CHAPTER II. 



It is long since I have arrived at the settled con- 

 viction that it is very inexpedient to buy a horse 

 from a gentleman, and downright folly to do so if 

 that gentlemen is your friend. 



A gentleman will never sell a good horse if he can 

 help it ; if circumstances compel him to part with it, 

 it may reasonably be assumed that the character of 

 the horse is well known in his OAvner's immediate 

 circle, and that he would never find his way into the 

 public market. 



Once, and once only, I broke through this rule, a 

 gentleman had a very beautiful and apparently a 

 very valuable horse to sell. I was acquainted with 

 the horse as well as with his owner. I knew that he 

 had been in his possession for above a year, and I 

 had reason to think that he would not have kept him 

 a week if he were not a sound and serviceable 



3* 



