The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-02-04
Race EXTRAORDINARY.

Iexcited more than ordinary interest. II
was between fast trotting horse and
full grown hog, single heat-distance siz
! English miles--for wager of one theu.
sand guilders.
i The circumstances which led to thi:
unique trial of speed were as follows: Al
la sporting club at the Hague q young
member of the club expatiated upon the
!, beauty, symmetry and extraordinary
llspeed Of a trotting horse he had that day
purchased, expressing an eager desire Il
get up a match to prove the superior
lqualities of the horse. q gentleman en-
gagged at hand Of cards, but whose at
tention had been attracted by the ardent
land impassioned remarks said: "Come
don't be Dragging SO much about the
lswiftness of your horse, for I have . hog
(which for q triAing wager, / would moi
hesitate to run against him." Peals o.
laughter greeted this strange proposal to
lwhich-when partially subsided-the
owner of Grunty quickly interposed:-
l"Well, I now challenge to run my hog
Nero against that gentleman's fast trotteI
in harness, one straight heat, six English
miles, for one thousand dollars side"
ls'Done!'' "Done'' was the eager response
fof many voices. sProvided," the chal-
llenger resumed, athat the horse carry
1.-TWO persons, and that fourteen days time
be allowed me for the training of my an
imal." "Agreed" "Agreed" resounded
all round; for the joke was deemed too
novel to give it the go-by. 3si
Preliminaries being satisfactorily ar
ranged, and the stakes deposited, it was
agreed that the match should come off
that day, fortnight at IL o'clock A. NJ,
precisely; and the beautiful avenue from
the Hague to the seashore at Shevenin-
gen was selected as the course. The news
Of this extraordinary match for trial of
ispeed between fast tro..ing horse and q
Hull grown porker sped like wild fire, and
caused the most intense excitement, not
alone among the sporting circles, but
among the people generally-all eager to
see the fun. The day was anxiously
looked for and the training Of Nero be-
gan.
On the first day poor Nero was starved,
strict orders having been given by his
owner that no one should feed him, him
self attending to the matter. Nero was
pretty sharp set, when punctually at IL
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 persuasion all
the way over the course to Sheyeningen,
where he was fed upon a seanty meal Of
two herrings which Nero avenously de-
youred; after which he had to trotit back
again to 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 strict
est hog discipline to start him off when,
at IL o'clock his master presented him
self to drive him over the course After
a liberal application of the booted foot,
and little loud and angry discussion be-
tween the respective parties, they arrived
at their journeys end, where Nero was
lregaled on three herring, being one extra,
and which he ate voraciously IN double
quick time, looking for more but in vain,
He was then with much coaxing and
kicking, persuaded to resume the return
| trip homeward. and which was safely &C.
complished, although not without oppo-
sition, accompanied by vigorous squealing
and determined grunting on the part Of
Nero. m a
On the fourth day, punctually at II
o'clock, when his master presented him
self, Nero seemed to understand somewhat
the object of his calling be walks off not
with compulsion, but with alacrity, at a
good round pace, to get to his journeys
end, where his master regaled him not
alone with his coyeted dinner of three
herrings, but as reward Of his tracta-
lbility and good conduct, with one herring
extra. ard which Nero deyoured with in
credible velocity as soon as they came
within reach of his grinders.
d On the fifth day Nero was fnlly,up to-
the game, and his master had consi6era-
Bile difficulty in keeping up with him. At
Sheveningen the usual allowance, now of
| four herrings, were placed at his dispo
sal and disposed of by him in a short
time. e5sab IL 81 aeiiib NJ
On the day following aud up to the
race, his master had no further difficulty
with Mere but to keep up with lin, Ne
ro invariably taking the lead, although
on the return trips the same difficulties
always occurred A vigorous application
of the boot being in such cases the only
convincing argument with Nero, who
could never seethe point noreomprebend
1.-THE necessity Of this back track move
ment, and ever obstreperously squealed
and gruntcd his objections, rdeemiDg this
extra exercise probably superAuous to his
health, as he had never shown any signs
Iof dyspepsia or Indigestion. But be, that
as it may, Nero had to submit to strict
discipline, his master intending to train
him up to fame and renown.
On the ninth day Nero had become
perfectly trained, and having grown ex;
Itremely thin upon his scanty meal, now
ran like race horse, q yeritable Eclipse.
invariably distancing his. master who fol
lowed with fast trotting horse in har-
ness. Both exercise and diet were, how
} ever, strictly adhered to up to- the day
preceding the one on which the race wal
to come of, On, that the thirteenth day
as on the first day, poor Nero was agar
starved. At the usual hour of eleven hi.
master appeared, but Moro was doomed
to disappointment-no trot, no herrings
on that day. With eager eye and impa
itient Igrunt, he sigpifed his desire to be