400 NICKEM AWAKE STILL. 



sitories (but certainly never in respectable ones) many 

 a man is mounted for a ride, who, if seen, is riding the 

 horse on trial, or trying to ride. I can mention an 

 instance. One of these on=trial fellows had a horse 

 out, and it was known he would not be back for some 

 time : the owner unexpectedly and unfortunately 

 (for the Nickein of the place) came in. A fool or an 

 honest man, if he had been induced to do wrong, 

 would be taken aback on such an occasion: not so 

 Nickem : the gentleman was told at once " his horse 

 was sold and gone," and that the next day he might 

 have his money. He came, but the money did not : 

 " the horse had shied, thrown and nearly killed the 

 gentleman ; but supposing he did recover, Nickem 

 would lose one of his best customers ; the gentleman 

 was a capital horseman, but no one could sit a horse 

 that reared and fell backwards." 



No man can deny the truth of the latter truism : it 

 is a summary sort of ejectment of an unpleasant oc- 

 cupant of the back, which, if horses were oftener to 

 adopt, would be much to their advantage, and not un- 

 frequently give society a fair chance of reaping advan- 

 tage also. Besides, it would save a vast deal of trouble 

 in plunging, kicking, &c., which does not always suc- 

 ceed : the retrograde manoeuvre always does. People, 

 like horses, often take a great deal of trouble to do 

 that which might be done by some more simple pro- 

 cess. I have seen a terrible scuffle made to get a 

 troublesome fellow out of a house : this is bad taste 

 and bad tact : how easy the thing is to be done ! Put 

 the poker into the fire (if it is not there already) ; 

 wait till it is a fine glowing white heat ; present it 

 within a foot of the to-be-ejectee's nose, quietly and in 

 a courteous manner follow him, keeping your poker 



