Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-08-10
THE ATHLETIC COUNTRYMAN.
HE RACES "JEs' FOR FUN"

THE ATHLETIC COUNTRYMAN.
HE RACES LES FOR FUN"
Day before yesterday q splendid
new race course down at Bridgewater
was formally christened by q trotting
match. The event drew a big crowd,
and that crowd separated they had
something interesting to think and
talk about Something not down in
the bill f; sOmethingunexpected-eYen
startling; something financially pain
full to many; something that caused
great inward grief.
! Between one Of the heats a green
| looking cOuntryman proposed q little
runnini match, 'Gesi for fun, you
/ know" To help the sport along he
didn't mind putting up ten TO twenty
dollars, if somebody would add q lit
tie to it. The proposition was eagerly
snapped up. Among the crowd were
two or three fellows who prided them
| selves on their wind and muscle.
One Of them was the runner BUTTER
FIELD, from Riehield Springs, who
had never been beaten. This young
man, with three Others, expressed
themselves eager for the fray, and
straightWay' stripped for the race.
The eountryman watched the pre-
paratiOns with satisfaction. This was
an exceedingly rural specimen, this
was. His WOolen breeches were
shrunken, while the "setp Of the arti-
cles was painfully awry. He wore q
badly "bOiled shirt" cOwhide shoes,
blue wOOlen stockings and a shocking
had hat. He was cOllarless, and his
beard was long, rough and ragged.
A few minutes before the racers
were ready, our rural friend startled
the crowd by proposing, in loud and
strong nasal tones, to run with the
rest.
''I swow, I b'lieve III put my foot
in this little gallOp, myself"
The announcement that the Yankee
intended 10 run with BUTTERFIELD
and the others created the richest
kind Of fun. The shouting and
laughter rather nettled Jonathan.
"Gol darn it, can run, ten ye. I
amt no bettin' man, but III lay you
fellers a dollar or so that I kin git by
this BUTTERFIELD and all the rest on
ye."
A dozen wallets were produced and
a dozen dollars were brandished by
/ the hackers Of BUTTERFIELD. The
eOuntryman recklessly(?) covered dol
lar for dollar until the sum Of $3.50
had passed from his pOcket-bOOk into
the hands Of several Stockholders.
But this was net all. When every
nevenn bet had been taken the eOun-
tryman amused himself by offering
odds Of two to one that he would win
the race. He found few takers- The
throng suddenly became suspicious.
They felt ''sOldn in advance OF any
positive evidence to that effect.
"Soldn they were. The country
man guessed he wouldn't run IN
"then trOwsers,n and so he stepped
out Of the YoOlen bags, disclosing a
sparkling pair Of silk flights y Shoes
and stockings came of next Beneath
them were displayed pair OF spiked
English racing shoes. The boiled
shirt and linen coat covered q hand
some jacket, and then, minus the
shocking bad hat, our green friend
announced himself likewise eager for
the fray. -
The match was q run Of twenty
rods, best two in three. 1t did not
disappoint the crowd to see the Yam
kee win the first heat. They were
prepared for the financial loss and
bore that Inward grief herOicaliy.
But it did interest them TO observe
the ease with which the deceitful fell
low ran away from his competitors
on the second trial. He skinned
along by great, easy strides, and after
winning with 3 big margin to spare,
jumped into the air with the ease and
grace Of a deer.
The "eountrymAn" was Mr.. ]. W.
COZARD, of Iowa, the champion run
ner of America. 1t Is but recently
that he met and defeated the best
known runners in the United States
at a grand trial on Long Island. he
was making a sojOurn in this vicinity,
was in Bridgewater on the day OF the
trOt and-and-the particulars need
not be repeated. His winnings, at
the least calculation, amounted 1880.
Subsequently he displayed some more
athletic accomplishment by jump
ing. In this he exeels, but warmed
by the episode Of the wOolen trowsers
and halfboiled shirt, nobody would
lay a cent that he cO1ldn't { clear ten
acre lot at a single bOund.-Utiea
Observer.