The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-07-11

perfect character,
and If | must confess it | fear l have
sometimes drawn the long bow a little
on the subject of horsefiesh. Horses
have always been the ruling passion of
my life, and who is there who viii not
dilate a little to add interest to a story
when mounted upon his favorite hobby.
When it ONE to selling a horse that
is a different matter. I would not for
the world convey a false idea to an in
tending purchaser. In this particular
case L was as innocent as the driven
snow, although Wilkins seemed TO feel
hurt about il. 1t was all Enderby's
fault, although he declares he was per
fectly blameless. Indeed, Wilkins for
some strange reason seems to hold me
responsible for the whole affair. And
this is how it happened:
We were riding home one day after a
good days sport with Radnor hounds,
Willikens, Enderby and myself. Our
destination was Oak Lodge, as | called
my modest little hunting box neal Bryn
Mawr. Here [ kept bachelors hall dur
ing the hunting season and as | had a
first-class cook, and a weIl-stockcd eel
lar, Inever lacked for company. There
was room for three or four men and ac-
commodationS in the stable for half a
dozen hunters, and so, with one thing
and another by hook or crook. we man
aged to spend the time very pleasantly
at Oak Lodge.
Enderby was an old college chum of
mine and an enthusiastic hunting man.
He had hunted the fore" part of The
season with the Genessee hounds, up in
New York state, and now he WAS put
ting up with lie for a couple Of months
with the RadLor. He brought Il couple
of hunters down with him from Genes
see that never stopped for anything
with the Radaor, and, indeed, our simple
rustic members rather looked askance
at this thoroughgoing sportsman,
whose pink and feathers and gen
.eral get-up were equal to Melton form.
Indeed, there were not lacking certain
suspicious individuals who declared
hat Enderby had axes TO grind; in
other words, horses to sell, and that he
would leave the Radnor country with a
heavier pockctbook, while one or two
of our gulliblc members should become
the owners of his gees" OF course,
they would turn out to be worthless in
this case. This suspicion came to my
ears through one of my grooms, and L
mention it here only to show how an
honest mans motives may be impunged
by people who really know nothing
about the matter. Confidentially, may
say here thai / shouldn't care to buy Il
horse of Enderby myself. He is such a
capital horseman and so well up to all
the tricks of the animal that q horse
may turn out to be quite the other way
in the hands of some n else. But
Enderby is not to blame for that. He
can't help being such a good hOrseman.
Now Willikens was of quite a differ
.ent sort. | have known Willikens since
we were at school and l like him in his
way. but there are certain traits about
Willikens which are obnoxious AMI
ought to be discouraged. He is boast
full and he is ~self-confident and, more
over. his self-confidence is not founded
upon any good cause. It's Il notorious
fact that Willikens only came into his
money in Il left-handed sort of way.
| forget how it was exactly, but he
got It. a cool million and accrued in
terest. when ne reached the age OF II.
Ever since then he has been trying to
convince the world of the fact that ne
knows all there is worth knowing about
horses, and it has been uphill work
for WillikenS. 1t has been expensive,
too. for he never would listen to the
advice of a friend. l have offered Will
kens time and time again horses which
were worth three times the moun
asked, but he would never have them.
Instead of that he would go off to some
dealer and get most everlastingly stuck.
Consequently, he never had anything
in his stables that could stand on fou
legs.
We had been talking of our mounts.
and Enderby, in a spirit of compassion,
had Just offered Willikens to let him
have, as a special favor, the horse he
was riding for the insignificant sum
of $1,000. 1t would put him to some
inconvenience, Enderby said, as he
would have to finish out the season with
one hunter or else look around for an
other mount. 1 said he might ride one
of mine in the meantime. but even our
combined self-sacrifie failed to impress
Willikens, and so he lost another golden
opportunity.
We drew rein at Oak Lodge about
this time. and as it was growing late
we went to our rooms to get off our
hunting togs and dress for dinner
After dinner Enderby proposed that
we should go out and have a look at the
horses before the stables were closed
for the night. Enderby and l had beer in
town a couple of days before, and har-
ing nothing else to DO we dropped into
one of the places where horses are sold
at auction. 1t so happened that they
were selling DIN animal, or trying to
sell him rather. at the time that looked
to be almost thoroughbred. We could
scarcely see the horse for the crowd of
men which surrounded him, and DIS
Enderby pressed forward to get a looli
at him the auctioneer looked appeal
ingly towards him. There had not been
a bid as vet, and so whom the auctioneer
looked at Enderby and said 1925" and