BUYING A HORSE AND WINNING

Otago Witness, Issue 1162, 7 March 1874, Page 8

BUYING A HORSE AND WINNING

A WIDOW.

I Mr G. Gerard, now of Philadelphia, but formerly American Consul at Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, communicatea to the Press of the former city the following amusing reminiscence of his African consular experience :—": — " There is a very singular custom among the famers — how to get a wife. If you desire to get married, you should first make enquiry whether the lady you love has a horse ; if so, you must ask her whether she has a horse forsale. Tf she says' No,' thenyou had better quit the house at once. She does 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 is paid on the spot, the engagement is concluded as fully as if the marriage was consummated by the parson. On my arrival at the Cape I did not know of this custom. I wanted to purchase a horse, and I was informed oy an 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. Shelooked at me very sharp ; then asked me whether ihad some letters of introduction. I said that I was the American Consul, and would pay cash for the horse. 'In that case,' said she, 'letters are 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 me. On fche road the groom asked me a thousand questions. Master,' said he, ' will my mistress go to live with you in town, or will you come to live with us . ; You will love my mistress, for she was very kind to my old master (laughingY "Where will the wedding be f (looking at me and laughing). • Truly,' I thought, 'the poor fellow has drank too much, or he is an imbecile. I feltvery sorry I for him. When I arrived home T found I many people sit my door congratulating I me, not for the horse, but tor the acquaintance of th:> widow. 'Truly,' said (one, 'you have been successful.' 'She is very rich,' said another. I really did not know what it all meant, and 1 began to be very uueasy, when, to my great surprise, a lady alighted on my steps, and at once 1 recognised the widow ! i-he very coolly asked me when I desired to have the ceremony of the wedding performed. Then, indeod, I fully perceived the scrape in which [ was, and told her frankly that it whs a horse I wanted, and not a wife. ' What, ' said she, sdo you mean to act thus to a lady like me ? If so, I shall send back for my horso, 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, thankful to have thus escaped. A few weeks after, however, the widow had married ; a more ambitious man had got her horse."