“SELLING A HORSE.”

Otaki Mail, 20 February 1922, Page 4

“SELLING A HORSE.”

AND CATCHING THE INNOCENT. Three gentlemen of leisure at present. in .Wellington are making ends meet by picking up the”unwary and introducing them to the time-honour-ed pastime of “selling a horse.” Normally, the pastime is not expensive, hut, as arranged by the gentlemen ot leisure, it becomes extremely so. A typical instance of the system may serve as a warning to the public. A seaman walking along a citystreet three, weeks ago was accosted by a stranger, who wished to know the way to Courtenay' Place. Having learnt tills he suggested that q drink might be acceptable. In this case ’t was, so the seaman and the stranger i went to the nearest hotel. Just when [ Lhe drink was nearly consumed the i stranger met two old friends—very lold friends apparently, for they' discussed “Lil’s marriage” and “Herbert’s accident,” and several other <ntiinate affairs. Then the stranger invited his two friends to join the seaman and himself in their drink. A little friendly rivalry as to who should pay ’for the extra drinks followed, and a solution was found when one of the strangers suggested deciding the matter by putting live bob in and selling a horse,” only to sell tins horse successfully it was necessary that three wins out of live sales should be secured. The seaman won the first round, and the other three strangers, in accordance with custom, putin another five shillings each for the next round. This the seaman won, and the pool was again swelled by the three strangers putting in another live shillings each. The seaman's chances looked rosy with two of the necessary three wins to his credit. The luck turned at just this interesting point. One of the strangers won the third pool, and, remarking that lie didn't mind testing his luck," called on his two friends and the seaman to fill the fourth pool with AY each. The seaman, with the .surface odds ail in his favour, obliged, but the pool went again to lhe same stranger. The latter suggested making it worth while by putting in A*, | and the seaman, with one more win jto secure a pool of A2O fell to the i bait. The lucky stranger won lor the third time in succession and sconced l the pool. Of course, he paid lor the 1 next drink, hut that only absorbed 2/ j pi the A 6 5/ put into the pool by the seaman. The case quoted ts not an iso 1 tied one. The seaman realised that he had been done, and confided ms trouble to a friend. The latter a day i or two ago was accosted by a stranger who wished to know where theY.M.C.A. was to he found, and then the whole process followed over again, lu this case, however, the horse was not sold. The seaman’s friends had liis drinks at the expense oi the stranger and his pals, hut he developed a strong objection to selling horses. The gathering did not last long, for, as one of the strangers remarked, “The weather doesn’t seem too good just now; think we’ll be get- , tifig along.” v They did; but maybe they are sun { in town waiting for “file weather to improve."—Post.