Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1854-07-20

At the end offour or Eve months the old man
took leather pouch, shut up shop, and rode
his gray mare in BoSton-haling at the old
Eastern Stage House, in Ann street. Here he
remained quietly for three or four days, scarce
ly showing himself and never Speaking Of his
mare.
One evening he overheard some Of the "boys"
in the bar-room "talking horSe," and he lis
tened earnestly.
"Go," said one of them, al rather think he
can-in tv 0 fifty sure p'
aha hap rOared the rest, (for three-minute
horses, even, were not very plenty at that pc
Iiod)
cpd ike to match him against some thing
Fthat can trot, Your wriggIerS and rackers aud
runners are not the thing.'
"Give me square trotter and | can just
leave him that's ALL"
''Ken you 7" asked a voice near by, modest
iy.
The company turned about, and saw an mn
shorn rough .vjsaged man sitting in his shirt
| sleeves, 10 whom the young buck did notreply
! al all. Our blacksmith for it was hel cohtn-
ued to smoke his pipe. The boys put their
/ heads together for lark - and the foremost
asked;
"Perhaps you've got horse that you would
| like TO exercise q littleP'
"Yas," responded the rude-dressed stran-
ger, al don't mind little exercise for the old
mare--but you don't bate nothing on it, |
| take it,"
"Why, yes; just for the name of the thing,
we'll 90 five hundred or So"
give hundred what?" exclaimed the green
'un jumping from his chair and smashing his
| pipe al the same moment.
olive hundred dollars to be sure"
40, git eout! You're JOHN"
"No--we can't trot rim short of that: it
wouldn't pay"
"WN', now look here, nabur Pll tell you
what Pil lo--Ill trot boss agn hoss--yourn
| agin mHe--in harness."
'NO, sir, that won't do"
"But, five hundred! Come, say fifty; that's
enough, reilly"
| But, there vas no other chance, and the
blacksmith placed his money a last in the
landlords hands, which the sharperS instantly
covered.
"Do you know him?" they asked, az the old
fellow moved of
mo-" says the host; ''he has just come in
from Salem, he says"
Yhe preliminaries were quickly arranged,
and the afternoon but one following was
agreed upon for the trot-over the Upper Mill
Dam road. Everybody hal heard of the queer
bet befoTe the next evening, and the road
was lined with pedestrians and carrlages.--
1iTha- challenging party lived an charlestuwn,
and the horse they had named was the crack
of the time; so they cared nothing about what
was 10 tr0t against him, and asked no ques-
lions.
The day was clear and cool, and the black
smith had been upon the ground full two
hours. HIS gray mare stood at the roadside
in wretched harness and worse gig, Though
the latter was light and strongj and several
times, as the company gathered, she had been
moved and buneted for being in the way
of gentlemen. She bore the persecution meek
", however, and the blacksmith in his shirt
sleeves said nothing.
"Where's your horse, old fellowl" asked
the confident jockey, who was TO drive his
competitor.
"She'll be here in time, now. Don't 90 10
givin' yourself any trouble about her, cause
you Il hev your hands full, Pm thnkIn', by
and-bye. Wotd yer give fer that ere skillet
you've got on your yead?'
'Thats my riding cap, Sawney."
"EdSackly. And them silk fxens--arn MT
them rather costly"
"Where's your horse' Times up"
"Get out of the way, there, with that
old crowbait, shouted one Of the fast boys,
hanlng up at th moment, and seeking TO
get the place then occupied by the black
smiths team.
But, there stood the mare, with her head
dropping almost 10 her feet, seemingly much
iaded and wo-begone, when the blacksmith
hopped into the gig, looked at his watch, and
said
"'re we are, then, mister."
"But where's The horse that you ore going
to trot2"
"Well, don't trot with no such Skeleton as
that, mind YOU" said his opponent, quot by a
long chalk
And furious roar Of lnettment went up
from the crowd.
The blacksmith insisted, however. He'd
trot his mare, or claim the money sartln'. -
And the animals were called 10 the start
mile heats, from the crossing, two best IN
three.
At the word, away they went, the horse
fairly leading the way The mare kept be-
hind up to the half mile post, fell off on the
third quarter, aud the horse came into The
post, SpleHutu "InHC'J III -'f---NS '""'N
barely saving her distance, coming home at
half gal op and hall trot, amid the yeils of the
crowd.
The blacksmith had "friend' in the con-
gregation, who had "pile Of the ready."-
To be sure, mo one knew this, ana ne
was evidently rich man lie took all
the side bets he could muster, at big odds
against the mare. She blowed badly at
t6e stand, ana the blacksmith looked hag-
gard aud earnest. The crowd roared again,
at the second start, but the roar was brief
this time.
"Now 70, thirty-nine~ screams the black
!, smith, az they went away on this heat
And she did 60. Instantly taking the pole,
stretched right along, passed the hnlf-mile
mark, finished the third quarter without a
misS-step, and came home FIVE lengths ahead
lin 2:40.
Money began 10 change hands again! But
the horse came up for The third heat and at
the word, "now go, thirty-nine," the mare
, made an an awful gap between herself and
her competitor The mare led the way
aye, every foot on it--Irom the start,
and distancing her rival, passed the winning
post well in hand, clear down in the "thir-
ties" She was good "un," added our mar
, rator,
"And what became Of this beast'" we in
! Iquired'
' "0h, he sold her for Thousand dollars be-
fore he left Boston. She was taken South,
but died soon afterwards. She cost bin,
! with her new set of shoes, valued al one dol