The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-01
HENRY SPARKS BUYS A HORSE.

It was evening. an hour after dinner,
when Henry Sparks surrounded by his
family sat at the cleared dining-rOom
| table reviewing books. Henry is the lit
erary editor of the Daily rBreze- Henry
wasn't feeling well that evening. fact
that BODIED i'll for the young woman who
had written the new novel, The Cory
Path to Fame which Mr.. Sparks just
then had under consideration The
youngest Sparks kid tipped over the ink
( bottle. Henry swore. The imprecaJion
rather mild one. was intended 20 be
under his breath but IL was heard and
the eldest daughter left The room looking
grieved. while Mrs. Sparks looked rather
more than shocked
Henry. she said. you need exercise
You are irritable and not altogether prop
er. Since you've been literary editor
you've stuck so close 10 the Office and
house that your temper has suffered and
We have suffered with it. When you
were night police reporter you were ever
so much nicer. because you had plenty OF
outdoor exercise, even If you did keep late
hours and come home smelling OF station
houses. smoke and occasionally whisky.
Here we are living in a suburb, and II
you'd only buy a horse the children and
1 could drive and you could ride for an
hour or two every day, and 1 know We q
all be happier for it,
Eliza. said Mr.. Sparks, Il know m
a crouch. and l need exercise, but if you
think because 1 wrote such learned re-
view Of The Horse Breeders COmpan-
ion the other day that / know anything
about horses. you are woefully mistaken.
| don't However, L suppose l can learn
to ride. and if you can find a good gentle
horse fairly cheap I'll buy it.
Two DAYS later Eliza Sparks fiourished
in her husbands face a circular which
she had picked up in a street car. This
is the way it read:
For sale-Fine family horse, good driv-
er and saddler, out of Flora Temple
nineteenth by Pride of the West; has no
public record. but can trOt a mile in 2:2O
without pushing; warranted sound; has
only one fault: is afraid OF elevated trains
and gentleman owner wishes TO sell her
into suburbs, where she viii have kind
trea tment: worth $1,000; may be had by
proper party for $3.50. Inquire of COACH
man. private stable rear of residence, 1O0,-
coo Kenmore avenue"
There Henry" said Mrs. Sparks. its
Just what we want. Here's kind-heart-
ed gentleman, who wishes to place his
family horse at great sacrifice where it
will be well treated. There are no ele-
waited trains about here and so we need
not worry about that. A 81 200 horse for
S150-why, we actually make more than
81 600 by buying the animal. Let's go
around quick. l am afraid somebody
else will be there ahead of us
Henry Sparks put on his hat and coat
with alacrity. When they reached the
place on Kenmore avenue it did strike
Henry that the place, savored rather
more of cheap sales barn than it did
of gentleman's private stable, but he
dismissed the thought as unworthy. The
coachman was an oily individual. He led
forth the mare, which was well-groomed
looking animal. plump and with shiny
coat, and a fairly good name.
''Aint she beauty" said the stranger.
coachman. Henry Sparks put on wise
look and stroke the animals neck at
arms length. He would have looked at
the tail if he had not wholesome respect
for the rear part of horse. In the
meantime Mrs Sparks who had been
at the animals head, said: 20. Henry.
do buy her. She has perfectly beautiful
blue eyes"
Just al this juncture stranger entered
the stable. He wa sa large man with
big yellow watch chain. Il want to buy
that mare you advertised he said TO the
coachman.
Tn sorry, sir. 'swas the reply. but this
gentleman. pointing his thumb at Mr..
Sparks. has the first call"
Amt she beauty" said the stronger.
Il want her bad: know her pedigree.
I'll give you $40 for her if you'll let me
have her
Il can't do it, said the coachman. 1T
wouldn't be fair to this gent, and besides
he lives in a suburb and the boss wants
the hores to go there
Henry whispered Mrs. Sparks. buy
quick or the coachman viii sell him to
this man..
"IlI'take him for $3.50" said Mr. Sparks.
Done" said the coachman.
Then Henry Sparks paid SIS for a bug
gy, which will be of no use now that
the mares gone, and so Wen let it go at
a bargain"