The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1869-09-11
An Exciting Race.

~ The topic Of conversation today in
sporting circles is che race of yesterday !.
over the Guinotte track. Il is a story too
good to keep, but out Of pure esympathy
for the laeerutcd feelings of y dozen gen
tlcmen who thought they knew thing
or two about horscs-but were badly
pickedrup by a greeny yesterday 1we
WORT give the names Of the sufferers.
The race last Wednesday afternoon
was attended by quite a number .ffpr,
this city and elsewhere. Among those
present was an old and seedy-looking
farmer from near Richmond, Ray coun-
ty. Along the fence he had three lank,
rawboned horses tied After the adver-
tised races were concluded the aged agri-
culturalist was bantercd to put up some
money on one of his plugs" and so
help to get up "scrub race" He re-,
piled that he believed that animal, point
ing to an old mare who stood with her
head down and half asleep, could run
pretty tolcrable well it she was TRAINED ''
But" said he, "shcs been at work all
spring and summer, and amt fit to run
now"
While several sports were trying to
cajole the old fellow into wager, an
other party slipped around to the rear of
the stable where stood Punch avery
fleet goer for a race of 300 yards.L
Punch is. in fact, one of the fastest races
for short distance that is to be found
in the State. The blanket was stripped
from the nag, an old rope halter, torn
bride, aud halfworn saddle put on him,
, and he was quietly led short distance
and tied 10 fence.
After considerable talk, the veteran
son Of the soil burst out with the propo
sition to bet s25 that his mare could
beat any other ordinary horse on tho
groufId. He was then taken to where
Punchlwos tied, saw that the ANNUAL
looked 70 be anything but a horse, ,ekept1
ior racing, and expressed himsslf satist.,
fed 10 run his marc against ..that air
scsse If - s1is &
han duzeu offers ia pilt grecnbacks s
against his old nag were offered. The
farmer, who appeared to l,sc all his wits.
took up the bets one after another till
he had stakcd $3.50 against an equal
amount put up by several parties, in
sums IF from sl0 to $50
1t was agreed to postpone the race till
yesterday afternoon. The ports" of
this town rode back to the city in high
glee. They had sure thing ON til 1
confidins old rustic, they thought, and
INDUCED among themselves in all sorts
of witticisms over his simplicity.
When the time for the race occurred
the foolish farmer Was promptly on hand.
Again he was tempted to stake more
money, and he rccklcssly plunged down
into the depths of his pockets after
greenbacks, until he wagered 81 500.
Sums of $500 and less amounts had been
staked by the knowing ones of this
town chucklei over the soft thing"
they had secured, until the entire pile of
the "greenhorn" had been covered
The word to go was given amid the
wild shouts and loud laughter of the
hackers Of Punch" go it, old sor-
rel )" Hurry up that mare." and
other jeering expressions passed from
mouth to mouth.
The "old sorrel !" did just more than
hurry up. She shot ahead of the racer
Punch" kept the lead easily and came
in the winner BY forty feet
Well, wasn't that a sick crowd of
sporting men, as the old .'greenhorn'
received the fifteen hundred dollars he
had won? Shouldn't wonder. And
when they rode away from the track
yesterday afternoon did they s'cacklc"
to any perccptiblc dcgreey Scarcely.
The nice trap they had fixed for the old
man didn't catcli him, but he worked
out his own little game most beautifully.
-Kansns Cfiy BuHe,in.