Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1853-08-18

| One afternoon IN the summer OF IS--, 4
large concourse of persons assembled at
the Union Course, L. l., to witness trot-
ting match between two horses unknown
to the world, owned by private gentlemen,
who, during dispute concerning the
relative merits of their nags, had agreed
to settle the matter by making a match
| between them for one thousand dollars
aside. At opposite ends of the Grand
Stand. amid the miscellaneous gathering
usually markingsu occasions might have
been seen the owners Of the contending
horses, surrounded by their respective
hackers, who were clamorous for bets, and
were willing to lay out their money to
any extent upon their favorites. As one
of the owners aforesaid is to be the prom
inent figure in this picture, it may not be
out of place to give short description of
his person. lie was, then, young man
about twenty-three years of age, of medi-
um height, well formed, and decidedly.
as the phrase goes, good looking-that is,
there could he no fault found with his
face, and taken as whole-his features
were well formed and regular, and his
complexion fresh and ruddy; but there
was, to a close observer, look of insin-
cerity in his large dark eye and tone of
mockery in his halfaifected laugh. His
dress, too, was against hint partook
largely of that style characterizing what
aretermed at the present day q fast young
men his legs were encased in pair of
fine cashmere pantaloons, checked with
broad stripes; he wore blue coat with
bright buttons, each containing sporting
device; his vest was Of decidedly tlashy
cut, and from one of the button-holes
thereof depended very heavy gold chain,
with bunch of charms attached, prom
inent among which might have been
noticed a miniature deaths head and cross
bones. Such was Charles Oakley-or at
least the personwhom we shall call Charles
Oakley-a man who, through the inhu-
ence of powerful friends, had been placed
in a position which even thus early in
life enabled him to live as though the
wealth of CrGsus were at his command.
''Fetch up your horseSn' was shouted
fiom the Judges stand, and shortly there
after the rival drivers jumped into their
respective sulkies and made their appear
ance upon the track. Then commenced
the hubbub with usually precedes the
word 80" when the s'knOwing fones''
were better able to Judge of the condi-
ton of their favorite, from witnessing his
preliminary exercises.
"a hundred to eighty on Oakley's
mare - shouted all individual with SIMS
ter aspect and hand full of bank notes.
"lll take that.r' answered a sharp
featured specimen of the genus homo. and
the money was accordingly posted.
I'D like TO lay out about fifty to forty
on the mare" observed an il-looking
man, whose face was covered with car
buncles, and who was dressed in the
height of (sporting) fashion. His wager
having been accepted, he continued-sI
don't bet so much on the mare as | do on
her owners luck; though I've no doubt
she's got the foot of the horsc-for who
ever knew Charley Oakley to lose race /?
Well, he oughter win, for fast man ought
to own fast horse; and if he ain't fast
man you kin shoot ne. He's the finest
fellow that ever jumped-he's one of 'em!!"
1t is not my intention to give descrip-
ton of the trot, for anybody curious in.
such matters can witness the reality at
almost any time, by taking his way to
one of the Long Island courses. NV OBJ
ject in giving the conversation above is to
show the estimation in which Charles
Oakley is held by certain class, and |
wish now to explain in what consisted
his claims to such title as the 'sfnest
fellow that ever jumped"
Oakley won-he generally did-and
after the race was call over but the shout
ing" he and his particular friends took
their way to well-known sporting-house
upon the road, where, for long time,
congratulatory remarks greeted him upon
every side, and the corks from champagne
bottles flew in every direction. Oakley
did not care for money; he valued it no
more than the dust beneath his feet, for
he had never felt the want of it. He had
never known what it was to stand in need
of food or clothing, or house to shelter
him; nor had the untold miseries that
the poor are forced to endure ever entered
his mind. He had but sorry notion of
right and wrong. If in the excess of his
mirthfulness when heated by wine, he
took it into his head to break few de-
canters, or floor an M. p, or ''four
Niger Or ill-treat an unfortunate cour-
texan, he found that money was never
failing salye for the wounds he inflicted,
and in such cases he used it lavishly. If
he succeeded, no matter by what means,
in seducing poor mans daughter, the
idea that money would not make amends
for all had never entered his head; for,
although he had never suffered from pow
erty, he was aware that his victims had
he could not appreciate their feelings
! under such privations, to be sure, but as