Delaware State journal and statesman., 1867-09-06
RACE I'm A THUNDER STORM
AFTER DARK.


perious race than one in which the late |
Hiram Woodruff bore a conspicuous part, |
and now appears as the narrator. We find
the account in a late number of Wilkes
Spirit Of the Times:
In 1S43 Dutchman was brought to New
York and again placed IN my charge. Our
first race that season, and it was the last
season the old horse trotted on the turf, was
against Americas and Lady Suffolk, two
mile heats in harness, over the Beacon
Course. Bryant drove the Lady, Spicer
Americas, and /, Dutchman. Dutchman
won the first heat, Americus the second, and
Dutchman the third. Lady Suffolk was
third in all the heats. In a week or ten
days thereafter, we went three mile heats in
harness, over the Beacon Course, and it was
a tremendous race of four heats. The first
was won by Dutchman. The second was
sloutly contested, but Americus won it.
The third heat was more hotlY contested
than the latter two, and resulted in dead
heat between the old horse and Americus.
Lady Suffolk was now ruled out for not win
ming heat in three, and the betting was
heavy, Dutchman having the call The long
summer-day had drawn rapidly TO close
At the same time the heavens were overcast,
and with fading CLEANS of dim, yellow light
the sun sank into great banks of clouds. They
mounted higher and higher, and seemed to
lie like a load upon the weary earth. The
heat was intense, and not breath of air
stirring to break the ominous report. With
the last flicker of day, the swift scud began
to fly overhead, and the seeming solid clouds
to tower up and come on like moving noun
tains 1t was dark when we got into the
sulkies, and soon after the start, the storm
burst upon us with fury ! have never since
seen equalled. The wind blew hurricane,
and the pelting rain fell in torrents as though
the sluices of the skies had opened all al
once. Nothing could have overpowered the
mighty rush of the wind and the furious
splash of the rain, but the dread, tremen-
dous rattle OF the thunder. 1t seemed to be
discharged right over our heads and only
a few yards above us. Nothing could have
penetrated the thick profound gloom of thai
darkness but the painful blue blaze OF th'
forked lightning. could not see, in th'
short intervals between the flashes, the faint
est trace of a horse before me, and then, IL
the twinkling of an eye, as though the dark
ross was torn away like veil by the AL
mighty, the whole course, the surrounding
country, to the minutest and most distan
thing, would be revealed. The spires Of tn
churches of Newark, eight miles of, W
could see more plainly than in broad day
light, and we noticed that as the horses face
the howling elements, their ears lay fla
upon their necks Between the flashes G
piercing, all-pervading light and the succeed
ing caps of thunder, the suspense and strai
upon the mind was terrible. We knew tina
it was coming so as to shake the very pillar
of the earth; but we rode on, and until
had ratified over our heads we were silen
Then, in the blank darkness, as we went
side by side, we would exchange caution
Neither could sec the other, nor hear tn
wheels nor the stride of the horses, by rel
son OF the wind and rain.
"Look out, Hiram" Spicsr would SO.
TOR we shall be into each other"
A few strides further on and would sir
out, "Take care, George you must be clo
to me-"
Now the noise of the wheels and the tran
OF the horses could not be heard In the ro
of the wind and the patter of the rain, al
yet our voices could be, and were. For
mile and half, in the very crater, as it wei
of the volcanic war of the skyey elemen
we went side by side. Then Dutchman Ii
ground. The track was clayeY, and he hf
ing on fiat shoes, began to slip and slide
every stride Americas gradually dr.
away from him, and when l reached
stand at the end of the second mile, st'
ped. have seen q great many sunni
storms in my life, and have been out in
a few of them, but of all that rememl
none quite equalled in terrific fury and aw
grandeur, that which burst over the 3ea'
Course just as we began that heat. Spi
says the same.