The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1867-12-05

~ A. 9 sporting club at the Hague a
young. member expatiated upon
ehebeaaty; symmatry 1ad extraordinary
aPeeanf sdrotting horse he had that
IAay pnych9.sed, expressing an eager de-
dailc ~ to get up match to prove the
superior qualities of his horse. : a gen
'tleranieugaeed At . handass cards, but
whose lttaPtiea1 bad been attracted hy
atEhle athe' sardent. young, man remarked !:
81 s.sCome, s4: don't be Dragging SO much
about the swiftness Of your horse, for l
have pig, which, for triA'ng wager,
, would not hesitate to run against youv
hors se;"', Peals Of laughter greeted this
strange proposal, to which-when parti-
ally subsided-the owner Of "Grunty." !"
Quietly iatesposed,: :2"Well, ge.tlemea,
L now challenge to run my hog, Nero,
against th.t, geqtlemap's fast trotter il,
harness, one Straight beat, SIX English
miles, 'for one Thousand guilders a side"
;"DousH's ':Dona -: was the eager re-
'spoose.. ,"Provided,"p the challenger re-
fsn1n ned, "that the horse carry two per-
sons: and that fourteen days' time be
allowed me- for training my animal:'
"Agreaa ':Agreed r. F'zresounded all
round foro the sjuke was deemed :, too
good and too novel to give it the go-by.
Z Prelimlnaries being s1t1> tatc:tor1ly ar
ranged, and the stakes deposited, It was
agreed that the match should come of
thai day fortnight at eleven o'clock. A.
NJ. precisely; AM the beautiful avenue
leading from the Hague to.the sea-shore
At Scheveningen was selected as the
course The news Of this extraordinary
match for trial OF speed between a fast
trotting horse and tull. grown porkcr,
spread like wildfre and caused the most
intense excitement, not alone in sport
ing circles but among the people yener-
ally-all eager to see the fun The da,
was anxi9usly looked for, and the tirai.,
ing Of Nero began.
% Onthe first day POOR Nero was starved,
strict orders having been given by his
owner. that no one shoult feed him,
himself alone attending to that mat er.
On the second day Nero was pretty
sharp set; when punctually at eleven
o'clockahis master made his appearance.
A rope vas securely fastened to Que Of
tbs hind trotters, and his master drove
him, with. many a kick and forcible
persuasion, all the way over The course
to Soheveningcn, where he fed him up-
on aseaaty meal of two herrings,; which
Nero nyspouely ;devoured after which
he had 70 trot it back 70 Hague. 1t NAV
be proper here to remark that the hoy
prefers fish to any Other kind of food.
& On the third day y'Nero felt perfectly
raYepous, but be; had to bide his time,
and his master had to resort to the
strictest hog discipline to start him OF.
when, IT. eleven O'Clock, he presented
himsif TO drive him over the course
After liberal sud energetic application
of PIE hooted foot, and a little loud aud
*oery discussion between the respective
parties, they arrived at their journeys
end, where Nero vas egaIed With three
helriugs, being one extra, and which he
despateked voraciapsly iu double-qu,ck
time, looking for more, but IN vain
He vas then, with much coaxing aud
kicking, persuaded 70 resume the return,
Tip homswsrd, and which was safely
acso1Plish1d; although not without
considktEable. oppoeition, accompanied By
vigorous squealing, aud determined
grtdi6s. on The part Of Nero III -
On'the 6onrth day, punctual,y at
eleven o'clock, when his masts present.
ed himself, Nero seemed to understand
somewhat the object Of his calling he
walked of not only without compuls,on,
but With cousidenbleala At a good
round paoe, to get to his journeys end,
where his:master regsled him net alone
wit his coveted dinner. OF three her,
rings, but as reward for his tractability
and good conduct, With. one herring ex.
tn, aud which Nero devo1red with in.
credible velocity q soon as they came
within reach Of his grinders. se
Oh the fifth day Nero was fully up to
the game, aud his master experienced
copsiderable difficulty TO- keep up With
hih. At Scheveningen the usual allow
|auce, nov, Of four heriings was placed
It biz disposal aud disposed of BY him
in, short metre. .tr : ....s ..
On tho following days, and up to the
time Of the race, his nssser had no fur.
theri difficulty With Nero but to keep:up.
~ith him ;;aNeso ios ariAbly taking the
LEAD. although on his return trips the
same dif6Sukies always srecurred. A
rigorous application aot boots was in
such case tho only convincing argument
with, Nero, who never could see the
point nor Comprehend the necessity Of
this back track movement, and ever ob.
streperoualy sqaea(eh and granted his
,ebjections. .deemins this, extra exercise
probably superfuous to hia- health, as
be had never shown any ant|y signs Of either
dyspepsia or indigestion. But; Re that;
.s i, may, Nnfo, had to submit, to strict
dise'pline, his, master; Intending to thus
train him up to fame md resG4wn,
q On't6c ninth day Neto had become
.pfdsstlJ 'ssiasd, md havias srownez