Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-03-17
THE GAZETTE
CEDAR FALLS, MARCH II, 1871.
The Unexpected Race.

persuasion, and very rigid In his
ideas of moral propriety. He had in
his employ an old negro named Pom
pey; aud If this latter individual was
not as strict In bis morals as his mas
ter, he was at least very cunning
dog, and passed in the reverend
household for pattern of propriety.
Pompy was useful servant, and the
old clergyman never hesitated to
trust him with the most important
business.
Now it so happened that there
were dwelling i'm and about the town,
sundry individuals who had not the
fear of the dreadful penalties which
Mr.. Ridewell preached about before
their eyes, for it was the wont of
these people TO congregation Sab
bath evening OH n level piece Of land
in the outskirts Of the village, and
there race horses. This spot was
hidden from view by q dense piece of
woods, aud for long while the Sun
day evening races were carried on
without detection by the officers or
those who might have stopped them.
1t also happened that the good old
clergyman owned one of the best
horses in the county. This horse was
of the Morgan stock, with mixture
of the Arabian blood in his veins,
aDd it was generally known that few
beasts could pass him on the road
Mr.. Ridewell, with a dignity becom.
ing his calling, stoutly declared that
the fleetness of his horse never af-
forded him any qualification, and
that for his own 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 to the good
cleryman's dwelling that he always
walked to meeting, and his horse was
consequently allowed to remain in
the pasture.
Pompey discovered that the races
were on the tapis, and he resolved to
enter his masters horse on his own
account, for be felt sure that old
Morgan could beat anything in the
shape of horse-flesh that could be
produced in that quarter. SO on the
very next Sunday afternoon he hid
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 congre-
gated. Here he found some dozen
horses assembled, and the racing was
about to commence. Pompey mount
ed his beast, and at the signal he
started. Old Morgan entered into
tie spirit of the thing, and came out
two rods aheBd of everything. So
Pompey won quite pile, and before
dark he was well initiated in horse
racing.
POmpey succeeded in getting home
without exciting any suspicious, and
he now longed for the next Sunday
to come, for he was determined to
try it again; he did so again, and
again he won; and this course of
wickedness he kept up for two
months, making his appearance on
the racing ground on every Sunday
afternoon, as 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, aid his every motion when
upon the track showed how zealously
he entered into the spirit of the
game.
But these things were not always
to remain a secret, One Sunday a
pious deacon beheId this racing from
n distance, and straightway went to
the parson with the alarming intelli-
gence. The Rev. Mr.. Ridewell was
utterly shocked. His moral feelings
were outraged, and he resolved at
once to put n stop to the wickedness.
During the week he made many in
quiries, and having learned that this
thing had been practiced all sum-
mer, on every Sabbath afternoon, he
bade his parishioners keep quiet, and
told them that on the next Sunday
he would make his appearance on
the very spot and catch them in their
deeds of iniquity.
On the following Sabbath, after
dinner Mr.. RideweIl ordered POM
pey to bring up old Morgan and put
him in the stable. The order was
obeyed, though not without many
misgivings Oh the part of the faith
full negro. AS soon as the afternoon
services were closed the two deacons,
and some others Of the members Of
the church, accompanied the minis
ter home with their horses.
"It Is the most fragrant piece of
abomination, that ever came under
my observation, said the indignant
clergyman as they rode on:
at is, most assuredly," answered
one Of the deaeons.
"Horse-racing OH the Sabbath ="
uttered the minister.
dreadful !" echoed the second
deacon.
And so the conversation went on
until they reached the top of gen.
tie emiuence which overlooked the
plain where the racing was carried
on, and where some dozen horsemen,
with score of lockers on, were as
sembled. The sight was one which
thrilled the good parson to his soul.
He remained motionless until he had
made out the whole alarming truth.
Now, my brothers," said he, "let
us ride down and confront the
wretches. and If they will fall down
upon their knees ana implore Gods
mercy, and promise to do SO no more,
we will not take legal action against
them, o, that my own land should
be desecrated /" for indeed it was O
section of his own farm.
AS the good clergyman thus spoke
he started ON toward the scene. The
horses of the wicked men were Just
drawing up for start as the minis
ter approached, and some of the rid
ers who at once recognized old
MORGAN y did not recugnize the re.