THE AUCTON MARTS. 77 



shown under the same advantageous circumstances, and 

 the buyer paid more than he wouhl if the horse had 

 not been so well advertised and shown. Each one lost 

 money, and yet the horse brought in most cases double 

 the amount of what the original owner obtained for him, 

 showing clearly that the concern got the most profit. 

 Anyone wih ordinary intelligence can see this thing en- 

 acted every week in tliis city. There are times when a 

 person can get a really cheap horse, but it requires 

 knowledge, good judgment and the courage to bid. I 

 bought one of the best horses I ever owned at an auction. 

 The previous owner of the animal, who I should imagine 

 was ignorant of the regular mode of entering a horse for 

 sale, did not guarantee the, horse in any way, in fact the 

 horse was put up with the understanding that he was to 

 be sold as he stood, or, to use the auctioneer's expression, 

 "not warranted to be alive." But happening to be in 

 the neighborhood of the auction the day previous to the 

 sale I noticed a dark chestnut horse hitched to a buggy 

 being driven up and doAvn the block. The horse went 

 wonderfully well, and on the following day I recognized 

 the same horse being put up for sale. Having such an 

 unsavory pedigree the bidding was slow, and just as he 

 was about to be knocked down I bid and I soon began to 

 find I was bidding against the house, or more pointedly, 

 the auction concern wanted him themselves. I made up 



