M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1858-11-25
Sntt;tstmg Story.
SLEEPY DAVID 4;
Or
TIE TIN PEDLER'S RUSE.

| LIE LIN L ELL Ek y hOOE.
The following story, extracted from work er
% titled, "a Yankee Among the NulfeB,n pun
70 ports to be told by South Carolinian
y Yankees, as | said before, are ap
to be too cute for us in everything bu
;. horse flesh, and even sometimes il
y that. 1t was this day three years ago
= on this spot, that | entered my hors
Southern" for a purse of two thou
sand dollars. In short, he was the
. best horse at that time in South Caro-
J. lima. There were, to be sure, two
Q other horses, and very fine ones too
Q entered against him, but they were
o no touch to Southern" and | was as
. sure of winning as | am sitting here
this moment--when who should como
along but a Yankee with tin cart
lie had the shabbiest, worst.looking
horse | ever put my eyes on. lie wa,
as lean, slab.sided, crooked-iegged
= rough.haired "critter" as ever went on
four legs. He stood all the time as
if he was asIcep.--in fact, bis owner
called him Sleepy David" In short,
he was such a horse as would not
have brought twenty dollars.
1t was near the time of starting,
when the pedler, whose exterior cor.
responded marvelouSly with that of
the horse, and who said his name was
Zadock Barber, to the astonishmcnt
Of all, intimated wish to enter his
horse with the rest.
"Your horsel" exclaimed I-"what,
that sleepy looking devil thcre3 You'd
better enter him for the turkey buz.
zards!"
Not as yur knows on, Mister" re-
sumed the Yankee, with some show
of spirit. "To be sure tho critter is
rather sleepy as he stands, and on that
account call him Sleepy David"
but he's a jo-6'd smart boss for all
that. He's like singed cat, a darned
sight better nor he looks. | should
like tarnation well to try him, against
some of your South Car'lina horses
To be sure | don't come all the way
from home on that purpose; but as |
was coming out this way on a load of
tin and other notions. | tho't | might
time it to kill two birds with one stone,
for, thinks | to myself, if l can win
the purse and peddle off my notions,at
the same time, | shall make plaguey
good spec. But had to hurry on
like the nation to get here in time !;
and that's one reason why my horse
looks SO shabby and out of fix this
morning. But for all that he'll per-
form days work, tell you"
SuppoSing he had no idea of run
ming his horse, and that all he said
was merely to crafty his propensity
for talking, bade him begone, and
not trouble me with his Yankee pala-
yer.
"Why, Mister" said he, "this is a
free country, and man has right to
talk or let it alone, jist as he can af-
ford. Now, I've taken a great deal
of pains to git here this morning, in
order to run bosses. | amt joking,
sir Pm in airnest. | understand
there is a purse of two thousand dol
lats, and should like amazing to pick
| it up"
You talk Of picking up two thou
sand dollars with that bit of carrlon
of yoursl Away with you and don't
trouble me any further"
"Well, il l can't run, suppose l
can't, but it's darned hard anyhow for
man to take such pains as | have to
come up to the races, and then cant
run arter ALL"
"It's too late now; by the rules of
the course the horse should have been
entered yesterday; however, if you'll
plank the entrance money, perhaps
you may get in yet"
| said this by way of getting rid o.
1.-THE fellow, having no idea that he
could command fourth part Of the
suM required.
"HOw much might the entrance
money bel" drawing out purse con.
tanning few shillings in silver and a
few pence in copper. 'lf tain't more
nor quarter dollar or so, I'll plank it
on the nail"
"It is two Hundred dollars"
"Two hundredl" exclaimed the Van.
kee. "By gauley what price! Why
they only axed me twenty-five cents
to see the hull caravan in New York.
Two hundred dollars! Why you must
. be joking now-bless me! my hull
load'f tinware, hoss, wagon and all,
, wouldn't fetch that. But, Mister,
: don't you think l could get in for ten
dollarsl
Nothing short Of two hundred land
! that must be paid in five minutes"
We now thought we had fairly got
rid of the fellow, but he returned to
the charge, and asked If fifty dollars
+ wouldn't do, then seventy, and then
/ 1