Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1871-03-01
AN UNEXPECTED RACE

In one of the large towns of Worchester
county, Massachusetts, used to live clergy
man whom We will call Ridewell. He was
of the Baptist persuasion, and very rigid in
his ideas Of moral propriety. He had in
his employ an old negro named Ponpey :;
and if this latter individual was not so strict
as his master, he was at least a very cunning
dog, and he passed in the reverend house
hold for a pattern of propriety. Pompey
was useful servant, and the old clergyman
never hesitated to trust him with the most
importa mt business.
Now it so happened that there were,
dwelling in and out Of the town, sundry in
dividuals who had not the fear of the dread
full penalties which Mr. Ridewell preached
about, before their eyes, for it was the wont
of these people to congregate on Sabbath
evenings upon level piece Of land in the
outskirts of the village and there rae hor-
ses. This spot was hidden from view by q
dense piece of woods and for long time
the Sunday evening races were carried on
there without detection by the officers, or
those who might have stopped them.
1t also happened that the good old clergy
man owned one of the best horses in the
country This horse was of the Morgan
stock, with a mixture of the Arabian blood
IN his VEINS and it was generally known that
few beasts could pass him on the road. Mr..
RidewelI, with dignity becoming his call
ing stoutly declared that the aeetness of
ii
tion and that for his own part he would as
lief have any other. Yet money could not
buy his Morgan, nor any amount OF argu-
ment persuade him to swap.
The church was so near to the good cler-
gyman' dwelling that he always walked to
meeting and his horse was consequently al
lowed to remain in the pasture.
Pompey discovered that the races were on
the tapis and he resolved to enter his mas
ter's horse on his own account, for he felt
in the shape of horse flesh that could be
produced Ill that quarter. So on the very
Eext Sunday afternoon he hid the bride un-
der his jacket, went out into the pasture and
caught the horse and then rode toward the
sp1, were the wicked ones were conGregated.
Here he found some dozen horses assembled
and the racing was about to commence.
POmpey mounted his beast, and at the sig
nal he started. Old Morgan entered into
the spirit of the thing, and came out two
rods ahead of everything. So Pompey won
quite pile, and before dark be was well in
liIated IN horse racing.
Pompey succeeded in getting home with
out exciting any suspicious, and be now
longed for the next Sunday afternoon to
come, for he was determined to try it again.
lie did 90 again, and again he won and
this course of wickedness he kept up for
months making his appearance on the ra-
eng ground every Sunday afternoon soon
as he could after meeting was out" And
during this time Pompey was not the only
one who had learned to love the racing. No,
for old Morgan himself had learned to love
the excitement of the thing, too and his
every motion when upon the track, showed
how zealously he entered into the spirit of
the game.
Luz 'ue>e tnings were nut al"aSs W le
main secret. One Sunday, a pious deacon
oeheId this racing from a distance and
stfaIghtway went to the parson with the
alir ming intelligence.
The Rev. Mr. Ridewell was utterly shock
ed His moral feelings were outraged, and
ne resolved at once to put stop to the wick
edness. During the week he made many
ieaulries, and he learned that this thing had