vix. 9 



demned buildings of the former occupants, and 

 a little " over-time " of one of the men would 

 suffice for the grooming. 



I finally concluded that, by giving up cigars, 

 and devoting my energies to the pipe in their 

 stead, I could save enough to pay for my horse's 

 keep; and so, the ways and means having been, 

 in this somewhat vague manner, provided, the 

 next step was to buy a horse. To tell of the 

 days passed at auction sales in the hope (never 

 there realized) of finding goodness and cheapness 

 combined, — of the stationery wasted in answer- 

 ing advertisements based on every conceivable 

 form of false pretence ; to describe the number- 

 less broken-kneed, broken-winded, and broken- 

 down brutes that came under inspection, — would 

 be tedious and disheartening. 



Good horses there were, of course, though very 

 few good saddle-horses (America is not productive 

 in this direction), — and the possible animals were 

 held at impossible prices. 



Those who rode over the new Park lands usu- 

 ally rode anything but good saddle-horses. Fast 

 1* 



