Eaton Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1843-1856, 1855-05-17
Mtsfellolleous
tFrom Ballou's Pictorial.]
AN UNEXPECTED RACE.
~ SYLVESTER CoDB, IN.

In one OF the larger towns OF Worcester
county, Massachusetts, used to live clergy
man, whom We will cali Ridewell He wa.
'oi the Baptist persuasion, and very rigid il
his ldeas oil moral propriety. He had in bis
employ an old negro, named Pompey, and i
this latter individual was not so strict in hi.
morals as his master, he was at least Gun
ming dog, and passed in the reverend house
hold for pattern Of propriety. Pomp. was
use Jul servant, and The old clergyman nevel
hesilaled 10 trust him with the most impouant
business.
Now 1t SO happened that there were, dwell.
ling in and about The town, Sundry indiyidu.
sals who had not the fear of the dreadful pen.
allies which Mr.. Ridewell preached about be.
fore their eyes, for il was the wont of these
people to congregale on Sabbath evenings
upon level piece of land upon the oulskrt.
OF Town. and there race horses. This spoI
was hidden from view by dense piece Of
woods, and for long while the Sunday even.
ing races were carried on there will out de
lection by the officers, or others who might
have 81, pped them.
II also happened that The good old clergy.
man owned one of the best horses in The
country. This horse was one of the old
Morgan stock, with a mixture of the Arabian
blood IN his veins, and it was generally known
that few beasts could pass him OH the road.-
Mr.. Ridewell, with a dignity becoming his
calling, stoutly declared that the heetness OF
OF his horse never afforded him any gratihca
ton, and that, for his own part, lie would as
lief have any other. Yet money could not
3buyhis Morgan, nor could any amount of
argument persuade him 10 swap.
'' The church was so near the good Clergy
mans dwelling that he always walked 10
'mte:ing, and his horse was consequently al
lowed 10 remain in the pasture.
b. Pompey discovered that these races were
on the tapis, and he resolved to enter his mas
1er's horse on his own account, for he felt
ssnre that old Morgan could beat anything in
the shape OF horSefeSh that could be produ-
ced in that qubrter. So on the very next
Sunday evening, he hid The bride under his
jacket wentout into the pasture and ught
the horse, and then rode Off towards The SPOT
where the wicked ones were congregated.-
Here he found some CoZen horses assembled,
and the racing was about 10 commence -
Pomp. mounted his beast, and at the sigma he
'.stslted Old Morgan entered into the spirit
,of the thing, and came out two rods ahead of
everything. So Pomp. won quite a pile, and
bef're dark he was we'll initiated in horse IA
cling.
Pomp. succeeded in getting home without
exciting any suspicious, and he now longed
'9oti The Sabbath afternoon 10 come, for he was
determined to try il again. He did 20 agai.,,
Bnd again he won; and This course of wick
edneSs he followed up for two months, ma
king disappearance upon the racing grourd
every Sunday afternoon, as soon as he could
alter "meeiing was out" And during this
time Pompey was not the only one who had
learned to love the racing. No, for cid Nor
gan himself had come TO love the excitement
oi the thing, too. md his every motion when
upon the Track showed how zealously lie en-
tered INTO the spirit'of the game.
90 but these lblngs were not always 10 remain
Q secret. One Sunday q pious deacon be
held thus racing from a dista.ce and straight
way wentto The paTson with The alarming
intelligence. The Rev. Mr.. Ridewell was
utterly shocked. His moral feelings were out
ragged, and he resolved at once 10 nut s,op
10 the wickedness Daring the week he
made many inquiries, and be learned that This
thing had been practised all summer on every
Sabbath afternoon. He bnde his parishoners
keep quiet, and he told them that on The next
Sunday he would make his appearance on The
iveTyspot and catch them in their deeds of in.
4Quity. 544G .H,1a .H .fct
On the following Sabbath after dinner, Mr..
Rideweil ordered Pomp. to bring up old Nor
gan, and put him in The stable. The order was
'6beyed, though not without many misgivings
On ttie part Of the faith ful negro. Assoon as
NhflpsEponi services wsEe closed, the two