The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-03
HOG AND HORSE RACE.

The most novel contest, probably,
that ever took place was race between
a fast trotting horse in harness and full
grown hog, which occurred ut the Hague.
The distance was six English miles, and
the purse one thousand guilders. The
circumstances that led to it, and the
race itself, are thus described:
At a sporting club of The Hague 4
member of the club expatiated upon the
beauty, symmetry and extraordinary
speed of a trotting horse he had that
day purchased, expressing an eager de-
sire to get up a match to prove the SUI
perior qualities of his horse. A gentle
man, engaged at hand of cards, but
whose attention had been attracted by
the ardent and impassioned remarks of
the speaker, quietly remarked Z: "Come
sir, don't be Dragging SO much about the
swiftpess of your horse, for have a pig
which, for trifiing wager, would not
hesitate to run against your horse"
Peals of laughter greeted this strange
proposal, to which when partially sub
sided, the owner of "Grunty" quietly
interpesed; 'Well, gentlemen, [ now
challenge to run my hog Nero against
that gentleman's fast trotter, in har-
ness, one straight heat, six English
miles, for one thousand guilders side"
Done done = was the eager response
from many voices "Provided," the
challenger resumed, s'the horse carry
two persons, and that fourteen days
time be allowed me for the training of
my animal" "Agreed !! agreed % re
sounded all around, for the joke was
deemed too good and to novel TO give
it the go-by.---.4--
Preliminaries being satisfactorily ar
ranged, and the stakes deposited, it
was agreed that the match should come
off that day fortnight, at eleven o'clock
A. NJ. precisely; and the beautiful ave
nue. leading from The Hague to the sea
shore at Scheveningen was selected as
the course. The news of this extraor
binary match for a trial of speed be-
tween fast trotting horse and full
grown porker spread like wildfire, and
caused the most intense excitement, not
alone in sporting circles, but among
the people geneFally-all eager to see
the fun. The day was anXiously look |
ed for, and the training of Nero began. |
On the first day poor Nero was starv-
ed, strict orders having been givN that |
no one should feed him, himself alone
attending to that matter. On the Sc
cond day Nero was pretty sharp set,
when, punctually at eleven O'Clock, his
master made his appearance. A rope
was securely fastened to one of his hind
trotters, and his master drove him, with
many kick and forcible persuasion, all
the way over the course at Schevenin-
gen, where he fed him on a scanty meal
of two herrings, which Nero ravenously
devoured, after which he had to trot it
back again to the Hague. 1t may be
proper here to remark that the hog
prefers fish to any other kind of food.
On the third day Nero felt perfectly
ravenous, but he had to bide his time,
and his master had to resort to the
hog discipline to start him off,
when, at II O'Clock, he presented him
self to drive him to the course. After
a liberal and energetic application of
the booted foot, and little loud and
angry discussion between the respective
parties, they arrived at their journeys
end, where Nero was regaled with three ,
herring, being one extra, and which he i
voraciously in double quick !
time, looking for more, but i'll vain. He '
was then, with much kicking and coax c
ing. persuaded to resume the return trip I
and which was safely ac-
although not without con- c
siderable opposition, accompanied by t
vigorous squealing and determined a
grunting on the part of Nero. t.. :,
On the fourth day, punctually at a
eleVen O'Clock, when his master present
ed hlmsel, Nero seemed to understand h
somewhat 80 the object of his calling. He
walked off not only without compul- P
SION, but with considerable alacrity, at e
good round pace to get to his Jour r,
hheeys end, where his master regaled z