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bought one in the country ; I rode him to town — 

 only a few miles, and he fell ; he was not blemished, 

 and I returned him. The man would not believe 

 my story ; he fancied, as they often pretend, that 

 I returned him from caprice, and was dissatisfied. 

 I offered to keep the horse on one condition — that 

 he should ride with me a mile over the stones at 

 my pace : if he did not stumble, I would have him. 

 He readily assented ; w^e mounted, and set off at 

 a moderate trot. 



^^ There never was a surer-footed horse in 

 Eno'land — stones or sward." 



But scarcely were the words out of his mouth, 

 before the animal gave him the lie direct, blemished 

 his own knees irretrievably, and, as if by way of 

 appropriate rebuke, caused his rider almost to bite 

 his tono'ue off in the fall ! The horse had a 

 running thrush. 



E 2 



