Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-07-17
LANCASTER, SATURDAY. JULY II, ls47.

whole company-thats shook the build
ing to its foundations. All declared
| it was capital joke--positively, the
best "saw' that had been run on them
for twelve month";. One said he
would like to see a match between
I"Sims's" high-f1yer and Jones' truck.
horse; another thought that would be
too hard on the former-he ought to
run against time! Our hero bore their
witticisms very patiently, protesting,
all the while. with all the gravity OF
an owl, that there was no joke about
il; he had offered to run his nag for
$50 or $500 and he was ready to do
so now. Upon his word and honor,
he was never more in earnest in his
life. Having with much difficulty
persuaded them Of this-at least, ap.
parently-and some few of the COM
pany beginning to think it possible the
animsl might have running in him, af-
ter all, while others were aching TO
have some fun, match for $500 was
at length proposed, half in joke, halt
in earnest, between "Sime's" horse
and dark bay mare Of DR.. B.. re-
puted as the swiftest clipper east OF
Kennebec. To this our joker readily
assented, and the Doctor with chuck
ling eagcrness took him up. The
stakes were instantly deposited, and
the next day at ten o'clock assigned
for the struggle. The distance trotted
to be TO the village of S. and back
seven miles each way, forfeit $50.
AT the time agreed on, vast assem-
blage Of spectators were collected at
the starting post, and, among the first
on the ground, the Doctor was surpri.
sed to learn, was "Sime." At the
time Of making the bet, he could hard
ly persuade himself that the latter was
in earnest-the old joker could not be,
he thought, so suddenly lacking in
sagacity, or rather in common sense, to
risk his money so foolishly, without
the slightest possible chance Of win
ming. After the stakes were deposit
ted, he had still fully believed that
s. would back out and pay the forfeit,
and SO persisted in thinking, until he
came upon the ground, and, to his
great astonishmcnt, found "Sime"
ready for start. He then, all at
once, began to be alarmed. A suspi-
cion Of some deviltry being on foot,
crept into his head. There was no
telling, he thought, what "Sime's'
horse might be, after all. Horses
were deceptivc-often great deal
swifter than they looked. This one
might be real "singed cat'-a regu-
lar sleepy David, fed on gun-powder
and sleeI-springs, and full of hidden
fire and mischief perfect lightning
fash for "streaking it, ahead. These
fears were not all at abated orlessenedby
the confident staggering, come-on-if-
you-dare look of Sine, who seemed
impatient for the race 10 begin-nor
blythe continual remarks about his we'll
known shrewdness, dropped here and
there by the crowd. "Sime's cute
one,' said one "Yes,' added another.
ga hard ticket at bet, or anything
else And guess as how the Doc
tor'II have 10 have his eye teeth cut
leetie sharper than they've ever been
yet, il he 'specks to pocket that 5000.
The horse Amt very handsome, it's a
fact ;bui the homliest horses are scream
crs for racing. I'll risk Sine; "he
knows the ropes, ! tell YOU
These sounds did not fall very a.
greeably on the ears Of the Doctor,
who every moment grew more and
more uneasy, till at last he began to
feel convinced that he had been BAN
boozled-that his money was sure TO
be lost; and he cursed, bitterly cursed,
his short sighted folly, in attempting
to make money by betting with such
a man as S.. But il was too late to
retreat. He would gladly back out
and forfeit the $50, content to get of
so ehesply as that; but then he would
be the laughing-stock Of the crowd,
whose jibes and taunts, after such a
disappointment, would be too cutting
for mortal man 10 endure. la the
midst of these reflections he was cut
short by the word given for the rival
horses 10 be ready, and, bringing his
mare TO the starting-line, was followed
quickly by S., who, with loud crack
Of bis whip, and the confident, know
ing, devilish-good-natured look Of one
who is sure Of winning ar easy vic
tory, refined up his horse by his side.
The signal was Just on the point Of