The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1846-11-13

they resumed the conversation. The
+ Yankee finally broke in with the re.
mark
"By gol, | believe Eve got iist as
smart boss as you've got in thi,
|, place. | tried him back here about
forty rods, and he run like the very
dell"
/ oarke had come to the conclusion
that the Yankee had money, and be.
gan to banter him for a race.
"Well," said he, eve have got q
first rate race track here, and if you
want to try your horse there is q
plenty Of horses to run against you"
go, no! | don't want to run or
the track but | shouldn't mind bet
ting a dollar, and run forty rods"
"Why, you had better run on the
track; just as like as not, now, you
can win two or three thousand dol
lars and make yourself rich"
81 don't know" said the Yankee.
after a long pause, "I've got two
thousand dollars in my saddle bags,
that Pm carrying to the bank for my
uncle. Pm a good mind to bet that,
and run forty rods. fl should lose
it can run away, and if ! should
win it Oh crack eer'
As soon as the blacklegS found
out that he had money, they clus-
tered around him, and as the Yam,
kec was already half inclined to the
race, they soon made up a match be-
tween him and Parke, for $4,000 a
side; the money was deposited, and
all the arrangements made to have
the race come off in the morning.
Two or three Of the more respec-
table inhabitants, who had been
standing around, left the hotel at
this time muttering "poor fool"
The race was to be only one heat,
over four mile course. Shortly
after, the Yankee called for a light,
and proceeded to the stable. He
took from his pocket a screw-driver
and four light steel plates, and going
up to his horse he uascrewed from
his feet the heavy iron shoes which
were then on and put the steel plates
in their place; then, after attending
to some other little things about his
horse, lie retired for the night.
The story Of the race had become
so considerably noised abroad, that
there was quite crowd assembled
in the morning, who had come to
see the "great Yankee" as he was
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES"
Many were the jokes passed upon
the appearance of the horse and his
rider, as they stood at the starting
post. And well they might, for a
more shabby looking couple, ven-
tire to say never were brought to-
gethcr. The horse stood with his
head down, his eyes closed, his short
tail clinging close to his body, his
coat full as rough as it was on the
night previous, and standing as it
was the with the greatest cXcrtion
he could keep his feet. The appear"
ance of his rider was not much bet
ter, as he sat leaning over forward.
his elbows thrust out from his body
in a horizontal line, and hickory
stick three feet long in his hand.
As the person who stood at the
starting post to give the word, COM
menced, the Yankee raised his whip,
and the moment he had finished
brought it down upon his horse with
tremendous force, but all the effect
it had was to make him raise his
head and start off on a trot-while
the other horse sprung away and
was now fast gaining upon him
The Yankee now redoubled his ex-
ertions, and finally got his horse .un-
der pretty good motion ; but still his
antagonist gained upon him, and by
the time they had passed over mile
Of ground he was a quarter of a mile
ahead. Parkc and his friends had
obtained situation overlooking the
whole course, laughed immoderately
at the appearance of the Yankee
But Just at this moment a change
seemed to come over horse and RI
der. The latter threw away his
whip, sat up more firm and erect in
his saddle, touching also, his horse
lightly with his heel. The horse no
sooner felt the touch of the spur,
than he sprung forward with the
speed of the wind, indicating by his
measured leaps the thorough trained
race horse. He quickly distanced
his rival, and when he arrived at the
winning post was nearly half a mile
ahead.
The race nearly ruined Parkc.-
AS he saw the distance gradually
widen between the horses, he raved
and sworc like maniac, cursing
the Yankee, the Yankees horse,
and everything appcrtaining to the
Yankees. But no one pitied him.
Even his brother blacklegs gloried
in his downfall. They felt that his