San Andreas independent., 1857-01-17
A Slow Race.

anu NIlle IneTe was duuSeu Dy KIM OF
race which was both novel and entertain
ing to me, as had never heard of one
before of a similar kind.
One morning while breakfasting at the
Motel where number of the officers of
the army were lodging for the time being,
one of them, Captain Smith, observed that
It was rather dull work doing nothing all
day, and proposed to get up "slow race"
Captain Smith had horse which looked
as II he was good for nothing but to feed
the crows, and indeed it was said that the
Old settler among the crow family went
every morning to the stable in hopes that
the quadruped might have given up the
ghost But no. the horse lived on. and
Mr.. Grow was forced to return to his home
in the forest with disappointment written
on his ancient features.
Captain Lowell had horse which was
in nearly as poor condition as the horse
of Capt Smith, and he thought was not
quite so fast as the latter. Others among
the company had different animals, with
whose qualities they were familiar,-
and they agreed to meet upon plain,
short distance from the town, at three O.
clock in the afternoon, and proceeded to
the racing; each individual upon enter
ing his horse, paid dollar to the general
fund. In this way purse was made up,
which was to be given to the owner of the
horse which arrived last at the goal.
AT the appointed hour about thirty per-
sons had entered their names on the list,
I - Il
a Yankee came along, mounted on fine
looking black horse, evidently gay and
spirited, and requested to have chance
for the purse as well as the others. No
objection was made to this, as his horse
was well known in the village as one of the
fastest animals which had ever been in
that vicinity, and every one thought him
a fool for disputing the prize However,
he was not daunted by their opinions, and
his horse was entered on the lists.
A popularity of this mode of racing is
that each man rides another mans horse,
and it is for his interest to do his utmost
to make the horse he is on 90 ahead of the
one which he owns
On this occasion it fell to the lot of the
Yankee to change horses with Captain
Smith, and the Captain, who was an ex-
cellent horseman, appeared in fine spirits
at the idea, that at any rate, the Yankee
would not carry off the prize But he
was reckoning without his host as the
aforesaid individual had learned his ami
NAL trick worth any two or three that
the military man was acquainted with for
just as they started the Yankee addressed
his horse with, Well, Major, this is a
slow race, and | reckon you know what to
dov' The horse pricked up his ears on
hearing his masters address, with which
that gentleman seemed perfectly satisfied.
The word was given, and off they started,
pell-mell; and | will venture to say that
such an assemblage of horses has seldom
been seen in any place on this continent.
Every rider was shouting, whipping up
the animal on which he was mounted, and
trying to get before his own horse to i'm
pede his progress.
Captain Smith, mounted on the horse
of the Yankee, kept the head for short
distance, but when the Captains expecta-
tions were raised to the highest pitch, the
animal broke into a sort of gallop which
entirely disturbed the equanimity of the
rider. Although the horse appeared to
be travelling at a tremendous pace, his own
motion was almost entirely up and down,
and he made very little onward progress.
One by one his comrades began to pass
him, then came two or three together, and
finally they had all gone but the Yankee,
who came along on the Captains horse
Poor beast he was doing his prettiest;
but it appeared to me that was no qreat
shakes. Presently the Yankee drew along
side the Captain, and began apostrophising
his animal. {" Go it. Major" said he
shake him up aoelw And the Major
did shake him up well, I assure you. He
kept the same gait with his nose Just be-
hind his masters saddle, and vain were
the attempts of the gallant Captain to in
duce him to change his gait for some more
comfortable step, and finally he came to
the wise conclusion that the best he could
do was to sit as easily on the saddle as
possible, and allow the horse to take his
own course and gait, although they might
not be particularly agreeable.
The race-course was about half mile
in length, and by the time they had reached
the end, the poor Captain was almost done
up, and had the modification OF coming
up Immediately behind the Yankee, aching
from head to foot, for the horse had well
obeyed the injunction of his master to
g shake him up" The Yanke sf course
pocketed the money, and as the Captain
iimped off the field, he expressed in no
very polite manner his determination never
to ride a Yankees horse again at sloao
race.
"Humble as | am" said bullying
spouter to mass meeting of the unterri-
fed, !" still remember that I'm fraction