I met him to Windsor, at the Wilcox Inn. He
was mightily taken with my old horse Clay, and offered me a most an
everlastin' long price for him; he said if I would sell him, he
wouldn't stand for money, for he never see such an animal in all his
born days, and so on. But old Clay was above all price, his ditto was
never made yet, and I don't think ever will be. I had no notion to
sell him, and I told him so, but seein' he was dreadful disappointed,
for a rich Englishman actually thinks money will do anything and get
anything, I told him if ever I parted with him he should have him on
condition he would keep him as long as he lived, and so on.
"Well, it pacified him a bit, and to turn the conversation, sais I,
'Colonel,' sais I, 'what a most an almighty everlastin' super superior
Newfoundler that is,' a pointin' to his dog; 'creation,' sais I, 'if I
had a regiment of such fellows, I believe I wouldn't be afraid of the
devil. My,' sais I, 'what a dog! would you part with him? I'de give
anything for him.'
"I said that a purpose to show him I had as good a right to keep my
horse as he had his long-haired gentleman.
"'No,' sais he, with a sort of half smile at my ignorance in pokin'
such a question at him (for a Britisher abroad thinks he has
privileges no one else has), 'no, I don't want to part with him. I
want to take him to England with me.
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