Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-09-25
THE ANCIENT HORSE
TRADER TELLS
SOME TALES
OF THE TIME WHEN THERE
WAS RISK IN THE BUSINESS
The "Major Has Traded With
Them All, and He Can Give
David Harum Points All
Along the Line.
N,ansas CitN So.

$50 EtAAHF
You may say anything you please
about me. but | don't want my name
mentioned. | have some grandchfl-
dren who don't like To be reminded
that their ancestor Is a horse trader"
1t was an ancient gentleman who
lifted up his voice and spoke in this
wise. He was attired in a decent
black. with a coat Of ministerial cut.
His linen was quite p~resentable. An
old-fashioned string necktie was par
TALLY concealed by snowy chin wills
kers. His abundant graz hair was
surmounted by a plug hat such as
the rude forefathers Of the hamlet
used to wear on circus days. And his
shoes were polished beautifully. From
any and every point Of view his ven
cradle rascal presented an entirely
respectable appearance; and for more
than thirty years this entirely respect
able appearance has been his chief
asset.
From the sandhills of Nebraska to
the long reaches Of the Arkansas river
the Major is known to every man
who takes an abiding interest IN horse
flesh. He is known as the major for
the very good reason thar he never
was a m aior. and never had anything
to do with grim visaged war. save
upon sundrv occasions, when embat-
tied farmers. who had received the
NRlSi emu Ut a hurst lldNt' boi dittl
him viii pitchforks and other agri-
cultural implements.
The major has his home I'm q sylvan
glade near the Nemaha river, but he
is seldom at home. For many wears
he has Travelled in Kansas and Nebras-
ka. making an occasional excursion
into Missouri. but his routes are gem
orally as fixed as the orbits of the
plantes. He has a very handsome COW
cred wagon containing all camping
conveniences 1t is gorgeously painted
and decorated. and IL YOU happen 70
be on friendly terms with him, and
receive an invitation 10 visit him in
his ''carryall." YOU are certain of very
liberal entertainment. Furthermore.
If you are interested In horses. YOU
will heal some stories worth listen
ing to.
The carrvall is generally followed
by two or three ordinary canvas Gov
cred wagons. containing the various
traps necessary To his business; also
a buggy or two. for the display OF his
phenomenal driving horses. OF these
horses (Which are always phenOme-
nab, there is usually a procession Of
twenty-five or thirty, They are fairly
~presentable in appearance, for the
major is not a 'dinky trader" and
once I'm n while may find in his
string Of living wonders 2 really good
horse. In which case IL is only neees-
sary to pay about three times MIA
the animal Is worth in order 10 re-
come its owner.
The major should not be c~ontound-
cd with h irresponsible individuals
who deal in nothing but heart-broken
OLD pluPs. which should be IN The
b%oneyard. the gentry who snend halt
their time lodging the police, ana
who think they have done a good
l..f- xr,rL 1Fh.n fhHN have taken in ]
fifty cents as boot The major be-
longs to the aristocracy. and has q
profound contempt for the dealers
all horse traders like 10 be called
"dealers"-whose collection of 1--we
sto~k wouldn't hring SO at auction.
He is an old-fashioned horseman;
he has certain superstitions concern
ing horses which would I've laughed
at by the veterinarians Of this genera
ton.
"A sorrel horse" said he, "can
stand more heat than any other horse.
A dark brown or black horse Is the
hest in cold weather. A white horse
always has DOR feet. n generally
poor eyes. A buckskin with a streak
down it's back is the toughest critter
on earth. A spotted horse Is always
a gold brick. Dark horses suffer
more from the flies than do light
ones. a horse with a dished face is a
fool: one with a Roman nose IS a
rogue. No man should attempt TO
deal in horses unless he can walk
once around an animal and then tell
all about it.
THE horseman is born said the
ma ior. as he seated himself upon the
rear step of his "carryall,' but he
must spend years among horses be-
fore he can read them as ordinary
people read books. Now. see that
-...., HrFVf41u her hfn f4f lazy horse !
over there. She has her buggy load
ed with children and breakfast foods
and millinery and umbrellas and
things. and she is driving with the
lines i'm her teeth. for She has % use
her hands of keep the kids D gro
ceries from falling out of the wagon.
II YOU went over 10 her and told her
that her horse Is unsaf, and she is
bound to nave a horrible accident
some dav. she would throw some
shredded prunes az YOU. But that ac-
cident is coming. my friend. Inc
Door wOman's horse, which seems 50
safe. Is feeble-minded. Look al lis
Hopping ears. ITS droWsN eyes -
~slobbering mouth and dropping un-
der lin. Anything unusual Is APT q
scare that fool horse and then it VIII
go up i'm the air. and upset Things
and smash an the store fronts ln Town.
and Kill everybody within a block
Women never viii learn tnai q hisH
lifted horse with good sense IS Far
safer. under any circumstance. than
the lunk-headed brutes which seem
safe merry because they are lazy
DO / ever get the worst ol amy
trade That seems a very absurd
question. There g. mo- man iu me
world who knows so much ahont
horses that his judgment IS infalhbie-
1 believe that can size mp q morse
about as correctly and al speedily as
ANYBODY. But horses have so many
possibilities 3D. the way ~ disease ana
biemish and innrmify 90 BODY or as
position that when YOU buy COZ trade
1ou are always taking to 2
certain extent. ike 90 get done up-
have a profound admiration tor lht
man who Is a sufficiently graceful HaI
10 leave Erandp. sasrinE u acts 4
"a SORT or sumulant. and "a once
gin laying plans 20 get even. aha
generally make good And n the atAt4
fellow o. q dead game sport. the eAef-
else B. quite AZ exciting a. q big aeailh
Wall street
Many years AFRO / made one 20 I'D
n~eriodicaf Visits To- Scneca. kas
county fair was iu progress. .
the hired men were in town uufnlie
money. and the farmers tneiE
wives had ala their huls and crt1
orrf~ and colts and chickens or exhi-
n MaH Mhamm mono "MF