24 CONFESSIONS OP A HORSE DEALER. 



"Your what ?" 



" My acceptance, which is as good as money ; 1 

 should like to see the man who will say it is not/' look- 

 ing very fierce. 



Gent considers. Here is a fix ! one hundred guineas 

 in the hands of this bullying scoundrel, and nothing for 

 it. What is he to do ? The horse is not worth a row 

 of pins, therefore it is useless to take him back, and 

 the question is, that being compelled to wait for his 

 money, would it not be advisable to allow the man 

 twenty guineas, and take his bill for 84 ? surely he 

 will meet it when it becomes due. 



" Well," said he, with a deep-drawn sigh, " I'll take 

 your bill for the balance, allowing what you ask." 



This was just the thing for Mr. Coper, as it reduced 

 the transaction to a matter of debt, and also allowed 

 him plenty of time to clear off or, in coping slang, 

 " to lammas." The document was signed, and kept 

 by the poor dupe until it became due, and, as a matter 

 of course, dishonoured. Mr. Coper was sought, but, 

 as usual, was non ett, and so his victim had neither 

 horse nor money, leaving a vacancy in his exchequer to 

 the amount of one hundred and five pounds sterling. 



In horse coping slang, a glandered horse is designated 

 a "snitch." The plugging process is performed by 

 cramming his nostrils with tow, to prevent the exposure 

 of the mucous discharge from the ulceration which ex- 

 ists to a fearful extent in his nostrils ; but previous to 

 this plugging, a quantity of snuff and pepper is applied 



