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14
GEORGIA SCENES.
THE HORSE-SWAP.
URING THE session of
the Supreme Court, in
1 the village of ,
about three weeks ago,
, when a number of peo
ple were collected in
the principal street of
the village, I observed
a young man riding up
i and down the street, as
I supposed, in a vio
lent passion. He gal
loped this way, then
that, and then the Qth-
_£) •)
er; spurred his horse to one group of
citizens, then to another, then dashed
off at half speed, as if fleeing from
danger; and, suddenly checking his
horse, returned first in a pace, then in
a trot, and then in a canter.
While he was performing these va
rious evolutions, he cursed, swore,
whooped, screamed, and tossed him
self in every attitude which man could
assume on horseback. In short, he
cavorted moat magnanimously (a term
which, in our tongue, expresses all that
1 have described, and a little more,)
and seemed to be setting all creation
at defiance. As I like to see all that
is passing, I determined to take a
position a little nearer to him, and to
ascertain, if possible, what it was that
affected him so sensibly. According
ly,! approached a crowd before which
he had stopped fora moment, and ex
amined it with the strictest scrutiny.
But I could see nothing in it that
seemed to have anything to do with
the cavorter. Every man appeared to
be in good humour, and all minding
their own business. Not one so much
as noticed the principle figure. Still
he went on. After a semicolon pause,
which my appearance seemed to pro
duce (for he eyed me closely as I ap
proached, he fetched a whoop, and
swore that “he could out-swap any
live man, woman, or child, that
ever walked these hills, or that ever
straddled horseflesh since the days of
old daddy Adam. Stranger,” said he
to me, ‘ did you ever see the Yallow
Blossom from Jasper?”
“No,” said I, “but I have often heard
of him.’’
“I’m the boy,” continued he; “per
haps a leetle, jist a leetle, of the best
man at a horse-swap that ever trod
shoe-leather.”
1 began to feel my situation a little
awkward, when I was relieved by a
man somewhat advanced in years,
who stepped up and began to survey
the “Yallow Blossom’s” horse with
much apparent interest. This drew
the rider’s attention, and he turned
conversation from me to the stran
ger.
“Well, my old coon,” said he, “do
you want to swap horses?”
“Why, I don’t know,” replied the
stranger; “I believe I’ve got a beast
I’d trade with you for that one, if you
like him.”
“Well, fetch up your nag, my old
cock; you’re j'st the lark I wanted to
get hold of. lam perhaps a leetle, jist
a leetle, of the best man at a horse
swap that ever stole oraoklins out of
his mammy’s fat gourd. Where’s your
boss?”
“I’ll bring him , presently; but I
want to examine your horse a little.”
“Oh! look at him,” said the Blos
som, alighting and hitting him a cut;
“look at him. He’s the best piece of
hossflesh in the thirteen united uni
varsal worlds. There’s no sort o’ mis
take in little Bullet. He can pick up
miles on his feet, and fling ’em behind
him as fast as the next man’s hoss, I
don’t care where he comes from. And
he can keep at it as long as the sun
can shine without resting.”,
During this harangue, little Bullet
looked as if he understood it all, be
lieved it, and was ready at any mo
ment to verify it. He was a horse of
goodly countenance, rather expres
sive of vigilance than fire; though an
unnatural appearance of fierceness
was thrown into it by the loss of his
ears, which had been cropped pretty
close to his head. Nature had done
but little for Bullet’s head and neck;
but he managed, in a great measure,
to bide their defects by bowing
perpetually. He had obviously suf
sered severely for corn, but if his ribs
and his bones had not disclosed the
fact, he never would have done it; for
he was in all respects as cheerful and
happy as if he commanded all the
corn-cribs and fodder-stacks in Geor
gia. His height was about twelve
hands; but as his shape partook some
what of that of the giraffe, his
haunches stood much lower. They
were short, strait, peaked, and con
cave. Bullet’s tail, however, made
amends for all his defects. All that
the artist could do to beautify it had
been done; and all that horse could
do to compliment the artist, Bullet
did. His tail was nicked in superior
style, and exhibited the line of beauty
in so many directions, that it could
not fail to hit the most fastidious taste
in some of them. From the root it
dropped into a graceful festoon; thew
rose in a handsome curve; then re
sumed its first direction; and then
mounted suddenly upward like a cy
press knee to a perpendicular of about
two and a half inches. The whole had
a careless and bewitching inclination
to the right. Bullet obviously
knew where his beauty lay, and took
all occasions to display it to the best
advantage. If a stick cracked, or if
any one moved suddenly about him, or
coughed, or hawked, or spoke a little
louder than common, up went Bullet s
tail like lightning; and if the going
up did not please, the coming down
must of necessity, for it was as differ
ent from the other movement as was
its direction. The first was a bold and
rapid flight upward, usually to an an
gle of forty-five degrees. In this po
sition he kept his interesting append
age until he satisfied himself that
nothing in particular was to be done;
when he commenced dropping it by
half inches, in second beats, then in
triple time, then faster and shorter,
and faster and shorter still, until it
finally died away imperceptibly into
its natural position. If I might com
pare sights to sounds, I should say its
settling was more like the note of a
locust than anything else in nature.
Either from native sprightli
ness of disposition, from uncon
trollable activity, or from an
unconquerable habit of removing
flies by the stamping of the feet, Bullet
never strnd still; but always kept up
a gentle fly-scaring movement of his
limbs, which was peculiarly interest
ing.
“I tell you, man,” proceeded the
Yellow Blossom, “he’s the best live
boss that ever trod the grit of Geor
gia. Bob Smart knows the boss. Come
here, Bob, and mount this boss, and
show Bullet’s motions.’’ Here Bullet
bristled up, and looked as if he had
been hunting for Bob all day long,
and had just found him. Bob sprang
on his back. “800-00-oo!” said Bob,
with a fluttering noire of the lips; and
away went Bullet, as if in a quarter
race, with all his beauties spread in
handsome style.
“Now fetch him back,” said Blossom.
Bullet turned and came in pretty
much as he went out.
“Now trot him by.” Bullet reduced
BLOSSOM AND HIS HORSE BULLET.
bis tail to “customary;” sidled to the
right and left airily, and exhibited at
least three varieties of trot in the
short space of fifty yards.
“Make him pace I” Bob commenced
twitching the bridle and kicking at
the same time. These inconsistent
movements obviously (and most nat
urally) disconcerted Bullet; for it was
impossible for him to learn, from
them, wbether he was to proceed or
stand still. He started to trot, and
was told that wouldn’t do. He at
tempted a canter, and was checked
again. He stopped, and was urged to
go on. Bullet now rushed into the
wide field of experiment, and struck
out a gait of his own, that completely
turned the tables upon his rider, and
certainly deserved a patent. It seem
ed to have derived its elements from
the jig, the minuet, and the cotillion.
If it was not a pace, it certainly had
pace in it, and no man would venture
to call it anything else, so it passed off
to the satisfaction of the owner.
“Walk him 1” Bullet was now at
home again, and he walked as if
money was staked on him.
The stranger, whose name, I after
ward learned, was Peter Ketch, hav
ing examined Bullet to his heart’s
content, ordered his son Neddy to
go and bring up Kit; Neddy soon ap
peared upon Kit; a well-formed sorrel
of the middle size, and in good order.
His tout ensemble threw Bullet en
tirely in the shade, though a glance
was sufficient to satisfy any one that
Bullet had the decided advantage of
him in point of intellect.
“Why, man,” said Blossom, “do yon
bring such a hoss as that to trade for
Bullet! Oh, I see you’re no notion of
trading.”
“Ride him off, Neddy!” said Peter.
Kit put off at a handsome lope.
“Trot him back!” Kit came in at a
long, sweeping trot, and stopped sud
denly at the crowd.
“Well,” said Blossom, “let me look
at him; maybe he’ll do to plough.”
“Examine him!” said Peter, taking
hold of the bridle close to the mouth;
“he’s nothing but a tacky. He ain’t
as pretty a horse as Bullet, I know;
but he’ll do. Start ’em together for a
hundred and fifty mile; and if Kit
ain’t twenty mile ahead of him
Tf<E SOUTHERN FARM.
at the coming out, any man may
take Kit for nothing. But hes
a monstrous mean horse, gentleman;
any man may see that. Hes the
scariest horse, too, you ever saw. He
won’t do to bunt on, no how.
Stranger, will you let Neddy have
your rifle to shoot off him? Lay the
rifle between his ears, Neddy, and
shoot at the blaze in that stump. Tell
me when his head is high enough.”
Ned fired, and hit the blaze; and
Kit did not move a hair’s breadth.
“Neddy, take a couple of sticks, and
beat on that hogshead at Kit’s
tail ”
Ned made a tremendous rattling, at
which Bullet took fright, broke his
bridle, and dashed off in a grand
style - and would have stopped all far
ther ’negotiations by going home in
disgust, had not a traveler arrested
him and brought him back; but Kit
did not move.
“I tell you, gentlemen,” continued
Peter “he’s the scariest horse you
ever saw. He an’t as gentle as Bullet,
but he won’t do any harm if you
watch him. Shall I put him in a cart,
or wajfOD for you v stranger? He 11
cut the same capers there he does
here. He’s a monstrous mean
horse.” . .
During all this time Blossom was
examining him with the nicest scru
tiny. Havingexamined his frame and
limos, he now looked at h>« ««es.
“He’s got a curious iook out of his
eyes,” said Blossom.
“Oh yes, sir,” said Peter, “just as
blind as a bat. Blind horses always
have clear eyes. Make a motion at his
eyes, if you please, sir.”
Blossom did so, and Kit threw up
his head rather as if something
pricked him under the chin than as if
fearing a blow. Blossom repeated the
experiment, and Kit jerked back in
considerable astonishment.
“Stone blind, you see, gentlemen,”
proceeded Peter; “but he’s just as
good to travel of a dark night as if he
had eyes.”
“Blame my buttons,” said Blossom,
“if I like them eyes.”
“No,” said Peter, “nor I either. I’d
rather have’em made of diamonds;
but they’ll do, if they don’t show as
much white as Bullet’s.”
“Well,” said Blossom, “make a pass
st/ me.”
“No,” said Peter; “you made the
banter, now make your pass.”
“Well, I’m never afraid to price my
bosses. You must give me twenty-five
dollars boor.”
“Oh, certainly; say fifty, and my
saddle and bridle in. Here, Neddy,
my son, take away daddy’s horse.”
“Well,” said Blossom, “I’ve made my
pass, now you make yours.”
“I’m for short talk in a horse-swap,
and therefore always tell a gentleman
at once what I mean to do. You must
give me ten dollars.”
810s a om swore absolutely, roundly,
and profanely, that he never would
give boot.
“Well,” said Peter, “I didn’t care
about trading; but you cut such high
shines, that 1 thought I’d like to back
you out, and I’ve done it. Gentle
men, vou see I’ve brought him to a
hack.”
“Come, old man,” said Blossom,
“I’ve been joking with you. I be
gin to think you do want to trade;
therefore, give me five dollars and take
Bullet. I’d rather lose ten dollars any
time than not make a trade, though I
hate to fling away a good hoss.”
“Well,” said Peter, “I’ll be as clever
as you are. Just put the five dollars
on Bullet’s back, and hand him over;
it’s a trade.”
Blossom swore again, as roundly as
before, that Jie would not give boot,
and, said he:
“Bullet wouldn’t hold five dollarson
his back, no how. But, as I bantered
you, if you say an even swap, here’s at
you.”
“I told you,” said Peter, “I’d be as
clever as you, therefore, here goes two
dollars more, just for trade sake.
Give me three dollars, and it’s a bar
gain.”
Blossom repeated his former asser
tion ; and here the parties stood for a
long time, and the by-standers (for
many were now collected) began to
taunt both parties.
After some time, however, it was
pretty unanimously decided that the
old man had backed Blossom out.
At length Blossom swore he “never
would be backed out for three dollars
Continued on Fifteenth page,
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