The Burlington weekly hawk-eye., 1862-06-28
THE DERBY RACES,

fresh and very readible letters from the last one
Of which we extract q short account of the
Great Derby Race:
The hour before the races come on is occu.
pied in a general lunch. The hamper well stock
ed with choice viands and champagne, is un-
packed by decent young man in white stock
ings and plush, and tempting]y spread on the
front seat Of milady's carriage; and the gipsey
vagrant sits before the door Of his cart, which
is his house as we'll, eating his crust and sau.
sage The different grades of the social scale
give themselves up to an al fresco meal as best
suits them, the general method being cloth
laid on the fresh, clean grass, and the persons
reclining Around it. Scores of such lively pic
lures as this were to be seen at this hour of tn
day.
Without stopping to make special mention of
the race for the manor plate, a sort of prelimi.
nary race to the great affair of the day, and to
which comparatively little attention is given,
will mention here the terms and condition of
the Derby race. According to "Darling's cor
rect csrd," the Derby stakes are 50 sovereigns
for each entry, half forfeit, for three year old
colts and fillies; the owner of the second horse
to receive 100 sovereigus out Of the stakes, 100
sovereigns to be given also towards the police
regulations of the field, and SO to the Judge
Mile and half to be RUIZ. There were 233
subscribers, and the value of the stakes amour.
ted to the enormous sum Of S33, ,s75 snug
little sum to win in day. The favorite horse
at the latest betting was the Marquis; next to
him came Blackstone, and although the winner
was not unknown, he was not mentioned among
the favorites.
At length, after half hours toliiug of the
bell and the persevering efforts of regiment Of
policemen, the course is cleared, except of q
dog, who provokingiy won't ''clear the course" :"
although he is called upon on all sides to do go;
The course presents a broad strip of green
sward, lined on either side by dense, black,
awaying mass of human beings, whose number
it is difficult to estimate, for they seen to reach
beyond the limits of the vision. All eyes are
turned towards the paddock where the horses
are getting in readiness. Here they come, hea:
ded by burly marshal in red, the parti-colored
dress of the little jockey fluttering in the wind
and looking like bevy of butterflies flying
over the field. As they canter past the stand
to exhibit themselves to the admiring crowd,
everybody singles out his favorite, and the Mar
quis is especially looked for eagerly. The scar
let jacket and white cap of his jockey appear
among the 6rst, and as he passes, an exclama
ton of admiration greets him.
The English race horse is q very different look.
ing animal from our fast trotters. He is lean,
lanky, long-necked, cordy creature, which, ii he
passed through our streets hsrnessed to gro-
cery wagon, the boys might hoot at. His tail is
cut off ''all at once" at half length and his name
is tied in score Of hard knots along the back of
his neck. His coat shines like glass bottle,
and he has q very tightly buttoned up air, as if
he had received military education. But when
he strikes out into run, one is forced to &C.
knowledge that, like Asa in "Our American
hos 90 SS, Tho L.
tered past, thirty-three in number, they are tax.
en- back to the starting point. The excitement
is intense. Every eye is fixed upon them They
gather in a mass of glowing color, like the frag.
ments Of rainbow. They tremble for an instant
they are off, They fly up the hill and along its
crest, like flowers caught up and driven before
the whirlwind. A white cap ahead, blue, a
scarlet, yellow, by turns. Here they come
now around the corner, on the rome stretch,
straining every nerve, the jockeys tossing their
arms wildly in the air. They 90 by like fash
of lightning three in advance Of all the rest, aud
almost side by side. It is over. The talismanic
numbers announce from the stand, CARAcrAcUs,
Marquis, BuckstoLe as coming in first, second
and third. The crowd hesves and sways, shout.
ing, for moment, and then closes quickly around
the victors.
Look there! what is that. A pigeon An.
other and another quickly follow. They are car.
| rers despatched with the news. One futters
from my very feet, and from every part Of the
crowd, from this carriage and from mems hands
these pretty creatures circle up, up into the cear
blue sky. each with its tiny missve tied to its
toot. 1t was the most melting sight of all. All
else seemed hard and fictitious, compared with
the natural grace with which these mute messen.
gers sped on their arial fight to some friendly
hand far away. I counted till lost it. hut
should think forty of these carrier pigeons were
sent away from the field within fifteen minutes
OF the result of the race. The news was instantlv
sent by telegraph to London, and the name Of
the winner was resounding in the remotest cor.
ners OF the realm before sunset. The amount
OF money lost and won on this race cannot ha
estimated, but it must be immense. Evervbodv
pests on it, and its result sends thrill of ioy or
sorrow to the heart OF nearly every one.
A SCENE In CouRT-rhe Warren (Penn.v,-