Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-10-01
"reminiscences.

Many years ago, there resided IN tue al-
joining county of Prince William, gentle
man, Col. William Tyler, the father of the
present Judge Of this circuit, member of
the bar, who had passion for the Turf, and
owned some of the most celebrated horses OF
his day, such as Enterprise, and others
lie had in his service as trainer an English
man named llrgg, who, i'll addition 10 great
skill as IA trainer, was rather too much addic-
TED to the bottle. The Col. placed i'll his sta
ble under the tuition of llogy, a favurlte ne
gro boy, jim, who entered first rs rider, and
when his weight became too heavy toride, sue
ceeded lIogg, who had impaired to his pupil
his tastes rs well as his skill. When the Col.
died he did not emanci pate jim, but gave d.
rcctions to his sons that he should be i'll point
of fact free, that is to say he should select his
home amongst his sons, and when he was tired
of one. he should, if he desired it, so TO anoth-
er. lie selected the Judge with whom he con-
tinued TO reside until his death, if he be now
dead las to which the writer is uniformed
The Col. died about the year 1916. The
spirit Of racing languished and almost died
out. After the year 1880 it revived, and
about the year 1885 it ad again reached its
highest point. jim who had been in retire
ment since his masters death, was seized
with a desire to return to the turf in his old
vocation of trainer. There were two rival
stables in his neighborhood, one owned by
AbsolOm Hickerson, whose trainer was Bob
Layton, celebrated rider, whose weight
had also put him to training; the other owned
by Major Duvall. Col. Tyler had left u son,
William, also known as the Col, bachelor,
who also resided with his brother, the Judge.
lie was a gentleman OF fine talents, pos
seSsng remarkable wit and withal, "a poet.
JIM whose original name was James Mcken-
ny, when Commodore Decatur was killed by
Commodore Barron, added Decatur To his
name and was known, therefore, as James
Mckenny Decatur. lie applied to the young
Col. to recommend him rs Mr. lIickersnn
as an assistant in his stable to Bob Layton.
The Col. wrote the following recommen-
dation of him :
To Absalom lIickerson, ESQ.,:
The bearer of this, James McKcnny Decatur,
At training blood horses is deemed first ratcr;
But like bis preceptor. the famous old llosg,
Is at times, sir, little too fond of his grog.
But batting of this is equal TO any
OF the srooms of his day, and much better than
many.
The thing il seems he desires most Of all,
Is tn use up the stable of Major Duvail
Which would not. he thinks. be much Of job,
If united, in training your horses, with Bob
| therefore advise you to close with the man,
And give him the care of your mare and sybran:
Remembering always to measure his slugs,
And examine the straw well for bottles and jugs.
NICHOLAS SrIcER.
-S,r York Spirit Of the Times.
SQUIRRELS IN NIRGINIA.-We understand
that the whole country is alive with squirrels.
and the corntields bear unmistakablc evidence
Of their thieving propcnstics. Not being
able to get anything to eat in the woods, they
are becoming quite neishborly, aud morning
and evening regularly visi, the corntie!ds
and pay their most earnest and emphatic de-
votions at that shrine. Occasionally some OF
them, rather ambitious of literary pre-emin-
cnce and military renown, studiously enter
the corporation to pursue their botanical re-
searches under the very shadow of Washing
ton College, or boldly forage the corn patches
under the ewes of Tie Military Institute Did
anybody ever hear Of such insutierable i'm
pertinence as these gray-tailS are guilty of?
Between the bears which are starved ont o!
the mountains. and the coons and squirrels
that are scudding and plundcring over tn"
whole country, the corniields which are their
favorite resorts begin to present Il rather
ragged appearance, and in some sectonSlook
rs If the farmers had made quite successful
efforts to raise only crops Of cobs ornament
ed with the fiuttcring remnants of few tat
taral shn.l ,riut,Jpu /,u-cfi9