The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1851-06-23
The Epsom Races.

gent correspondent in London, whose let
tiers we have read with pleasure aud profit
1--WE extract the following spicy description
of the great Epson races from one OF them
LONDON, May "a, 1851.
DEAR Col; Although We were a long
time getting 10 EPSON, we are glad TO find
the "Derby% is not run. Let US mount
upon the top of the vehicle and look around.
For miles right and left are the people.
The best part of million are here ASST M
5led !: among them are the royal house OF
Prussia, with their cream colored team, as
well as the poorest ragamuffn, discharged
from Old Baily, with his stick and croton-
less hat. The track is upon side hill turf,
and is in excellent order. 1t is hundred
feet wide, but hardly distinguishable in the
mingled mass of men. There is little
valley between us and the turf. A contin-
uous rise is used, as fine prospect for the
trace. The stand is on the other side, and
Iiis adjacent booth is perfectly black with
heads. All around it for acres is the same
phenomena. Now bell rings. The police
march up the track to clear it. We will
take the chance to look around. Everybody
is Opening baskets. Wines and sodas pop +,
sandwiches and shrimps appear; pies and
birdsare demolished, amid cries of "water,"
oranges,"-" who wants card Of the .ra-
cess" Fiddling and horn footing all around,
"a fool dancing in woman's clothes and a
red calash on his head with parasol, MINI
licking fine ladies, while the fine ladies' in
lordly carriages, are looking on laughingly
gypsies, wild IN look and with eyes dark
and sinister, are rowing about ;--see they
have that young man. "Tell your fortune,
pretty gentlemon? You aciu be fortunate,
oh yes only leave gypsey sixpence, sir /;
will be lucky one in the race, sir" and she
hangs on like swapping turtle; all these
scenes are transpiring, while an enormous
shout and laugh goes up from crowd along
the ropes. The police had cleared the track
it is only a dog or loafer trying to run
across the track with policeman after.-
Away they 60 in mimic race
The coast is clear. With glass you may
see the many colored jockeys mounting
Now comes the preparatory galloping TO
loosen the horses joints. UP they ride
and bets begin TO run by colors. All is
| uON Sllll. wv CduuOI SGE clulls Lie
cry rises, "theyre off" The black heads in
and around the stand are now sea of up
turned faces. We hear the tramp of horses
on the distant turf. Horseman ride over the
hill TO catch the sight. Now the race -hor-
ses appear around the hill nearly all togeth-
er; YET so far distant they seem to move
slow: soon they begin 10 be clearly dIstin-
guished =" Hurrah for the blue cap !-hur-
rah for the red black cap and pink ahead!'
In fine style they dash between tie anxious
heads. The tug is between the black cap
and pink, and blue. Thousands are staked
upon the result. The cry is, now for one
now for the other! On they all bickei
and burn TO gain the expected goal" In a
twinkling they dash home. The number is
run up, and the welkin rings and re-rings
with the shout Of immense multitudes.-
The track is soon broken over. The throng
rushes toward the stand. The Derby is
done and won Millions have been lost
and gained. Freely pop the wine bottles
of the victors merily ring The laughs Up
rise thousands ofcarrier pigeons to announce
the result abroad
Now comes sight which carries us back
10 the good old days of Queen Bess--such
as Scott describes in his Kenilworth--the
'ldays ol the ournaments.-Rlngsa are form
ed Circus sports are going on upon the
ttrf dancing girls are soon transmitted BY
some magic from ordinary females; magical
gentlemen begin to throw up rings, butcher
knives, etc.; music breaks out from all sides;
gypseys burst anew from their tents and
bark" 'ansum and interesting presents
for hmlants only penny! ave one sir"
= 'Ere's silver tipped buttons for 'olding
coats together-made out of coal !" 60 Sody-
water! Ginger r-beer-r-r /" and hundred other
cries. Beyond the turf, the manly sports
are gong on, such as firing at targets, pitch
ingatpoints, and divers other things TO me
unknown. Soon the tmf was cleared again
-anoher race--the same excitement; the
air is again filled with pigeons, who dart
arounc Tor awhile uncertain where TO go
then Cd, with their news.
Soor we are upon our road bomeward,
amid the flowery meadows, and the hedges
or walls of ivy and sometimes of flowers.
The tres look SO trim and perfect. Each
for itself seems dressed in living green
AS well attempt to separate color from the
rainbow, or extension from matter, as Beau
ty from these yistas made by the lines oi
elms, towering chestnut and birch, filled
with their little winged singing people, -
The leaves will grow in freshness and the
robins, tarushes, and larks, like Jenny Lind,
must, although they know not why--b
singing"
On our road to London, we find every
body cut to see "Derby" return. 1t some
timescomes home boozy. Long arrays ol
Charity scholars in tn, ir uniforms, and boys
from school are out,--under the charge .ol
masters. Policemen are stationed all along
Within five miles of London, the road is
lined ten or twenty deep. Punch and Judy
negro singers, dancers, ag-pipers from Scot
land, are mingled with the throng, perform
ing. Everybody is privileged to say wha
comes uppermost. Altho' an entire strange
amid tais crowd Of myriads, / drank severa
imaginary healths from off my seat, to gen
tleman with mugs on the top Of the walls
Exchanged spunk with the spunky, slnirk
with the good natured words with the ia
miliar, and altogether felt at home. Wi
and humor followed us through the laTg
commons into the very city. We though
we had left London al Epson, but the mil
lion seemed 20 be waiting for their horse
racing to return.
CouRTINe TOO STRoNe.-We have hear
story Of an old maid in Vermont, VIII,
lately preferred complaint to Mr.. Attorne,