The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-02-20
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Do TOO cute t0r % ~ anything O9t horse
flesh, "a eys4 ~ Stimes II A.S Il was,
this day thfee years Ago, Lon tk1s spot, thasl
I entered NY horse s0oathsrns FOR 4 mpe
OF two thousand dollars. 10 short, he sxss
the beat horse q that time ID Souih Caroli-i
ma There were, to be sure, two other
horses, and very 6ne ones, too, entered
against him, but they were NO touch to
Southern and INaS saro S0& winning 40 I
am that aIhsAsittihg here stAis moment
vheDst ho should como along but Yapkse
NINA tin oast. He had the shabbiest, worst
looking horse ever pat my eyes On. He
wa ) lean, siab. aided, crooked.legged,
rough haired critter a. ever went on four
lega. He stood all the time a. If he was
asleep in fact, his owner called him sSlea-
py David. In short, sir, he was such .
horse as would not have brought twenty
dollars.
1t was near the hour Of starting, when the
peddler, whose exterior correspondent mar
velouslyG With that Of his horse, and who
said his name was Zadock Berber, to the
astonishment Of al. insimatcd q wish to en-
ter his horse with the rest.
your horsen exclaimed I-swhat, that
sleepy looking devil there? You'd better
yntsr him FOR the bussards.'
a. Not as YOU knows on, Mister resumed
the Yankee, with show of spirit. sT0 be
sure the critter looks rather sleepy, and on
that account, call him Sleepy David, but
hos a jo- fired good boss for all that. He's
like singed cat, a darned sight better nor
he looks. Pdsiiketo try him against some
of your South Carolina bosses. lobe sure
Tdon't come all the way from homo on that
purpose; but ~ was coming out this way
on a load Of tin and other notions, thought
l might time It to kill two birds with one
stone, FOR, thinksI to myself, # ] can win
the purse and peddls Of my notions, at the
same time, shall make plaguy good spec.
But had to hurry on like the nation to get
here in time; and that's one reason why my
hoss iooksso shabby and out Of tx this morn
ing. But for all that he'll perform days
work, Itell you.'
Surprising he had no idea Of running his
horse, and that all he said was merely to
crafty his propensity for talking, bade
him to be gone, and not trouble me with his
Yankee palayer. ss-@.s.
"Why, Mister,D said he, ssthis free
country, and man has right to talk or let
it alone, list as he can afford. Now, Pve
taken a great deal Of pains to git here this
morning, in order to run aSleepy DAVID
agin some Of your Southern bosses. 1 amt
joking, sir; I'm in airnest. understand
there is purse Of two thousand dollars,
and should like amazing to pick it up.''
f1Your talk Of picking up two thousand
dollars with that bit of a carrion Of yours!
Away with you, and don't trouble me any
further 5lszf 7s9-se !ss
well, if can't run, l suppose l can't,
but its darncd hard anyhow For man to
take so much pains as have to come up to
the races, and then can't run arter ALL
q Sits too late now; by the rules of the
course the horse should have been entered
yesterday; however, if you'll plank the en-.
trance money, perhaps you may get In yet.'
said this by way Of getting rid of the
fellow, having no idea that he could COM
mand fourth part Of the sum required.
TsIfow much might tho entrance money be?'
drawing out a purse containing few shill-
in.s in silver, and few pence in copper
'if faint more nor quarter dollar, or 50,
Pll plank it on the NALL -. H. s.. =.
'lt is two hundred dollars.' ts -*a5
'Two hnndecd!' exclaimed the Yankee
By gauley what price? Why they only
axed me twenty-five cents to see the hull
caravan in New York. Two hundred dol
lars! Why you must be joking now
bless me! my hull load # tin ware, boss,
wagon and all, wouldn't fetch that. But,
mister, don't you think could get in for
ten dollars?' e@ 'zs f7srfh
Nothing short of two hundred, and that
must be paid in FIVE minutes --- a.
Wen thought We had fairly got rid of
the fellow, but he returned to the charge,
and asked if fifty dollars would't do, then
seventy, and then hundred, and finding
that he could not make a bargain for less
than the regular sum, he engaged to give it,
provided he could find any one to loan the
money, for which, he would pawn his wagon
load Of notions, and SLEEPY David to boot.
lie asked one, and then another,t to accom-
modate him with loan-declaring, that if
he ever took the PURSE the money should
be returned, and he would give adozen tin
whistles into the bargain. He, however,
got more curses than coppers, until some
wag, who had plenty Of cash, and liked to
see the sport go on, lent, him the two hun
dred dollars out of sheer malice. Though
it afterwards turned out that the Yankee
had plenty Of money about him,l and was
merely playing the possum all the while.
His next object was to borrow saddle.
In this he was also accommodated; and TAX
ing Sleepy DAVID from the cart, he scram-
blcd upon his back and took his station on
the course. You never saw fellow sit on a
horse SO awkward in your life. Every one
said he would fall before he had gone q
hundred yards--and some, out of compass
sion urged him to withdraw. - .s5
sNot by darned sightp exclaimed he:-
'Do you think I'm darned fool rs to pay
two hundred dollars and then withdraw, and
not run arter ALP
Others who wnnted to see the sport,
though it would cost some broken bones,
encouraged him to proceed, saying, as they
laughed aloud, that they had no doubt but
he would carry off the purse.
That's what mean to do, said he; Saint
come here for nothing, can tell ,you.--
Wake up Sleepy David and look about;
you must have your eyes open to- day, it's no
time to be snoozin' when there is money at
stake go. 80 " -.
Tho horse, as If he understood what his
master wHs saying, pricked up his ears and
actually began to show signs of life. "a
TIE signal was given to start. Away
sprang Southern with the speed Of light
ming, and leaving Sleepy David far in the
rear, the peddler verging from one side to
the other, as if he was just ready to fall of.
But they improved as they proceeded, the
peddler sat more jockey like, and his horse
evidently gained upon the others. It was
now thought the Yankee had enough of the
race, and would withdraw before the heat.
Contrary to all expectation, however, he
perscvered, and offered to bet one thousand
dollars on the issue Of the race.
sThe fellows fool said one.
'He don't know which side of his bread
is buttcred, or else he wouldn't bet any
money on so desperate stake sr,.~s
tlIe is safe enough there said a third,
sfor he he has no more to risk 1' 80 g
Here, however, all were mistaken again,
for the peddler hauled out greasy old
pocket. book, and planked the thousand dol
lars. 1t was covered of course. But con-
TESS now began to be staggered, and to
suspect the Yankee was, after all, more
rogue than fool. had no fears however,
for the purse. Southern was not a horse
to be distanced by such miserable devil as
SLEEPY David
The second heat was now commenced, and
il had felt confidence in the entire superb
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