HORSE DEALERS. 363 



are — or studied as his dress appears — still, he is reckoning you up in his 

 own mind ; and all the time you are quizzing him, he is cunningly 

 endeavoring to fathom your intentions and to form a correct estimate of 

 your character. 



Certain members of the trade possess in an extraordinary degree a 

 power to comprehend the unacknowledged purpose of those individuala 

 whom they encounter. Without such an accomplishment, no man is 

 fitted to take charge of the yard ; as, unless he be thus qualified, the 

 horses might be trotted up and down when quiet was needed to rest the 

 bodies or to lay on flesh. 



Gentlemen who do not exactly know their own minds, very rarely 

 become purchasers; but these uncertainties are seldom tired of seeing 

 the dealer's stock run out before them. Were not such individuals to be 

 recognized, the grooms might be vexed, the master might be fatigued, 

 and the animals might be plagued, — only to extort a verbal promise 

 "to look in some other day." Whereas popular prejudice insists that on 

 the dealer's premises all should be smiles — men and horses must appear 

 overflowing with life — gay and happy ; as though the place sheltered no 

 anxiety, and none within it knew a care. 



The regular horse dealer rather avoids than encourages customers 

 who are called "flats." He does not object to inexperience, when it 

 will rely upon his generosity, and confide itself to the more practical 

 judgment of the tradesman. Such a person, under the dealer's guid- 

 ance, perhaps would be safer than he would be in the hands of most 

 fashionable friends. But there is always an absence of welcome when 

 a young gentleman lounges into the yard, who wants something and 

 never buys anything until he has been thoroughly taken in. 



When an individual presents himself to the attendant of the ride, it 

 is necessary the standing' of the new customer should be ascertained 

 before any quadruped is submitted to his notice. Curious mistakes are 

 sometimes made ; but it is now understood that such a matter must be 

 decided prior to the commencement of any business. This arrangement 

 saves time, and also secures other advantages ; for, obviously, nothing 

 could be gained by showing "a park hack" to a city merchant; neither 

 would much satisfaction be expressed were the animal suited to drag a 

 spring cart submitted to the notice of some titled turfite. The time 

 would be wasted, during which a cob worth five hundred pounds was 

 paraded before a person whose ideas were limited to something under 

 forty guineas; and the quiet nag, qualified to carry age with safety, 

 would not be even inspected by a youngster who was impatient to be 

 mounted upon his first "May bird." 



The phrase last employed — "May bird" — may not be intelligible to 



