The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1870-02-08

III always Ill lOI Olic dSdiiloI ufc,
spoke up another country looking fel
low, "and I'll put up thousand agir
five on Country's hoss"
''Have you any more to bet? p asked
still another. lt9
"Yes, I've got five thousand dollars,
was the reply, "and I'll stake half ont
in the same way"
The whole five thousand was wagered
in very short time, the owner receiving
the heavy odds we have named- -thirt,
thousand dollars being thus staked
against six thousand, that Country
horse was not to be the winner Of the
scrub race. This gave considerable i'm.
portance to the rustic strangers, and af
fordcd ample material for conversation
and mirth during the rest of the evening
We pass over the frstrace on the follow
ing day, which by a large number pres.
ent was regarded with much less interest
than the scrub affair which came after it.
When Country, among others, rode up
to take his place for the start, both rider
and horse looked so ungainly, awkward
and ridiculous in appearance,as to excite
shouts of laughter and derision from the
whole bedy of spectators,inc even
tue judges. The man was long haired
long legged, and sat on his skeleton OF
beast, that everybody expected to see
tumble down, with about the same un
easy grace as a boy on sharp rail, and
as he urged the animal up to the starting
point, with slap and jerk, it became .
question with the lockers on, whether
he would ever be able to get him into a
respectable hog gallop OF not. ar
"W hoa! dern yer?'' he cried, jerking
up the slim head Of the beast with his
tow lines; "now stand still, will yer -
Then glanciug around him with the all
of one wholly unconscious of being an
object of universal attention, mirth and
ridicule, he added in a loud, clear tone
''Ive got five hundred dollars yere that
II win this yere race and take this yere
.prizen'
He had scarcely done speaking when
gentleman stepped up and took the
bet.
A few minutes afterward the word was
given, and away bounded thirty or forty
horses on a four mile heat Country, as
every one expected, was the last to gel
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 major.
ity passed the judges stand, there was
one universal laugh; and some men, una
BILE to keep their feet, actually rolled or
the ground and held their sides.
"Who bets against country winning
the prize ?" said little, queer looking
man, edging himself in among the bet
ting fraternity.
Odds of a hundred to five were now
freely offered against the greenhorn, and
all were instantly taken by the queer lit
tie man, in any amounts proposers chose
to name.
Meantime the second mile was made,
and Country appeared to hold his own
The laughter was still general and very
hearty as be came kicking, Jerking aas
humping past The judges stand, but i
Was 4 goodideal less wild and boisterous
| than before.
The queer little man kept on taking al
the bets he could get, at whatever odd.
the parties chose to name, even going vi
from five against a hundred to fiv,
against fifty, thirty, twenty and ten. 4
few who remarked his confidence in th,
final success of Country, began to lool
grave and mistrust the whole affair rs
cmniug trick, though the suspicion wa.
excited too late to beo any value tt
them. F.,3,,
The third mile showed the horses wei
strung out, with Country quite near th'
hindmost, ane not any further from til,
foremost than during the first mile.
But as he passed the judges stand fol
the last miIe,a marked alteration was OBJ
served to come over him. He lifted his
hat and made a dignified bow TO til,
Judges, and waved his hand majestically
toward the spectators. Then settling
himself into an easy position in his clc
saddle, he drew up the reins after tht
manner of a finished equestrian, CAV,
his beast cne or two friendly pats on tht
neck, spoke two or three cheering words
in his ear, and flew away like wind.
70 the unbounded astonishment of th,
spectators in general, and the utter cha
grin of those who had staked theiI
money at heavy odds on the issue, thi.
awkward, slab-sided, hog >galloping crea
ture, now displayed the graceful speed
of the thorough, bred racer, and passing
the rear, he gradually came up TO tht
foremost, passed him with ease, steadily
increasing the distance between them
and finally drew up alone, at the end 0
the race, amid dealening cheers and thu
most uproarious excitement f
Itwas a terrible blow to the sporting
fraternity of that region, and many 0
them had reason to remember that day
through the rest of their lives. More
than a hundred thousand dollars changed
hands, and there were several who los
all they possessed, betting at foolisl
odds.
'rve heard that them laughs best who
laughs lastp' said Country, as he coolly
pocketed the ten thousand dollars which
had been staled against fifty hundred
"Tve got money now to buy another
hoss when this critter gins out, and ]
hope the next time you want to larf
you'll jist think of what you've made of
me, and you'll find it'll tickle yoa ;
heap" fs
1t turned out that Country and the
two men who had bet on his side, were
three noted jockeys from Texas, who
had previously arranged the scheme by
which they so suddenly amassed a for
tune Oh a small capital
COnundrums. sas
What does a telegraph operator dc