A TKETLE GKOGGY, 7t 



affair looked BO genuine, and the man himself so very 

 plausible in his manner, that I never for a moment sus- 

 pected being in bad hands. 



" I sent the horse to a livery stable, and a messenger to 

 the villa for my man servant, who came by rail, and at 

 once took my new purchase to a saddler, and had him 

 fitted with a set of harness ; he then fetched the new 

 brougham which I had recently purchased from the 

 eoachmaker's, and we started for my villa, where I 

 thought I would surprise my family with the long-talked- 

 of and much-desired horse and brougham. Our way lay 

 through Hammersmith; I sat on the box with the 

 driver; the horse seemed to go very steady, but when 

 we came to Turnham Green, Tom called my attention 

 to what he described as the horse being a Beetle 

 groggy.' 



" ' What do you mean, Tom ?' said I. ' You have not 

 been giving him beer to drink before we started, have 

 you ?' 



1 ' Oh, dear no/ said Tom. 'I mean that he appears 

 to go a lee tie tender before, though his legs appear 

 straight and fresh enough for anything ; I think it must 

 be in his feet.' 



" ' What's in his feet ?' said I. 



' Why, the cause of his going so near the ground, 

 and so crappelly.' 



' What do you mean by crappelly ? speak out, man, 

 if you think anything is the matter with the horse/ 

 eaid L 



