100 THIC FOGY DAYS AND NOW; 



for intelligence, and that the white and spotted, and especially 

 the clay-banks for ring purposes ; this last claim for the old 

 mare was a stunner. 



He saw he had gained a point'; said he didn't want to part 

 with the critter, not for love nor money, and wouldn't think of 

 it, exceptin' for the fact that he was now on his way to the 

 Mas-se-sip, and owin' to his critters condition he was afraid he 

 would hatter leave her somewhar on the road, and as he had 

 taken a considerable liking to me, if he was obleeged to give 

 her up, would ruther put a good trade into my hands than in 

 the hands of a man he'd never seen before. 



My opinions had now undergone a complete change in regard 

 to both the little man and the old mare. The kind expression on 

 the little man's face made him seem to me now real handsome, 

 and the entire aspect of the old mare had changed ; and although 

 at first she had excited my disgust, and what I considered 

 deformities, were now points to be estimated. This same 

 old, ungainly animal, had become the great object of my 

 desires. I observed closely, and in great admiration, the pointed 

 ears, the wide nostrils, the swelling veins, and magnified the 

 royal blood coursing through the intelligent animals veins. At 

 last I asked my new found friend how he would be willing to 

 trade? He answered reluctantly, that it made him sick to think 

 about trading the critter off, but it seemed he was obleeged to 

 do it ; said to come to the real worth of his critter, he couldn't 

 expect to get nothing like it, that there ought to be a great 

 deal of boot between the nags, and heaving a sigh from the 

 very bottom of his heart, "said, bein' as it wus me, and it wus as 

 it wus, he'd take a hundred dollars to boot." Then I felt sad, 

 when I realized this valuable foal was out of my reach, as I had 

 only ten dollars my father had given me to defray my expenses. 



