Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-07-06


How a Minister was Made 60 PART
cipate i'm a Horse Race ON sun
day.
| In one of the largest towns of Worces
ter county, Massachusetts, used to live
clergyman whom we viii call Ridewell
He was Of. the Baptist persuasion, ana
very rigid in his ideas of moral propriety
He had in his employ an old negro named
Pompey; and if this latter individual
| was not as strict in his morals as his
master, he was at least q very cunning
dog, and passed in the reverend house,
hold as pattern of propriety. PompeJ
was useful servant, and the old clergy.
man never hesitated to trust him with tht
most important business.
Now, it so happened that there were
dwelling inland about the town sundry In
dividuals who had not the fear of the
dreadful penalties which Mr.. Ridewell
preached about before their eyes, for il
was the wont of these people to congre
gate on Sabbath evening on level piece
of land on the outskirts of the village,
with their race horses. This spot was
hidden from view by a dense piece of
woods, and for long while the Sunday
evening races were carried on without de-
lection by the officers or those who might
hsve stopped them.
1t also happened that the good old cler-
gyman owned one of the best horses in
the country. This horse was of the Nor
gan stock, with mixture of the Arabian
blood in his veins, and it was generally
understood that sew beats could pass him
on the road. Mr.. Ridewell, with dig
nifty becoming his calling, stoutly declared
that the flee.ness of ais horse never af,
forded him any qualification, and that for
his part he would as lief have any other.
Yet money could not buy his Morgan, nor
any amount of argument persuade him to
swap.
The church was so near the good cler-
gyman's dwelling that he always wa ked
TO meeting, and his horse was conse-
quently allowed to remain in The pasture.
Pompey discovered that the races were
on the taps, and he resolved to enter his
masters horse on his own account, IS he
felt sure that Morgan could beat any
thing in the shape of horse-fesh that
could be produced in that quarter. So
on the very next Sunday afternoon he
had the bride under his jacket, and went
out into the pasture and caught the horse,
and then off toward the spot where the
wicked ones were congregated. He
found some dozen horses assembled, and
after the racing was about to commence,
Pompey mounted his beast, and at the
signal he started. Old Morgan entered
into the spirit of the thing, and came out
two rods ahead of everything. So Pom
pey won quite pile, and before dark he
was well initiated in horse racing.
Pompey succeeded in getting home
without exciting any suspicion, and he
now longed for the next Sunday to come,
for he was determined to try it again he
did so again, and again won; and this
course of wiekedness he kept up for two
months, making his appearance on the rae
ing ground every Sunday afternoon, as soon
as he could after meeting was out. And
during is 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 of2the game.
But these things were not always to re-
main secret. One Sunday pious dea-
con beheld this racing from distance,
and straightwsy he went to the parson
with the alarming intelligence. The Rev.
Mr.. Ridewell was utterly shocked. His
moral feelings were outraged, snd he re-
solved at once to put stop to the wick.
edness. During the week he made many
inquiries, and having learned that this
thing had been practiced all summer on
every Sabbath afternoon, he babe his
parishioners keep quiet, and told them
that on the next Sunday he would make
his appearance OF the very spot, aDd
catch them in their deeds of iniquity.
On the following Sabbath, after dinner
Mr.. Ridewell ordered Pompey to bring
up old Morgan and put him in the stable
The order was obeyed, though not with
out many misgivings on the psrt of the
faithful negro. As soon as the afternoon
services were closed, the two descons anC
some others of the members of the church
accompanied the minister home with
their horses.
SIT is the most fragrant piece of sbomi.
nation that ever came under my obserYa.
tion," said the indignant clergyman a:
they rode or.
SIT is, most sssuredly," answered one
of the descons.
'tHorse racing on the Sabbath" uttered
the minister.
''Dreadfulin echoed the second Dea,
con.
And so the conversation went on until
they reached the top of a gentle eminence
which overlooked the plain where the IA,
cling was carried on, and where some
dozen horses with score of lookers-on
were assembled. The sight was one
which thrilled the good pBrson to hi
soul. He remained motionless until ht
had made out the whole alarming truth
Snow, my brothers," said he, 'let III
| ride down and confront the wretches
| and if they will fall down upon theil
knees and implore Gods mercy, and
| promise to do 50 no more, we will not
take legal action against them. o, that
my own land should le desecratedl" fol
indeed it was q section of his own farm.
As the good clergyman thus spoke, he
started on toward the scene. The horse:
of the wicked men were just drawing "
| for start as the minister approached
and some of the riders who at once re,
cognized sold Morgan" did not recog
nize the reverend individual who rode
him.
'SWicked men?" commenced the par.
son, as he came near enough for his voice
to be heard, ''children of shame"
"Come on old h0ss," cried one of the
jockeys, turning toward the minister.
IF you are in for a race, you must stir
your stumps. Now we gol"
''Alasl y, my wicked -
"An ready" shouted he vino led in
the affair, cutting tine minister short,
Sand off it is.
And. the word for parting was given.
Old Morgan knew that word too well, for
no sooner did it fall upon his ears than
he stuck Otit his nose, and with one wild
snort he started, and the rest of the "a
GERS, twelve in number, kept him COM
pany.
"Whoal whoai" cried the parson at the
top of his voice.
'sBy the powers, old fellow, you're a
keen one,n shouted one of The wicked
men, who had thus far managed to keep
close by the. side of the parson. ''You
ride well