VIX. 15 



for a single horse. In reply to my question, he 

 said he changed horses pretty often, because the 

 work broke them down ; but he had a mare now 

 that had been at it for three months, and he 

 thought she would last some time longer. "She 's 

 pretty thin, but you ought to see her trot with 

 that wagon." With an air of idle curiosity, I 

 asked to see her, — I had gone shabbily dressed, 

 not to excite suspicion ; for men of the class I 

 had to treat with are usually sharp horse-traders, 

 — and this fellow, clam-pedler though he was, 

 showed an enthusiastic alacrity in taking me to 

 her stall. She had won even his dull heart, and 

 he spoke of her gently, as he made the most of 

 her good points, and glossed over her wretched 

 condition. 



Poor Vixen (that had been her name in her 

 better days, and it was to be her name again), 

 she had found it hard kicking against the pricks ! 

 Clam-carts are stronger than trotting-wagons, and 

 even her efforts had been vain. Sho had suc- 

 cumbed to dire necessity, and earned her ignoble 

 oats with dogged fidelity. She had a little warm 



