Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1855-12-26
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THE CLERICAL HORSE JOCKEY.
A..TRUE SKETCH FROM LEE.

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Z AaTRUE SKETCH FROM LIFE.
IN one Of the large towns Of Worcester
county, Massachusetts, used to live clergy.
man, whom we will call Ridewell. He was
Of the Baptist persuasion, and very rigid in
his ideas of moral propriety. J.. He had in his
employ an old negro, named Pompey; and
il this latter individual was so strict in his
morals as his master, he was at least very
cunning dog, and passed in the reverend
household for pattern of propriety. Pom.
pey was useful servant, and the old clergy
man never hesitated to trust him with the
most important business. >.
Now it SO happened that there were
dwelling in and about the town, sundry in.
dividuals who had not the fear of the dread
full penalties which Mr.. Ridewell preached
about, before their eyes; for it was the wont
of these people to congregate on Sabbath
evenings upon level piece of land in the
outskirts Of the town, and there race horses
This spot was hidden from view by a
dense piece of wood, and for a long while
the Sunday evening races were carried on
without detection by the officers, or others,
who might have stopped them.
/ 1t 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 Il mixture of Arabian
blood in his veins and it was generally
known that few beasts could pass himion the
road. Mr.. Ridewell, with dignity becom-
ing his calling, stoutly declared that the
aeetness Of his beast never afforded him any
qualification, and that, for his own part he
would as lief have any other. Yet money
could not buy his Morgan, nor could any
amount Of argument persuade him to swap.
The church was SO near the good clergy
mans dwelling that he always walked to
meeting, and his horse was consequently
allowed to remain in the pasture.
Pompey heard that these races were on
the tapis, and he resolved to enter his mas.
ter's horse on his own account, for he felt
assured that old Morgan could beat anything
in the shape of horse flesh that could be pro.
cured in that quarter. So on the very next
Sunday evening he hid the bride under his
jacket, went out into the pasture and caught
the horse, and rode off towards the spot
where the wicked ones congregated.
Here he found some dozen assembled,
and the race was about to commence. Pom.
pey mounted bis beast, and st the signal he
started. Old Morgan entered into the spirit
Of the thing, and came out two rods ahead
of everything. So pompcy won quite a pile
and before dark he was well initiated in
horse racing.
Pompey succeeded in getting home with
out exciting any suspicious, and ne now
longed for the Sabbath afternoon to come,
for he was determined to try it again.
He did go again, and again he won, and
this course of wickedness lie followed up for
two months, making his appearance upon
the race ground every Sunday afternoon, as
soon as he could after meeting was out"
And during that time, Pompey was not
the only one that loved racing. No, for old
Morgan himself had come to love the excite
meut of the thing too, and his every motion
when upon the track, showed how zealousy
he entered into the spirit OF the game.
But these things were not always to re.
main secret. One Sunday pious deacon
beheld this racing from distance, and
straightway went to the parson with the
alarming intelligence. The Rev. Mr.. Ride.
we'll was utterly shocked, his moral feelings
were outraged, and he resolved to put stop
to this wickedness.
During the week he made several inquiries,
and he learned that this thing had been
practised all summer on every Sabbath
afternoon. He made his parishioners keep
quiet, and on the next Sunday he would
make his appearance on the very spot, and
catch them in their deeds of iniquity.
On the following Sabbath, after dinner,
Mr.. Ridewell ordered Pompey to bring up
old Morgan, and put him in the stable. The
order was obeyed, though not without mis-
giviugs, on the part of the faithful negro. AS
soon as the afternoon services were closed,
the two deacons, and some others of the
members Of the church, accompanied the
minister home, together with their horses.
"It is the most fragrant piece of abomna.
ton that ever came to my knowledge" said
the indignant clergyman, as they rode on.
"It is so most assuredly," answered one
of the deacous.
"Horse racing on the Sabbath" uttered
the minister,
"Dreadful echoed the second deacon
And so the conversation went on, until
they reached the top Of gentle eminence
which overlooked the plain where the racing
was carried on, and where some dozen
horsemen, with a score of lookers-on, had
assembled.
The sight was one that chilled the good
parson to his soul. He remained motionless
until he had made out the whole alarming
truth, then, turning to his companions, he
said
"Now, my brothers, let US ride down anc
confront the wicked wretches, and if they
will down on their knees and implore Gods
mercy, and promise to do so mo- more, w
will not take legal action against them: "
that nv own land should be desecrated thus!
for it was indeed a portion of his farm.
AS the good clergyman thus spoke hi
started ON towards the scene. The horses
of the wicked men were drawing up tor
start as the minister approached; some
the riders, who at once recognized Morgan
did not recognize the reverend individual wh'
rode him.
"Wicked men," commenced the parson
as. he came near enough for his voice to b.
heard, "chiidren Of sin and shame
"Come on old hosp cried one of tn
jockies, turning towards the minister;
Won ,ra in for tho fret roco Won must StI