The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1896-10-29
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BY NilIiamTh'ehoS
Copyright 1895. by J. D. Lppineou Col
VII.-CoNTINuFp.

would meet the requirement of great
speed, and resolved to drive to Bas-
settville the next day to seek Sam Car
penter's assistance, his knowledge of
the trotting stock of the region being
encyclopaedia in its scope. To the
shrewdness of a horse trader born and
bred he joined reasonable amount
of honesty, and, as there could be no
baggling over his commission, he could |
be relied on as trustworthy adviser. |
When | drew rein the following morn |
ing before his stable he came out to |
meet me. with a twinkle of profession
al amusement in his eye as he glanced |
at Mrs. Weston's steady old mare and
Tamshackle blackboard.
SAM" said 1, getting down to bust
ness at once, ~ want to buy good
horse"
Like enough We dew" he answered,
dryly. "Many dews; some gifts EN-"
II want your help. WHAT'S more, I'll
pay for it,"
"Now yer talkin' sense" said he,
warming up a little. "Buyin' hoss IS
like gittin wife; If yer don't know yer
bizness. good looks IL fool we, nine times
out o. ten. But what's yer pick, go or
show?"
GO" said /. "a horse that will stand
without tying, that's easy TO drive, that
has no bad tricks, that will jog along
till he's called upon, and then will give
anything in the country his dust-thats
the horse I'm after"
"D'jer ever try to name baby SOS To
suit seven maiden aunts?" he queried,
with what seemed to be unnecessary
irrelevance.
mo"
WALL reckon we've got the same
kind of job on hand"
"Oh, come" said l, you're my re-
lance in this. Scratch your head, and
dig out what I'm after. twill be worth
your while"
He reflected for a moment.
WALL" said he, there's nothin' to
suit We round here; but if yen come
along to Trent, I'll show ye just the
article yer after"
The proposal pleased me; for had
several errands to attend to in that
city, and ride of less than an hour by
rail would carry us there.
"Come on, then" said Carpenter,
when / had agreed to his plan; lets
get down ter the deepo. Trains due in
ten minutes"
During the trip he told me some
thing of the various happenings in
Bassettville, and, in turn, sought news
of Rodneytown in general, and of my
patient in particular. He had heard,
he said, a story that the invalid wa; d
rich brewer from the south who had
been sent to less enervating climate. L
prayed that the yarn might receive gen
eral circulation and credence, though
how it had been started was one of the
mysteries of countryside gossip.
''IIe's from Charleston, South Car
Iny, some folks allow" said Carpenter,
suggestively
From that direction, certainly" i
answered.
He keeps mighty close"
'He has to. Quiet, absolute quiet, is
the best medicine he can have" l hast
ened to explain.
"'Tain't much fun fer man ter live
like clam," Carpenter observed. still,
it's livin', and that beats dyin' every
time. It's like fishin' fer bass and
catchin' bull-heads."
When we left the train at the Trent
station Sam led the way to the stable
where we hoped to make a purchase,
The horse, big dark bay, long-legged
and with wisp of tail, was brought
out of his stall and trotted up and
down the street for inspection. He was
not d pretty horse in any way, but
Carpenter gave me q nudge which
might be taken to indicate that the
animal met his approval. He drew me
aside, after having made a long and
thorough examination of the horse.
Eight years old, sound as dollar;
wind and legs all right" said he, in a
whisper. "Pve seen him before. He's
good fer a mile under 2:40. Quiet as Il
lamb, no fool notions; sensible as a
Christian about trains-knows the
milne can't hurt him if he keeps off the
track"
whats the price?''
"Five hundred-asked," said he, with
a strong emphasis on the last word.
L whistled softly.
"Oh, that's the askin' price," he ex-
planned. Its like a woman's chignon:
it'll come Off"
I'm in your hands, said l. Under
stand, / want your guarantee in this
business, and you'll be paid for it. Be
sides the horse, l need harness and q
buggy"
WALL" said he, after moments cal.
culatiop, "I'll be fair with ye. Will ye
give me what can clear under $500 feI
the hull outfit, hoss, light-runnin
buggy, and good harness"
Its bargain. I'll go to the bank
draw the money, and bring it to you
here. VIII you drive the rig to Bassett
vile, so that / can get il there tonight
when come down by train?"
"By the time yer back from the banl
I'll have made the dicker and be ready
to start" said he. And ne was as good
as his word, Before noon the payment
had been made and my new horse was
trotting steadily along the road lead
ing from Trent. Carpenters praise o.
the animal had been enough TO end my
doubts as TO his speed, but could mo-
but wish that the steed were more pleas
ing TO look upon.
Though l wasted good deal of tim'