Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-01-12
EV ENING.S STAR.
THE UyEXPECrEp RACE
BY sYLvAHUs com. IR

| ploy an old negro, named Pompey, and if
| this latter individual was not so strict in his
morals as his master, he was at least a very
cunning dog, and passed in the reverend house
hold for pattern Of propriety. Pompey was
| a useful servant, and the old clergyman never
| hesitated to trust him with the most important
| business
Now it so happened that there were, dwell
! ing in and about the town, sundry individuals
! who had not the fear of the dreadful penalties
which Mr. Ridewell preached about before
/ their eyes for il was the won't of these people
to congre gate 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 dense piece Of woods, and for
long while the Sunday evening races were
| carried on there without detection by the off
| GERS or others who might have stopped them.
It also happened that the good old clergy
! man owned one Of the best horses in the c8un-
| try. This horse was 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 on the road. Mr. Ride
| we'll, with q dignity becoming his calling,
| stoutly declared that the heetness of his horse
never afforded him any qualification, and that,
| for his own part, he would as lief have any
other Yet money could not buy bis Morgan.
nor could any amount Of argument persuade
! him to swap
The church was 80 near the good clergy
man dwelling, that be always walked te
meeting, and bis horse was consequently al
| lowed to remain in the pasture
| POmpey discovered that these races were on
| the tapis and he resolved TO enter his mas
| ter's horse on his own account, for he felt
| sure that old Morgan could beat anything Ia
the shape Of horsefesh that could be produced
| in that quarter So on the very next Sunday
evening, he hid the bride under his ilcket,
1 .,to
horse, ard then rode of towards the spot where
| the wicked ones were cOngregated Here be
! found some dozen horses assembled-ard the
! racing was about to begin. Pcmp mounted
his beast, and at the signal he started. Old
Morgan entered into tho spirit Uf the thing,
| and came out two rods ahead Of everything.
So Pomp won quite pile, and before dark be
was we'll ini lated in borse-racing
| POmp succeeded in getting home without
exciting any suspicious, and he now Ionged
for the Sabbath afternoon to come, for be was
| determined to try IL again He did 90 again,
! and again he won and his course of wicked
ness ne followed up for two months, making
his appearance upon the racing ground every
| Sunday afternoon soon as he could - after
| meeting was out 4" And during this time,
| Pompey was not the only one who had learned
to love the racing. No; for old Morgan him
| self had come TO love the excitement of the
| thing, too. and his every motion when upon
1 the track showed how zealously he entered
| into the spirit Of the game.
| But these things were not always to remain
| a secret. One Sunday pious deacon beheld
| this racing from a distance, and straightway
| went to the parson with the alarming inteIli-
gence The Rev Mr. RidewelI was utterly
| shocked his mural feelings were outraged,
| and he resolved at once TO put a stop 10 the
| w;ckedness. During the week he made many
| inquiries, and be learned that this thing had
| been practiSed ell summer, on every Sabbath
afternoon He bade his parishioners keep
quiet and he told them that on the next Sun
| day he would make his appearance on the
very spot, and catch them in their deeds Of
iniquty.
| On the following Sabbath, after diGnar, Mr.
| RidewelI ordered PoDp TO bring up old Nor.
| gan and put him in the stable The order was
| Obeyed, though not without many misgiviEgs
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 with
| their horses.
| "It is the most fagrant piece of abOmina-
tion that ever came to my knowledge" said
the indignant clergyman, as they rode on.
| at is, most assuredly," answered one Of
The deacons
"HOrse-racing on the heSabbathu' uttered tie
| minister
Il
And so the conversation went on until they
| reached the top Of gentle eminencc which
| overlooked the plain where the racing was
| carried on, ard where some dozen hOrsemen,
| with score of lookers-on, were assembled
| The sight was one which chilled the good par
| son to the soul. He remained motionless until
| he had made out tho whole alarming truth
| then turning to his companions
| "Now, my brothers" said he, Z" lei US ride
down and confront the wicked wretchcs and
| if they will down upon their knees and i'm
| plOre Gods mercy, and promise 10 do so no
| more, we will lot take legal action against
them. o, that my own land should be desc
Grated thus" for it was indeed a section Of
| his own farm.
| As the coed clergyma an thus spoke be started
| OH towards the scene. The horses of the
wicked men were just drawing up for a start
| as the minister approached, and some Of the
| riders who at once recognized "0ld Morgan, ,
did not recognize the reverend person who
| rode him.
| Wicked men, commenced the parson,
| as he came near enough for his voice to be
heard, " children of sin and shame -
"COme, old hosS, I" cried one of the jockies,
turning towards the minister "If you are
in for the first race, you must stir your stumps.
| Now we 60"
"Alas! o, my wicked -
"AlI ready,n shouted he who led in the
| affair, cutting the minister short " And of
| IL tSnp
And the word for starting was given Old
| Morgan knew that word too well, for no sooner
did it fall upon his ears than he stuck out his
| nose, and with one wild snort he started, and
| the rest of the racers, twelve in number, kept
| him company.
"Who GA who-o GA Ga ~ cried the parson at
the top Of his voice.
| "By the powers, old fellow, you re keen
one 80 shouted ono of the wicked men, who
had thus far managed to keep close by the
side of the parsOn. "You ride we'll
"WhO-ho-ho-bo-O-o! who a-oa," yelled the
clergyman, tugging at the reins with all his
| might
But it was of no avail. Old Morgan had
now reached ahead of all competitors, and he
came up to the judges stand three rods ahead
where the petrifed deacons were standing
with eyes and mouth wide open.
| Don't STOP" cried the judge, who had
| now raeoppi7 ed rSnp and Suapant-