The gentlemen always turned from me when they saw my broken knees; though the man who had me swore it was only a slip in the stall.
The first thing was to pull my mouth open, then to look at my eyes, then feel all the way down my legs and give me a hard feel of the skin and flesh, and then try my paces.

It was wonderful what a difference there was in the way these things were done.

Some did it in a rough, off-hand way, as if one was only a piece of wood; while others would take their hands gently over one's body, with a pat now and then, as much as to say, "By your leave." Of course, I judged a good deal of the buyers by their manners to myself.
There was one man, I thought, if he would buy me, I should be happy.

He was not a gentleman.

He was rather a small man, but well made, and quick in all his motions.