The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-11-18
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| n Ves<Ah8 s<>H my -. y.
hundred dollars! Why you must be joking
now. Bless mel my bull load Of tin ware,
| moss wagon, and all, wouldn't fetch that But
mister don't you think could git In for Ten
dollars ?"
Nothing short Of two hundred. and that
nust be paid in FIVE minutes"
We now thought we had fairly rot rid q
the fellow but he returned to.the charge md
asked if fifty dollars wouldn't do, then ssy-
enty, then hundred; and finding he could
not make bargain for less than the regular
sum, he engaged to give it, provided he ocald
ind any one to loan him the money for which
he would pawn his wagon load Of notions and
Sleepy Dave to boot He asked one, and then
another to accommodate him with the loan,
declaring that ns soon as over he took the
purse the, money should be returned and he
would give dozen tin whistles into the b&f-
gain. He, however, got more curses thm
esppers until some wag, who had plenty Of
cash, and liked to soc the sport 60 on, lent
him the two hundred dollars out Of sheer
malice, though as it afterwards turned out,
the Yankee had plenty Of money about him,
and was merely playing possum" all the
while.
\ His next object was to borrow a saddle. In
Sleepy David from the tin cart, he scrambled
upon his back and took his station ON the
course. You never saw fellow sit on horse
so awkward in your life. Every one said he
would fall before he had gone hundred yards
and some out Of compassion urged him -
withdraw.
"Not by darned sight" exclaimed he
"Do you think I'm such darnsd fool Is 70
pay two hundred dollars, and then withdraw
and not run arter all," MAN.
Others, who wanted to see the sport, though
it would cost some broken bones snoouraxeA
him to proceed, saying IS they laughed aloud.
they had no doubt but he would carry OF the
purse. ss.a E,s
"That's what mean to do" said hs; 81
amt come here for nothing, can tell you. .
Wake up, Sleepy David, and look about; yos
must have your eyes open to-day, it's no time
to De snoozin' when there's money at stake.
The horse, as if he understood what his
master was saying, pricked up his ears, and
actually began to show signs Of life. s'h'
The signal was given to start. Away sprang
Southern, with the speed of lightning, and
leaving Sleepy David far in the rear, and the
peddler verging from one side to the other, -
if he was just ready to fall off, s& Z, @t
But they improved as they proceeded; the
evidently gained upon the others eas D.
1t was now thought the Yankee had snssgh
Of the race, and would withdraw before the
next heat. Contrary to all expectation, how
ever, he persevered; and offered to bet thou
sand dollars on the issue Of the race.
"The fellows fool, said onA A'2 .. 4
He don't know which side Of his breed ia
buttered, or else he wouldn't risk sny msasy
on so desperate stake" ~ et
He is safe enough there said third,
for he has no moro to risk" i...s.sss
Here, however, all were mistaken again, for
the peddler hauled out greasy old pocket
book and planked the thousand dollars 1t
was covered Of course. But confess new
began to bo staggered, and to suspect the Yam
kce was after all more rogue than fool had
no fears however, for the purse Southern
was not horse to be distanced by sssh .
devil rs Sleepy David.
The second heat was now commenced, and
if | had before felt canfdent in the entire
Of my noble Southern, that conf
dence was strengthened as again saw him
coming in ahead Of the rest. considered tho
purse as now my ewn property. In imsgina-
ton had grasped it and was about putting it p
safely in my pocket, when 10 and beholdi
the peddler's horse shot forward a. IL the devh
had kicked him, and stretching his neck like
a crane, won the heat by headl ".
Everybody was astonished. "That horse
must be the devil himself" hid one. cat
least he has the devil to back him. seid
another. al was sure he would play some
Yankee trick before he got through, sid q
third. Such were the observations that passed
from mouth to mouth. t..s ......
The Yankee, in the meantime, offered to
take another thousand dollar bet; nobody felt
disposed to bet with him, and it was well that
they didn't, for at the third heat Sleepy David
not enly distanced every horse, but even came
in a fall quarter Of mile ahead Of Southern
himself ... 70. t.". '
"Thcre, by gauley, said the Yankee = he
I'll take that ere little purse, if
you please, and the other cool thousand, tewi
knowed well enough that your Southern
hoSses couldn't hold candle tew old Sleepy
David" ..1@r