Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-10-14
4 NOVELTY on THE TURF.
sRSolAN sPokr RtvIyGD-uiAk,oe s4OI IN \,
YozK-rsgALE CBAR.OFsERs.
From the New York Tribune ]

]
According TO advertisement, chariot
race" came of at the Fashion Course, Long Is
land. Wednesday afternoon. The bills and fash
newspaper notices announcing the event. gave ex
Rotations Of the novelty OF the age-S revival Of
the ancient course, wh5re female beauty and
equine speed would enthuss the spectators with
something of the antique gaming spirit and love
of glory, and these promises brought together a
motley assembly of gamblers, gamblers p"ps,
roughs rOwdies plug uglies, thieves pick-pocke,s,
loafers, kept-men, swindle :, confluence men, pros
tutes, PROGRESSES, Brgadier-Generals, Colohels,
Majors, and about dozen ladies and gentlemen,
at the race course mentioned, at about o'clock
in the afternoon.
THE HORSES AND CEARIOTS.
At about O'clock the horses, with the vehicles
attached 10 them. we e led around the track to
the place W here they were TO receive their fair
drivers Tie chariot5 were Of the kind ordinari-
ly used in the mimic contests OF the Hipto'
drone-a mere wooden box, the sides rather
gracefully fashioned and slopipg backward
9laced upon an iron axle between two rather
clumsy W heels OF q radius Of about Is inches
with two horses before each.
One of them was painted blue, and the horses
which drew It were OF chestnut huei the
other--of a taWny oOlOr-roled behind q gray
and a soriel steed. The rwer was driven by
the . Senorita Marie Martinez" and the latter by
Miss Virginia Mason" The horses were fair
specimens, evidently sound in eye, wind and limb
and having the appearance of rather well'ted
omnibus horses, with vigor in their limbs, and
the Light of other days IN their visonsl o!bs.
THE EouESrRlESNEs.
Considerable Gu i.sity had been reused IS TO
what The characters were like, for throughout the
entire assembly charming ignOl auce seemed 10
prevail as 10 who and what they were, who owned
the horses who were the getters-up Of the rec
and everything else in relation to ths entertain
ment All eyes were therefore objected upon the
ladies' In question when they came through the
crowd, lightly stepped into their respective
chsriots aud drove leisurely around the course.
Miss Virginia Mason" who drove the gray
and soTel team, is lady of about thirty sum
mers. She is understood to be one of the regular
artistes Of the HippO!heatrOn on Fourteenth
street where she is said to have won considerable
reputation an equestrienne. She was attired
in the conventional and popular Goddess of Lib
city style. Upon her auburn.h haired, or wigged,
head was Jaun'ily placed the red and white
striped night cap, which is supposed tn be the
favorite head dress of the Goddess her bust and
slender waist were specously encased in q coat of
mail OF paste board and lead colo ed spar giles,
while parti.coloTed skirt OF red and white flowed
down 10 Der ieet which were small and pretty
and cased in black CATERS the best OF which are
worth from $3.50 10 So pair, purchasabe any.
where.
The Senohta Marie Martinez the driver of
the rival chariot, is dark complexoned Spanish
mia and Mexico, and who Is now il is said also
a performer at the New York Hippotbestron. She
was dressed in male costume consisting Of a well.
fitting velvet doublet OF violet hue. handsomely
trimmed aad embroidered with white lace; while
her head was gracefully covered by pink silk
can or hat, Ia Caraiier, under which her black
artificial curis ioated Economically.
THE RACE.
Both Of these ladies' CRASHED the reins Of their
steeds. as if used TO the business and proceeded at
SrIsI mace round the course to the starting point
A y,eat shout whose enthusiasm was perhaps
more assumed than real, greeted them as they
whipped ND smsrtly and came through tie wat
ing crowds toward the judges stand;
Away they went at the word ~go! AZ Dls~Ac
neck galop, the Spanish maiden on Tue lusioI VI
the track: but the Goddess of Liberty. with her
gray and sorrel, fought for the lead and gained II
before half way round.
Her zeal proved ruiuous TO her prospects now,
ever, for midway stood the gate 10 the stsoles