THE SELLER STEWING. 361 



mark, is also as great a cooler to a seller as the patent 

 powders are to ice-creams, chablis or champagne : the 

 two refrigerators make them all just fit to be used ; 

 in fact, to be taken in. After a few days, a letter is 

 sent to the customer, post-mark (we will say) Brigh- 

 ton, something to this effect : 



"Mr. Nickem, 



" Sir From the very strong recommendation you gave 

 me of the bay horse I saw at your Repository on Wednesday, 

 I am induced to make you an offer for him. If the owner 

 is disposed to take fifty pounds, you may give it for me. 

 This, considering he is not a horse of any known character, I 

 think is his full value. I am, Sir," &c. Signed (of course) 

 anybody. 



This additional feeler, considering it only cost a 

 shilling to a guard to put it in the post office, is not 

 an expensive one, and is sent, accompanied by a note 

 from Nickem, giving it as his opinion " that it is not 

 quite what he should recommend being taken, as by 

 holding the horse over he is satisfied he should get a 

 better price." 



This holding over, though it has cooled the custo- 

 mer, now, like the bit, from having been kept some 

 time on, begins to make him restless and fidgetty ; so, 

 after reading Anybody's letter, he first d s the horse, 

 then his ill luck, and (almost) the Repository ; but 

 most particularly and especially the dealer from whom 

 he bought him. " Nickem did, in fact, tell him he had 

 given too much ! " He resolves to send his groom for 

 the horse : then comes the after-thought of the trouble, 

 inconvenience, and expense of this, added to the doubt 

 of his being able to sell him at home. Then, in favour 

 of taking the offer, comes the homely adage of making 

 the best of a bad bargain. This is not always to be 



