The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-03-19
STORY OF THE TIN PEDLAR
AND SLEEPY DAVID.

AND SLEEPY DAVID.
The following story, extracted from
the forthcoming work of"A Yankee a
mong the Nullifers," "purports to be told
to the author by South Carolinian.-
"The Yankees, as ] said before, are
apt to be too cute for US in every thing
except horseflesh, and even sometimes
in that. 1t was this day three years ago
and on this very spot, that entered my
horse Southron, Tor a purse of two thou
sand dollars. He had won q like sum
the year before with all ease. In short
he was at that time the best horse in all
Carolina. There were to be sure two
other horses, and very fine ones too, en-
tered against him-hut they were no
touch to Southron, and / was as sure OF
winning us am Of sitting here mt this
moment-when who should csme along
but d--d yankee with tin cart
He had the shabbiest, worst looking
horse you ever set your eyes on. He
was q lean, slab. sided, crook-legged,
rough-haired d ,milk-and-molasse sed-colored
son of. gun as ever went OIL four legs.
He stood all the time us if he was asleep
lin fact, his owner called him Sleepy
David. In short sir, he was such horse
as would not have brought twenty dol
lars.
Itwas he lr the hour Of starting, when
the pcdlar, who,e exterior corrcsbonded
marvelously with that of the horse, and
who said his name was Zadock Barker,
to the astonishnient Of all, intimated a
wish to euter his horse along with the
rest.
"Your horse 7" exclaimed I-"wkat,
that sleepy looking devil there (? You'd
better enter him for the. turkey-buz-
yards"
"Not's you know on, Mister" return
ed the Yankee, wish some show of spir-
it. .'ro be sure the critter looks rather
sleepy as he stands, and on that account
call him Sleepy David; but he's a jo-
fred smart horse for all that.-IIe's like
singed cat. darned sight better than
he looks. l should like tarnation well
to try him against some Of your South
Carolina horses. To be sure ! didn't
come oil the way from home on purpose;
but as was coming out this way with a
load of tin and o,her notions. l thought
| mi ght time it SO as to kill two birds
with one stone-for, thinks ] 10 myself,
if can win the purse and peddle off my
notions at the same time, ! shall make
a plaguy good speck. Butt had to hur-
ry ON like the nation to gil here in seass
on--and that's one reason my hoss look
so kind of shabby and out of killer this
morning. But for all that he'll perform
like days work / tell you."
Suposing ho had no idea Of running
his horse, and that all he said was merely
to crafty his propensity for talking, !
bade him begone, and not trouble me
wi,h.his d-d Yankee Palaver.
"Why Mister" said he, "this is free
country, and man has a right to talk,
or let it alone. jest as he can afford. Now
I've taken a good deal of pains to git
here this morning, in order to run Sleepy
David against some Of your Southern
hosses. aint joking, sir, I'm in airn-
est. l understand there is purse of
two thousand dollars, and / should like
amazingly to pick it up"
"You talk Of picking up purse Of two
thousand dollars with that bit Of carrion
Of yours! Away with you, and don't
trouble us any farther"
"Well, i'll can't run, then l spose
can't--but it's darned hard any how for
a man to take so much pains as have TO
come TO the races, and then can't be al-
lowed TO run arter ALL"
"lrs too late now--by the rules of. the
course the horse should have been en-
tered yesterday-however il you'll plank
the entrance money. perhaps you may
get in yet"
said this by way Of getting rid ofthe
fellcv, having no idea he could COM
mand fourth part Of the sum required.
"How much might the entrance mon
ey be I drawing outa purse containing q
few shillinsg in silver and few pence in
copper. "If it aint morn quarter Of a
dollar or 30, Ill plank il on the nail"