The Cordova daily times., 1923-04-13
GIRL TRIMMED
 MOST FAMOUS
 HORSE TRADER
Prototype David Harum Is Fooled by Youth
 full Friend WAS FAMOUS CHARACTER
Swapped Him Trotter, That Soon Died, for
 Saddle Horse

CORTLAND, N. Y, April 13.-HoW David Hannum, Cortland horse trader, who was the prototype of the shreWd and eccentric David Harum," depict ed in the novel of Edward Moves West colt, once was beaten at his own game by a girl is recalled by ''1ke' Finn, the original of another character in the novel, who still lives at South Cortland.
 ike, now advanced in years but hale and active, is the Dick Larrabee' of Westcott's Yankee-flavored tale and the quaint characteristics which en- deared him to readers of generation ago are still outstanding.
 The incident recalled by Ike is not embodied in the book, and it's like occurred but once in all his lifetime to David Hannum, who prided him. self on getting the best of every bar gain he drove in his long horse-swap- ping career.
 Outeuessed by Girl
 TO make his humiliation the deeper, Davia's downfall was accomplished by a schoolgirl the daughter of neigh Dor, who had learned the game from David himself. She was Miss May belle Adams, of Homer, since become widely known as a violinist on the Keith vaudeville circuit and as an overseas entertainer. She is living i'll New York and returns to visit her parents in Cortland frequently.
 Maybelle was a favorite with David, and almost daily she visited him on his farm, adjoining that of her father. in Homer Under David's tuition her bright eyes were opened to the good and bad points of horseflesh in way that was to prove extremely useful to her in her trade later.
 On Maybelle's sixteenth birthday her father gave her a colt of excel lent pedigree, which, when broken, became one of the finest trotters in Cortland County.
 David's discerning eye had been taken with the colt for long time, and for David Hannum to single oIt a horse for his own meant, eventually, that the animal must fall into his hands It was a law of attraction which within the memory of Cortland County had never failed.
 Girl Willy Trader
 David offered to trade a riding horse for his little neighbours trotter. Maybelle listening demurely and re- aspectfully as David outlined the prop osition, gave no hint, even to the sharp-eyed trader, of the true state Of affairs. She didn't care to trade, she said, and David never guessed that her fancy for the saddle horse was quite as keen as Hannum's fancy for the trotter.
 Maybelle waited for David to renew his offer as she knew quite well he would. With each refusal Davids de- termination increased until at last the horseman made an offer that suit ed her She agreed to take SIP and the saddle horse in exchange for the trotter.
 The shrewdest horse trader in New York State drove the trotter home in triumph. Three days later the animal died in his stall
 Took Case to Court , The Wrathful Hannum demanded restitution from Maybell's father. Adam declined to accept responsibil ity, contending that the trade had been made in good faith and that neither Maybelle nor he was to blame for the unexpected turn of affairs.
 Hannum went to law. He lost his case-failed to regain his saddle horse and walked out of the court room beaten in a horse trade for the first and only time in his life.
 Malbelle and David continued friends, but the enmity aroused be- tween Adams and Hannum by the bit terly fought lawsuit never died, and although they continued neighbors neither ever spoke to the other again.