The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-11

'Well. what do you think of him %
asked Mr.. Watkins, as Mr. Bowser
finally concluded his Investigation and
stepped back.
you couldn't do better if you look
ed the United States all over. What
did he say the price of the horse was %
HE said two hundred dollars and
not a cent less
well, he's worth a hundred dollars
more than that, and if / were you I'd
close the bargain in less than a min
ute, Here is the money you gave me
yesterday, I've got to go now, but you
have the horse sent over to the barn
and hitch him to your cutter and take
ride to see how it goes. If you will
drive up my way, I'll come out and
take a ride with you"
When Mr.. Bowser reached home he
was full of boasting at the bargain he
had secured for his friend. He ate a
hasty dinner and was all ready to go
out when Mr.. Watkins arrived. Mr..
Watkins was pale of face. The collar
of his overcoat was badly torn There
was a bad dint in his hat His voice
trembled with emotion as he ex-
claimed:
Come out here-come out here, you
old hyenai'
Mr.. Bowser went out with him AL
most in front of the house was a
wreck. 1t was not the wreck of an am
munition factory or a great bridge.
1t consisted of an old skate of a horse
and what had been q rather fine cut
ter The horse lay on his side and was
evidently a dead horse.
Behold your work." said Mr.. Wat
kins. as he pointed
'How-how-" stammered Mr. Bow
ser.
II hitched him up" continued his
friend, land the first he did was to
balk with me. 1t was half an hour be-
fore he would move and then he went
out of the barn like a cannon ball and
ran away with me- l finally got him
under control. and he began to
wheeze; then he began to hobble with
his hind legs; then his knees began
to wobble. Just then 1 found that he
was SO blind he could not see three
feet ahead of him. L put on the whip
to raise his ginger a little and he ran
straight into that tree box and bound
ed back. and smashed things up as
you see."
But why did he do it ?" excitedIy
exclaimed Mr.. Bowser.
HE did it because you are an old
liar. Mr.. Bowserl That horse wasn't
worth twenty dollars. He had more
than twenty ailments, and you didn't
discover a single one of them. A pref
ty muss you have made of it for mel
But 1 thought-thought-
'Oh, yes, try to lie out of it. Why
in the name of common sense didn't
tell myself that you knew nothing
about a morse why a boy ten years
old would have known better than to
trust you to judge a horse. l suppose
that if you had been called to judge
the points of a rhinoceros you would
have felt yourself competent! Mr.
Bowser, don't you dare to ever speak
to me againi l feel like clubbing you
half to death!''
Mr.. Bowser tried hard to reply, but
he couldn't with that wreck before
his eyes. He therefore did the next
best thing. He walked into the house
and left Mr. Watkins to hunt around
and find a truckman who would re-
move the sad remains for the sum of
SIS.
n did you have a pleasant ride after
the new horse?' asked Mrs. Bowser,
as he sat down.
'It ~~s rather cold" was the hest
tating reply.
Then Mr.. Watkins is satisfied with
your judgment of a horse ?"
He didn't say. Some men are
mighty ungrateful, you known
And Mr.. BowSer was not aware that
Mrs. Bowser had peered through the
window and seen the smash, and then
from a crack in the front door had
heard all that Mr.. watkins had said.
: 1t wouldn't have made much differ
ence with him, however, if he had
known. If any one had asked him
next day to judge a COW, he would
gladly have jumped at the chance.