Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-03-27
ETHICS OF HORSE TRADING.
Which Are Too Much the Same the
Country Over.

| Country Over.
| No, sir, never held to that idea"
| Two horse traders were talking yes
terday Of the ethics Of the business,
and the short, fat man made the fore
going remark in speaking Of the opin-
ion Of persons outside the craft that
horsemen should tell all they knew
concerning animals offered for sale.
Il always do just as 1 did with a
team the other day." the short man
continued, drawing his slouch hat down
over his eyes. They was old, all right.
The mare want short Of IS years old
and the hoss didn't have more'n two
years the best Of her. But they was
good lookcrs-fat and they stepped
lively, too. Id cut the hair out O. their
ears and they pricked up their heads
at sounds like young colts. Well, when
the fellow said he'd like to buy 'em I
put price on 'em big enough-$250, I
said. He looked 'em over and asked
me if there was anything wrong with
'em and how old they was.
Now, see here I said just like I
always do in trades like that. Now.
see here. stranger. don't know no more
about horsefesh than you do. There's
the horses. AS far as 7 know, they're
sound as those new IN God We Trust"
gold pieces You en- see for yourself
that their legs Is as clean as rifle bar
rels an they're in good condition
Age? Never a word, Of course! /
saw the man was just a leetle green
and never mentioned 1t. He didn't,
either then-but the next morning he
come back and talked them animals
ages to me. After he'd paid me 1925
in hard money, he goes and gets a
horse doctor TO look that team over.
The doctor tells him they're all right
barrin' the fact that they was old
wants to trade me back. told him
they didn't no reniggin' go and he'd
have to keep the veterans even IL he
did sue me.
II told him as I tell you that told
him all had any business tellin' him.
If he got bit it was his own fault
can't see how hoss trader can be
said to be misrepresentin' things when
he just keeps his mouth shut"
Right y'are neighbor," the tall man
with the black hat answered. Right
y'are. Men in our business has right
to take advantages Of what few oppor-
tunities comes our way. reclecs a
swap made a month ago. 1 had lit
tie span of mules, good ones, too, and
young. A fellow l knowed-he was a
boss snapper, too-had the friskiest
little stopper you ever saw, hitched to
q trap. I wanted the animal to do the
society act on the boulevards an so
went to his owner and offered him a
trade. I offered to swap the mules for
the trotter and $50 to boot.
1T looked like a good trade to the
boy. Too good, guess, and he squint-
ed at them mules and jerked 'em
around until 1 was afraid one of 'em
would kick him or bite him and ruin
the deal. He finally says It's a trade
an I took the colt and so bucks.
saw him the next mornin'. He didn't
say nothin' for a minute an then
busted OUT
Jim. I didn't believe you'd treat
an old friend that way. I suspicioned
that somethin' was wrong an when I
got that pair Of jack rabbits home
soon found out. 1 took 'em up to the
water tank to drink an that off crit
ter got right down on his knees and be-
gun to drink like he was starved. My
little girl was out there an she asked
me If 1t was a prayin mule. L was
feelin' anything but religious en- tell
you. But say, Jim, have you tried ev-
erything you knew to cure that var
mint's stiff neck?
Il told i'm 1 had an he sold the ami
NAL to a huskster two days after for
$25.
But as you was sayin' a man don't
never want to say too much an If he's
swappin' ponies he better jest re-
strain his vocabulary to whoa an git
up an let the other guy do the con-
versation stunts. kansas City Star.