THE TRAVELLER. 105 



&c., which savoured more of the country horse-dealer 

 than of his own business, and nothing pleased him 

 better than a spin on the road in a trotting match for a 

 few pounds, or a transaction in horse flesh with some fast 

 tradesman or horse dealer, and, though not much of a 

 judge, he was generally lucky in the purchase and sale 

 of horses. 



Besides his business as a traveller on salary and com- 

 mission for an extensive brewery firm, he was the pro- 

 prietor of a livery stable, and let hacks for hire under 

 saddle and in harness. This department of his business 

 was managed by a man from whom he had bought the 

 business and lease of premises, and who had saved so 

 much by being a master as enabled him to commence 

 business as a servant. This man had a superabundance 

 of low cunning, but no common sense. With it (as is 

 the case but too commonly with many others of the 

 same sort) all was fish that came to his net ; and this 

 had been his ruin, for no one who did business with him 

 once would do so a second time. For instance, ha 

 would receive a horse to livery at an agreed sum of one 

 guinea a- week, but when the bill was rendered there 

 would be an extra charge of five shillings a- week for 

 grooming, and a shilling now and then for an alterative 

 or a cordial-ball, when the horse had never had them. 

 Sometimes gentlemen would send horses to livery with 

 a view to sell them, and advertising them in the papers 

 to be seen at his stables. In this case he would (when 

 a customer applied to see the horse) shake his head sig- 



