176 CONFESSIONS OP A HORSE DEALER.. 



the persecuted wretch a moment's peace, and after every 

 application of the hook he rolled his eyes round to 

 notice the effect which the zebra's answering kick had 

 upon his delighted audience. 



I retired disgusted with this miserable display of vice 

 in " the wild zebra of the African Desert." But on my 

 way from his den I asked another keeper whether Mr. 

 Harey's treatment, during the long time he had him in 

 hand, had been of any benefit to the animal ? 



" Lor' bless you, he is ten times worse than ever," 

 said he. 



"And no wonder, while his keeper is continually 

 teasing him with that boat-hook," said I. 



"Yes, but Mister Rarey says as how he has tamed 

 him ; Lor* bless you, sir, why, if Mister Rarey went 

 intu that den ; the zebra would worry him, and crunch 

 him up, bones an.' all. Why, it took seven or eight on 

 us to ketch him and get him intu tho cage, when first he 

 went tuKinner ton- street, inBelgravy, for the nobs to see 

 Mister Rarey hopperate his system on him, an' my eyes, 

 sir, he made Mister Rarey look nine roads for Sunday. An* 

 after keeping him all the time he sent him. back wusser 

 an' wusser ; that's what I call walking over the natives 

 in style, sir, ain't it? But," he continued, " what d'ye 

 think of the fight,, sir ?" (It was a few days after the 

 battle between Sayers and Heenan.) 



"Well," said I, " speaking of the fight reminds me 

 of a question I may ask you, in reference to Mr. Rarey 's 

 system of horse-taming. You have heard of Mr. Spur- 

 geon, the great preacher}" 



