Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-08-04
Jack Rink and the Yankee.
We find the following in one of our exchange

We find the following in one of our exchanges
without credit. We should not like to vouct
| for its truth, but if it serves to excite thu
risblities of the reader, it will doubtless accom-
plish the object of its author:
| Few communities are more strongly imbueG
with passion for horse racing than the good
people Of Natchez New York folks talk
"soger" and "engine;" in Paris they tall
opera; and in Natohez they talk horse. They
believe in quadrupeds and nothing else. II
own the fastest horse in Natchez, is to enjoy
the fee simple of an honor in comparison with
which o member of Congress sinks into moth.
ingness.
In October last, the "fall meeting" took
place and led to more than the usual quantity
of excitement and brandy cocktails. The last
race of the last day was sort Of "free fight, u
open to every horse that never won race
purse $500, entrance $25.
Among those who proposed to go in was a
Yankee peddler, with a sorrel colt of rather
promising proportions. He thus addressed one
of the judges.
81 say, captain, should like to 60 in for
that puss."
What with -
"That sorrel colt! ~
els he speedy?"
al calculate he is, or would not wish to
risk a load of tinware on the result"
''Do you know the terms?'
"Like a book-puss $500, and entrance fee
$25, aud there's the Dimes"
Here the Yankee drew out last century
wallet, and brought up two KS and V.
Among those who witnessed the operation was
Jack Rink of the Bellevue House. Jack saw
his customer, and immediately measured him
for an entertainment After the usual fuss and
palaver, the horses were brought out, saddled,
and prepared for single heat of two miles.
There were eight competitors beside the
Yankee. The latter was a smart sorrel colt,
with fine eye, and a lift of the leg that indi-
Gated speed and bottom.
Bring up the horses" said the judge.
The horses were brought up-the Yankee
gathered up his reins and adjusted his stirrups.
While doing this, Mr.. Rink went to the rear OF
the sorrel colt, and placed a chestnut burr
under his tail. The next moment the order
''to go was given, and away went the nine
horses of all possible ages and conditions. The
Yankee was ahead and kept there. "Tin
Ware" was evidently pleased with the way
things we're working; and smiled smile that
seemed to say, ''that puss will be mine in less
time than it would take creased niger to
slide down soaped liberty pole" Poor fellow!
he hadn't reckoned on that chestnut burr. The
''irritant" Jack Rink had administered not
only increased the animals velocity, but his
ugliness. He not only ran like deer, but he
refused to do anything else. As the Yankee
approached the judges stand he undertook to
pull up, but it was no go. He might as well
have tried to stop a thunderbot with yard OF
fog. The Yankee reached the stand-the
Yankee went down the road When last seer
the Yankee was passing through the "adjoin
ing county" at speed that made the people
look at him as "that comet" that was to make
its appearance in the fall of 1854. Where the
sorrel "gin out is impossible to say. All We
know is, that the Yankee has never been heare
of from that day to this, while his 'wagor
load of tinware," still makes one of the leading
attractions in the Museum of Natchez.