BUYING A HORSE AND WINNING A WIDOW.

Westport Times, Volume VIII, Issue 1158, 13 March 1874, Page 4

BUYING A HORSE AND WINNING A WIDOW.

MrG. Gerard, now of Philadelphia, but formerly .American Consul at Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, communicates to the press of the former city the following amusing reminiscence of his African consular experience : —" There is a very singular custom among the farmers—how to get a wife. If you desire to get married you should first make inquiry whether the lady you love has a horse for sale. If she says 'No,' then you had better quit tho house at once. She docs not like you. But if, on the contrary, she says 'Yes,' it is a good sign, but she will ask you a very high ■ price. If the amount named is paid on the spot, the engagement is concluded as fully as if tho marriage was consummated b} r tho parson. On my arrival at the Cape I did not know of this custom. I wanted to purchase a horse, and I was informed by ah old Dutch resident that Widow had one to sell. I followed the address given, and soon arrived at the door of the widow (who, by the way, was not bad-looking). I asked her whether she had a horse to sell. She looked at me very sharp; then asked me whether I bad some letters of introduction. I said that I was the American Consul, and would pay cash for the horse. 'h\ that case,' said she, ' letters arc not necessary.' I paid down the sum demanded ; then, after taking a cup of coffee, she sent her horse home by her groom, and both accompanied mo. On the road the groom asked me a thousand questions. ' Master,' said he, ' will my mistress go to live with you iu town, or will you come to live with us? You will love my mistress, for she was very kind to my old master (laughing). Where will the wedding be ?' (looking at mo and laughing). 'Truly,' I thought, 'the poor follow has drank too much, or he is an imbecile.' I felt very sorry for him. When I arrived home and found many people at my door congratulating me, not for tho horse, but for the acquaintance of the widow. ' Truly,' said one, 'you have been successful.' ' She is very rich,' said another. 1 really did not know what it all meant, and I began to be very uneasy, when, to my great surprise, a lady alighted on my steps, and at once I recognised the widow ! She very coolly asked me when I desired to have the ceremony of tho wedding performed. Then, indeed, I fully perceived the scrape in which I was, and told her frankly that it was a horse I wanted, and not a wife. ' What,' said she, *do you mean to act thus to a lady like me? If so, I shall send bick for my horse, and will repay you the money.' In a few hours the groom was at my door with the money. I gladly gave back the horse, thaukful to have thus escaped. A few weeks after, however, the widow had married; a more ambitious man had got her horse."