The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-11
BOWSER'S HORSE KNOWLEDGE
He Does a Good Friend a Very Gre
Favor. sA--

'Oh, by the way" said Mr.. Bowser,
as he showed back from the breakfast
table the other morning, Il may not
be home at the usual hour this even
ing. Perhaps 1 shall be whole hour
late
rs business so rushing?" inquired
Mrs. Bowser.
1T isn't business exactly. 1 want
to do a favor for a friend of mine
named Watkins. He says he depends
on me, and being a good fellow, don't
wish to disappoint him"
/ you are not going to look at
piece of land, are your"
| mo; I am going to look at horse
he talks of buying, and give MIN my
! opinion of the animal
4 "a horsei" exclaimed MRS Bowser-
| What do you know about horse ?"
/ why do you ask such question %
1 oueried Mr. BowSer, in rather icy
tones. why shouldn't 1 know all
abe ut a horse, and be able to give an
/ opinion?''
Because you have never owned a
4 horse in your life. You have never
even been on a horses back but once
and that was about five years ago. You
talked of buying horse then, and
to try. Before you had gone ten
yards he SHE'D at hen and ran away
with you and threw you in a sand pile.
I wouldn't set myself up as judge
horses, if I were you"
Mrs Bowser, 1 don't like the way
you talk. A man of good sense don't
have to own fifty OF sixty horses be
fore he can tell what good horse is.
have been observing horses more or
less since I was five years old and
! don't believe there is a more compe-
tent judge of horse flesh in this city.
Mr.. Watkins win be more than salts
fled with my opinion on the horse in
question"
I'D give it up If I were you," said
Mrs. BowSer, as he fingered for mo-
ment to hear if she had any more to
say. IF the horse proves worthless, it
will make hard feelings between you
aid Mr.. Watkins. Why don't he leave
it to livery stable man to tell wheth-
er the horse Is all right or not"
Because he has left it to mel" was
half-shouted in reply. It am just as
competent as any of the livery men
in America, and Watkins knows that
| will be honest and truthful to him
! He handed me this roll of 5000 and
| put his trust in me. You seem to
think 1 am half an idiot about horses,
but I will show you, Mrs. Bowser-I
will show you
1t was true that one Mr. Watkins
wanted to buy a horse. 1t was also
true that he knew nothing about
horses beyond the fact that they had
ears and eyes and legs. He was look
ing around to ask somebody to act
for him when he ran across Mr.. Bow
ser. and stated his case.
You just leave it to me, friend
Watkins" was the hearty response. ''
Will spare ar hour at any time to pick
you out good horse. You can de-
pend upon my judgment. The one
select wou you will be a crackerjack
and no mistake. When you have
found horse you like, I will go up
and look him over for you" Mr. Wat
kinS had found the horse, and appoint
ment was made with its owner and
at the hour named, Mr.. Bowser was
taken to the stable He felt the awful
responsibility resting upon him and h
acted accordingly. He swallowed
loud voice. He had the animal
brought out of his stall for inspection,
and the first thing he did was to look
at his teeth. Mr.. Bowser had never
looked horse in the mouth in all his
/ life. He didn't know whether nature
gave the horse fifteen teeth or fifty
five
How old do you call this horse,"
he demanded of the owner.
| why, think you are a man who
can tell that yourself" was the evasiye
reply.
''Oh. can tell all right He is lust
passed four years old, but 1 thought
would see If you were trying to de-
You have guessed his age to a
month, and that is more than many
hofsemen could do. Mr.. Watkins did
we'll to bring you here. When a man
is good judge of a horse, he knows
the price that ought to be paid for
! him. I thought you knew all about a
/ horse when | first sighted you You
have probably owned fifteen or twenty
Go at it and make any examination
you WISH
That horse was an old skate who
/ had seen full eleven years. He was
half blind, wind-broken, knock-kneed
and his back was weak. He had ring
! bones and spavins. He had cost his
present owner ten dollars, and it had
cost about ten more to dope him up
/ to the point where somebody else
would buy him. Mr.. BoWser was flat
| tered by what the man said, and he
did just what might have been expect
| ed. He backed off at distance of six
| feet and pronounced the horses eyes
as keen as eagles He thumped the
animal on the rump and pronounced
| his fore legs all right; he pinched his
nose and pronounced his hind legs all
right He lifted up a fore foot and.