The Republican journal., 1869-11-25
THE JOCKEYS TRICK.
BY f. BENNETT,

from unknown quarters-gentleman, jockeys,
sporting men, gamblers, pick-pockets ant
thieves-all hoping to profit by an occasion
Of so much public Importance. The two
inns in the place were doing a tremendous
business in their small way, and the landlords
were secretly rubbing their hands and chuck
ling over the prospect of getting rid of a
large quantity of bad liquor at an immense
profit, to say nothing of crowded tables, two
! Late in the afternoon, when the piazza of
one of these inns was filled with miscella-
neous crowd of all the different classes NAM
ed-some discussing the qualities and merits
of the entered horses others booking bets,
and others devising and perfecting plans for
| fleeing and robbing the inexperienced and
unwary-the attention Of all was attracted to
a green-looking countryman who was mount
ed on q skinny, long -neched, sharp-boned,
rough-haired horse, with an old toggled up
saddle under him and hempen strings for
bride reins who was shouting Landlord" +" ut
the top Of his lungs, Notwithstanding two
negro boys were ready, as they expressed it
''to glib dc gemman's hoss de best feed dat
dar animile had cher saw" A loud and gen.
eral laugh FROM the amused spectators was
Country" as several had already dubbed the
rustic stranger, and in the midst of the new
excitement the inn keeper made his appear
ance and inquired what was wanted.
"D'ye see this yere hoss?" said Country.
Reckon | does see so'thing as has a hOssy
look, facetiously replied the landlord, with
q sly wink at the spectators, who responded
with regular shout.
"Wall, landlord" pursued Country AS he
deliberately dismounted, II don't keer moth
ing at all about myself but this yere critter
must be took kcer on, and the best keer that
can be gin'him bekase I'm agwine to put him
on the race-course to run agin all scrubs to-
morror, and wants him rubbed down beau
tiful, and fed up..to the lions strength; don't
keer q dern about myself amt nowhar
from a billed tater to a turkcy-I ken sleep
anywllar, from the cellar to the garnet; but
I'm agwine to 60 my pile on this yere hoss,
and wants him to have good keer."
These lnJunctionS were given in tone loud
enough for all to hear, and were received
with shouts and screams of laughter. Coun-
try merely cast q contentious look at the
srnetators and thor quietly ,oinarkeu w tlic
host that he would go along with the boys
and see justice done to his '.hoss."
The main race of the following day was to
be succeeded by scrub race, in which any
one could join on payment of the entrance
fee, and this Country was prompt to do, to
the great delight of these who were bent on
amusement as well as speculation. Consid-
eriag him a fit subject for sport and ridicule,
quite a crowd collected around him in the
evening, and teazed, quizzed and bantered
him in all sorts of ways.
How much is that animal of yours worth?''
inquired one with very serious, speculative
look.
81 don't know-rve never set no price on
to hm 3' as seriously replied Country.
Don't you want to sell him?"
''Rayther 'spect don't''
GLOW fast can he trot or run?" enquired
another.
Don't know that-but l guess about as
goods anything you've got in these parts"
Couldn't 60 mile in minute could hep
Don't know bout that!" answered Coun-
try, with a look of serious calculation that's
purity fast Amt it?"
Rather
81 never tried him that quick that fur"
paused the other; ''but l spun him over a
hundred rods onct, on a straight road, and ]
thought the scalp was comm right off the
top of my head, did"'
''Doyou expect to win the race Tomorrow"
inquired third.
"Well, yes, that's what 'spects to do--ei
| didn't what did | pay my money and go in
for2"
Sure enoughr'
"Maybe you'd like to bet something on it?"
said one who had thus far taken no part in
the conversation.
'Wall, yes, l don't keer, if | kin get IN
even thing" replied Country.
''What do you call an even thing?"
why, you see, stranger, my hoss'll have
to take his chance agin all the other hosses-
say thirty of lem and ef bet he'll win,
ought to have thirty to one-hadn't l now
heY?"
eff your horse were an ordinary one. per
haps that might be fair" answered the other
''but the beast that can run your scalp off il
il hundred rods, ought to beat anything anc
everything in these parts
YOU'RE right thar. stranger laughed
Country; you're right thar-and, atween
me and you, he's agwin to do it-but you see
tho knows that myself, it would look rather
green for me to bet even-wouldn't it
heya"
'Well, perhaps it would. Suppose then
offer you odds ?-say two to one?'
''For how much ?'
ooh, as much as you like
"Reckon it wouldn't pay" replied Country
after serious calculation counting up on
his fingers. "No two to one wouldn't do. I'd
want as much as five to one.''
| w eli, suppose We say HVc 10 one then :
rejoined the other; 'anything for a bet ~
'Ive got thousand dollars I'll put up al
that y said Country.
Ozone then !" cried the other, highly de
lighted that he had secured what he regarded
as safe bet, where he had only expected tc
have a little Improbable badinage.
Perhaps you've got another thousand tc
bet in the same way9n said another of the
lparty.
"No l haint!" replied Country ''that's
about all fotched with me, 'cept a little puss
to pay expenses out of, ef | lose"
I'm almost alays in for one agin fve,' y
spoke up another country looking fellow,
''and I'll put up a thousand agin five on
Country's hoss''
Have you any more to bet," asked still
another
Eyes I've got five thousand dollars" was
the reply, "and I'll stake the hull ont in the
same way"
The whole five thousand was wagered in ;
very short time, the owner receiving the
heavy odds we have named-thirty Thousand