The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-05-15

expected to have little Improbable baC
image.
"Pcrhaps you've got another thousan
to bet in the same way 2" said another {
the party.
mo, / haint" replied Country; "that'
about all ] fotched with me, 'cept littl
puss to pay expenses out ef / lose"
''I'm almost al'ays in for one agin five,
spoke up another country. looking fellow
"and I'll put up thousand agin five Of
Country's hoss !"
"Have you any more to bet ?" aske'
still another.
"Yes, I've got FIVE thousand dollars,
was the reply, and I'll stake the hull on
in the same way.
The whole five thousand was wageret
in very short time, the owner receiving
the heavy odds We have named-thlrt,
thousand dollars being thus staked agains
six thousand that Country's horse woul'
not be the winner Of the scrub race
This gave considerable importance TO tn
rustic strangers, and afforded ample ma
tcrial for conversation and mirth durin;
the rest Of the evening.
We pass over the first race on the fol
lowing day, which by large number o
those present was regarded with mucl
less interest than the scrub affair which
came after it. When Country, among
others, rode up to take his place for th'
start, both rider and horse looked so IN
calmly, awkward, and ridiculous in ap
pearance, as to excite shouts Of laughter
and derision from the whole body Of spec
tators, including even the judges. The
man was long-haired and long legged, and
sat on his skeleton Of beast, that every.
body expected to see tumble down, with
about the same uneasy grace as boy on
sharp rail; and as he urged the animal
up TO the starting point with kick, a slap
and jerk, il became question with the
Iookers-on, whether he would ever be
able to get him into respectable hog
gallop or not.
"Whoa dern YER !" he cried, at length,
jerking up the slim head of the beast with
his tow lines; "now stand still. will yer 7"
Then eiancing around him with the air OF
one wholly unconscious of being an OBJ
iect Of universal attention, mirih and rid
icule, he added in loud, clear tone
"I've got five hundred dollars yere that
I'll bet agin Eve thousand that I'll win
this yere race and take the prize p
He had scarcely done speaking when a
gentleman stepped up aud took the bet
A few minutes afierwnrd the word was
given, and away bounded thirty or forty
horses on four mile heat Country, as
everybody expected. was the last TO get
his skinny beast under full headway and
then, notwithstanding his kicks, slaps and
jerks, he gradually lost ground against all
the rest and when the majority passed
the judges stand, making ;ne first mile,
he was alone, pounding away for dear
are, and just entering on the last quarter.
When he, in turn, passed the judges
stand, there was one universal laughter /;
and some men, unable to keep their feet,
actually rolled on the ground and held
their sides.
"Who bets again Country winning the
prize ?" said little, queer-looking man,
edging himself in among the sporting fra
ternity.
Odds Of q hundred 10 FIVE were now
freely offered against the greenhorn, and
all were instantly taken by the queer lit
tic man, in any amounts proposers chose
TO name.
Meantime the second mile was made,
aud Country appeared TO hold his own.
The laughter was still general and hearty,
as he came kicking, jerking and thump-
ing past the judges stand, but it was a
good deal less wild and boisterous than
before.
The queer little man still kept on TAX
ing all theahcts he could get, at whatever
odds the INT parties chose to name,
even goi il rom tive against hundred
to FIVE agalnst fifty, thirty, twenty and
ten. A few who remarked his confidence
in the final success of Country, began to
look grave, and mistrust the whole affair
for cunning trick, though the suspicion
was excited too late TO be of any value to
them.
The third mile showed the horses well
strung out, with Country quite near to
the hindmost, and not any farther from
the foremost than during the first mile.
But as he passed the judges stand for
the last mile, marked alteration was OBJ
served to como over him, He lifted his
hat and made digni6ed bow to the
judges and waved his hand majestically
toward the spectators. Then settling
himself into an easy position in his old
saddle. he drew up the reins, after the
manner OF i finished equestrian, gave hi
beast one or two friendly pats on the neck
spoke two or three cheering words in hi
ear, and few away like the wind.
TO the unbounded astonlshment of th'
spectators in general, and the utter cha
grin of those who had staked their none,
at heavy odds on the issue, that thin
awkward, slabsided, hog. galloping beast
now displayed the graceful speed of tn
thoroughbred racer; and passing one a
ter another of the horses in the rear, h
gradually came up to the foremost, passe
him with ease, steadily increased the di
tanee between them, and finally drew u
alone, at the end of the race, amid dea
ening cheers and the most uproarior
excitement.
1t was terrible blow to the sportin
fraternity of that region, and many
them had reason to remember that de
through the rest of life. Moro than
hundred thousand dollars changed hand
and there were several who lost all tht
! possessed, betting at foolish odds
6 I've heerd tell that them laughs be
g who laughs last !" said Country as he coo