THE UNKNOWN. 107 



they are just so much ahead. Two years ago I had 

 plenty of help, as my boys were at home, so I was out 

 around considerable and seen all that was going on. 



"On the afternoon of the fair that Bill referred to, I 

 was at the fair grounds looking up old acquaintances 

 and making a few new ones, which is something all 

 hotel men must do if they want to get along in the 

 world. I had just had a word with a friend of mine 

 from 'the other side," — by that I mean a New York 

 Stater, — when a swell looking city rig drove into the 

 show ring. I had never seen a rig like it in those 

 parts up to that time, and when the horse stepped 

 around in front of me, I did nothing but stare. He 

 was clipped, and, by the way, it was the first clipped 

 one I remember having seen in this town ; his tail was 

 cut off square above his hocks, and mane was pulled 

 until it looked as light and fleecy as a colt's. The 

 driver was a spruce looking young man, wearing a 

 wide-rimmed soft felt hat, light-colored coat with a 

 velvet collar and a pair of tan-colored gloves. A 

 middle-aged man of clerical cut, smooth shaved and 

 smiling, also occupied a seat in the carriage. No one 

 paid any attention to the pair, all eyes being levelled 

 at the horse. It would have done you good to see 

 him march around that ring, while the sun fairly glit- 

 tered on the silver mountings of the harness that he 

 carried. There were some twisted letters on the 

 blinders and hip straps, but no one had time to make 

 them out, and they would not have been a bit wiser if 

 they had. 



"More than one buyer spotted that horse as a blue 

 ribbon winner for the horse show, if he had not 

 already paraded on the tan bark. At least, that is the 



