The herald., 1896-02-21
HORSE.SWAPPlNG IN GEORGIA

Did you ever attend real first Tuesday
horse-swapper convention, and wade
around in the mud and listen to the swag-
ger and bluff indulged by the devotees of
the boneyard? Did you ever stand around
and listen to the hilarious greetings to one
another as they ride, drive, lead and God
only knows how they do get some of the
rips into town? Did you ever take sur
vey of the limping, halting cavalcade of
four-for-a.penny stock, of which you can
never see one so bad but that another is
worse, all drawn up on first Tuesdays to
be swapped? Then, dear reader, you can
tolerate a brief D n picture OF real horse
swappers' convention where liquid stimu-
lants are required to give CAB as well as
cheek to the trader. Judgment is not SO
much required, as there is hardly bare
possibility of loss in any transaction that
may occur.
"How'Il you swap" cries one would-be
trader with a limping jade with both bow
legs aud knock knees, and of such stock
the more man owns the poorer he is.
"Right, is the answer OF another trader
with a sway-backed, big-legged shadow that
couldn't chew lump Of mush.
"Come this way and swap for the gray
mare, just nine years old (none Of them are
older than nine). | want to trade her for
a horse" And if such trade is made, in
three minutes the same man is shouting
proposition to trade that horse for mare
or a mule.
Whips and spurs are in constant de-
mand to keep awake or induce stir
among the stacks of bones that wearly
drag about on exhibition, where apology is
made for any defects that may be appar-
ent. The spavin-iegged, hobbling skeleton
of a horse it is explained, fell through a
bridge a few days previously and slightly
injured his limb, but of course will be all
right in a day or two. The sweenied
pricked with a nail, if shod, while same
better looking horse, doctoreG up for the
occasion, but which in all rob .bility is
not worth the club it would ak, to knock
him in the head. is represented 10 be hope
lessly afflicted with every disease that
horsefesh is heir to. By such representa-
ton the real condition of the horse is
adroitly concealed, and ''go back as
they call it, for cheating. is earopped, be-
cause the horse was represented to have
every complaint, though his appearance
did not indicate it.
All sorts of jeers were thrown out with
the shouting banters that are heard every
horse for a pint of peanuts" or "How
much boot will you give between that
stump sucker and 4 bee course?'
These sallies are given good humoredly
and received in the same spirit. Horses
are exchanged for pocket-knives, pistols,
watches, sulllies, dogs, anything. Last
Tuesday one man exchanged his horse for
cow, and, saddling her up, he mounted
and rode around, bantering others for a
trade. with as much complaisance as ever.
And there is another wonderful feature
about this business. Every boneyard trad
er, when his dozen trades are made and his
days work finished, returns home at night
to brag of what he has made during the
day, but the most astute tinancier would
be greatly puzzled to figure out his profits.
Any man it would seem, could discover
the loss incident to and growing out of his
possessions.
But this is a brief account of business on
the boneyards of Carrollton on each recur-
ring first Tuesday. .-Carroliton, Ca, Times.