The defeat was total: a few moments afterwards he was dragging his own trunk ashore, while Mr. Hitchcock finished his story on the boiler deck.

XIV.

WHY MR. SELLUM DISPOSED OF THE HORSE.

A MATTER OF FACT STORY.

MR. SELLUM is a horse-jockey; that is, when he is not more profitably employed, he is not ashamed, so he says, to "try his fort'n in that very respectable callin'." He dropped in at Bailey's bazaar a few weeks since; and very soon after Sellum arrived, a superb-looking charger, mounted by a graceful rider, pranced up the court, and entered the arena, to be sold at public vendue.

"There he is, gents," said the auctioneer; "there he is a splendid beast! Look at him, and judge for yourselves. There's an ear, a forearm, a nostril,

an eye for you! That animal, gentlemen, was 'knocked down' to a gentleman under the hammer, less than three months ago, for two hundred and eighty dollars. But I am authorized to-day to sell that horse-let him bring more or less. He's a beauty; fine figure, splendid saddle-beast, natural gait fourteen miles to the hour, trots a mile in 2′ 42′′; and altogether he's a great horse," which

doubt, for he weighed

last remark no one could eleven hundred pounds. "How much am I offered for that beautiful beast ?" continued the auctioneer. "Move him round the ring once, John. That's it; elegant motion."

There the horse stopped short, and refused to budge an inch, though John buried the rowels to the shoulder in his ribs.

"Give me a bid, gentlemen, if you please. The horse must be sold."

'Twenty dollars," was heard from one corner of the room.

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Twenty dollars!" screamed the auctioneer, with a seemingly ironical laugh. "I'm offered the stupendous sum of twenty dollars, gentlemen, for that horse. Are there no sausage-makers in this congregation? I'm offered only twenty dollars! But,

as I said before, the horse is here to be sold, so I shall accept the bid. Twenty dollars. I'm offered twenty dollars-twenty-twenty-give me thirty? Twenty dollars twenty did I hear thirty? Twenty dollars-give five? Twenty dollars-say one? Shall I have twenty-one? If that's the best bid, down he must go, gentlemen! Twenty dollars! going! Twenty, only. Who's the fortunate buyer?"

Sellum, John Sellum," said our friend.

"John Sellum, twenty dollars," says the auctioneer; "you've got a horse as is a horse, Mr. Sellum."

And the fortunate John bore his magnificent charger away in triumph. A few days subse

quently, an old acquaintance met John in the cars,

aud inquired about his purchase.

"Got that horse yet, John ?"

"No, I sold him." ·

"So soon-what for ?"

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Wal, nothin' in particular; but I didn't fancy

the critter, all things considered."

"He was sound; wasn't he?"

"Wall, I reckon he wasn't; that is to say, I cal

k'late he wasn't.

Show'd very good pluck, till I

got him down into Washington Street, after I left the baz-a-r, but just opposite the Old South, he fell slap down on the pavement."

"Pshaw! you don't say so !"

"Yaas. Blindstaggers-wust kind. But I didn't mind that, so I took him home, and nussed him up a little. Put him in the gig next day; wouldn't start a peg! Coax'd him, draw'd him, run a hot wire in his ear, wollup'd him, and so forth; and finally, I built a fire under him. All no use; cunning cuss, sot rite down on the pile o' lighted shavins, and put it out."

Here his friend smiled.

"That wasn't nothin' tho'. Went to git inter the wag'n, and he started 'fore I gath'red up the ribbins. Went 'bout three rods for'ard, and stopped agin quicker'n lightnin'. Brought him back, put him in the stall-low stable-got out of his reach, and then begun to whale him. Then he kicked up agin; knocked the floorin' all through over head, stove his shoes off, broke his halter, and then run back inter the stable-floor. Trap-door happened to be open, and down went his hind legs, clear to the hips. There I had him foul."