rooms in Bury street whats
his fault? l suppose he's got one.
hasn't hep"
''Fault?" exclaimed my charioteer,
scornfully, descending from his perch
and patting the little brown horse af-
fectionately. Fault? Why, bless yer,
he don't know how to spell it, this
little horse don't. l don't verify be-
lieve he never done nothing wrong in
is bloomin' life, ave yer, my lad? I've
drove 'im," continued cabby, ''gettin' on
now for six weeks, and he's never be-
'aved any different to wot you've seen
i'm He looked very different, though,
when fust 'ad i'm. Where did 1 get
i'm? Why, 1 bought i'm of pal who
was ard up and couldn't afford to keep
i'm properly, and he was regular bag
O. bones. bless yer, in conscience. He
soon picked up, though, as yer see. and
I wouldn't take fifty of anybody's
money for i'm now"
Well, the upshot of the whole busi-
ness was that after quarter OF an
hours haggling and bargaining the
little brown nag became my property
for the consideration of ffty-two
pounds, ten shillings, an old hat and
bottle of whisky.
The very next day l clapped.a saddle
on the back of my new purchase and
rode him in the Row-which celebrated
ride 1 need scarcely say had nearly to
y
through all his PAGES being that he was
one OF the very best hacks that / had
ever ridden.
''If you can only jump, my beauty"
/ thought to myself as l gave the little
nag an approving slap on the neck-a
compliment he seemed quite to appre-
ciate-"we'u hustle some of 'em up
between the flags as soon as steeple-
chasing sets In in earnest, see if we
DON'T
That night dreamt 1 won the Grand
National on him.
l was not happy now until ] had
''Come by Chance" as had christened |
him, down in the country.
Accordingly few days afterwards |
took him along with me TO hunting /
box l rented down in Buckingham |
shire.
In large field behind the house were |
several artificial jumps of all sorts for I
my horse to practice over, and hither /
the morning after roy arrival ! brought |
"Come by Chance" TO see what he was
made of.
With my groom on my best hunter to
give him a lead away we went, now !
over the gorsed hurdles, next the post
and rails and then the water jump
not big one, certainly, but water
jump for all that.
Come by Cha nce," to my delight
liked the fun just as much as did, and,
never put foot wrong, thereby caus-
ing my man, who had had good deal
Of experience with steeplechasers
when he saw how the little horse
pricked his ears and laid down his bit
n approaching his fences. to remark
that in his opinion the little brown
oss had been at the game before. or ne
was much mistook."
so much the better" thought /, as
ode him triumphaBtiy back to the
stables
Long was the confab betwizt myself
Ind the groom that afternoon as %
he future career Of Come by Chance.
with the result that we decided AZ last
% give the little nag a fortniyhts rest
,r so and then put him IN training with
/ view 20 winning the Taiiy-ho stecple-
.hase at San6own IN December, a con-
.ingency my groom was pleased 10 say
vas a moral If the horse only Kept
yell
The programme we had mapped oct
or my new purchase in horsefiesh was
.arried out TO the letter, the result be-
ng tina. when the day arrived for him
o be boxed for sandorn Il fo'ind
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