The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-17
FIRST DAT OF TIE AUGUST MEETING.
Brilliant Assembling -Fine RaciBg-SpIen-
did Time and a C!oriOns Days
Sport in General.
Hunter 8 Traver's TwO-Year-OId Colt
Beats Cameron's Filly In the $4,000
Match, Harry Bassett Wins the
Kenner Stakes, Hamburg the
Summer Handicap and Or.
tolan the Three-Quar-
tiers Of q Mile Dash.

ters Of Mile Dash.
SARATOGA August l6, l ST..
-his has been O great day at Saratoga for IN
horsemen ana fashion votarles The magnificent
success Of the first OF the races has astonished
everybody and setthe village agog In every hotel.
from the palatal Broadway to the less
prctentiOus on side streets, and from every sweet
cottage. embowered In groves OF silver naples, to
every owly hut the outskirts, there were tokens
OF preparation and din OF gathering OF the FORCES
shat arerward were seen on the course and stands
Mind you 1t often experienced In this retreat that
your wanto-be odd people who stay away from the
track are very numerous They affect contrariness,
and once say horse TO Them and they'll tell you
they would rather enter a lunatc asylum than go |
through The ordeal Of dressing for the din and con.
fusion OF q drive and O race.
But to-day there Is revolution in this respect.
Big anG little, lazy ana active alike made up their
minds TO give the meeting huge send-on, and they
have done II gorgeously and splendidly. Icould see
they meant last night, and just after twilight had
ushered in the night and the stars OF heaven en-.
desvored Intellectually to outshine the brilliant ten
Thousand lights pendant from balconies and plazzas,
the great crowds Of visitors began TO promenade
and talk Of the contests OF to-day Hour after hour
lhe JareOn OF voices went on and, while the streets
echoed the pleasurable expectancy Of the several
struggles, away back In rear buildings and
down In Easements The venturesOme were assem-
bed to lay their dollars favorites. In all my pre-.
vious experience at this gay watering place the
scene OF last night excelled in beauty and variety
every other occasion 1t seemed like picture In
Sairyland, and, in the words OF young lady walk.
IDg with man famous for his mammoth side wills.
hers and lemonade EXPRESSION In front OF the
Grand Union, must declare 1t was ev'nly.n
Not alone was Broadway, from the Mar
Ill that is high-tohed In man and ''ev'nlyr
IN woman kind. but the quiet hooks, the
exquisite little cottages were surrounded by their
own people, and The night air in these streets-at
aimes like unto the stiffness OF deatn-was exqui.
sely broken by the strains Of music Ddden to rise
by jewelled hands. At mine O'Clock left the army
OF pr0menaders and nlrters in the centre OF the VII
aage, and, like spoOk, walked about the quiet ave-
Oues 10 breathe more ircely and get away for time
from the excitement and hustle OF thousands. Five
minutes walk and l found myself listening to
the grand symphony of sacred music which
one household thought better TO indulge
In than that Of the lighter notes Of the dance and
sentimental song. On the next block the scene
liahts stood back IN the yard and from paIlor and
piazza gushed ripping laughter ana CHEEKY music.
woman with stately forms in the wide parlors' and
you almost had the mpertinence to stop aud listen
70 the unctous rendering OF that Old Niger song
Railroad R.eamboat. river and canal.
R.,S01 Sss river river and and canal
S Sssl X 4 $50 's'' clean zone ' Nv '''' '
mn: me- and Tux Tux %s BY sy Dc s
He hue.'d me, he kss'd nc, and tux me BY de ham,
ana s sad was de nc,ss poosess little sr IA all the LAM
Who can doubt they were not happy And Sara.
toga last nigut one and ALL expressed by voice and
ceniay Of soul One could not grow morose UNI Un
Der us lnnue0ceS.
scores o. private equipages IN all the glory Of their
trappings and haminercloths, with fOotmen and
oq so and asmSs ws Oss
ronches, farm wagons, carryaiis ana every other
sort o. vehicle under heaven conveying loads OF
dressed IN silks, while others were In
ne norespun gar6 o. farmers me or VINO nave
latter stayed over from attending the;circus yeser
DAY ana mad their best Clothes on the girls Of the
Il they didn't wear the ripperies OF their more
My companion to the course was nne laxative
Old boy from Williamsburg, who has not missed
.'WonderIu thing race horse sir.n
Eyes SIR, and draws big crowds"
And many queer Ieople-and won't you look
across the street; don't you see that fellowfr
faced young man with spectacies ana In black
Ciothes-a most interesting person-looking your
ministerial genius and every talented young
paD."
y knew that fellow few years ago in an eastern
city. He was noted lawyer and had one Of the
Finest OF practices, was conrtAd by the most in.
Nucnslal and esteemed by ali. NOW what do you
suppose he isf'
'San't tell yOu."
'.He's second gambler and lives by his wits.
HIS friends have shaken him, and many times that
chap would eat his meal from the counter Of a cor
Aer grocery II the proprietor would let him. Such
wrecks are common among summer crowds and
Sins one carries q lesson with it: But am not
m0raZinE my boy. But here we are AZ the course.
LOOK around" DO SO as my friend goes over to
tic poo box.
Every foot OF space Is crowded, packed and
jammed with bodies and faces, and what fine
looking and Jovial set Look at the grand stand
just now never saw more beautiful assemplage
vi women together In nv lie than looking
Gown upon the course, and the gallant horses being
led TO and fro by stable boys black night They
have come expecting to witness fine racing and
they Will see II. There are miiionnalres In aound
by the score; politicians by the Dozen and blush
rug, gigglng girls. now and again hiding their
faces with elaborate pocket handkerchles, IN many
groups
Win STRIKING II not regularly handsome features.
gney have aces that forcibly remind you OF an old
fashioned chubby street dooi-knocker, ball man,
hal monkey, and perhaps the comparison might he
exnnded to their whole character and converse
uCn. Then Ielowsh stand still when everybody
start new idea. but II a Commonplace topic is
broached and they are Lifted mp 10 the standard.
are plenty Of tuese exceedingly vain and nordi.
natey selfish chaps on the stand. They are always
In Saratoga, and somehow or ano,ier-its past
my Gndina out--they have acqulr, the reputation
OF being the very nlnks o. poltenessi but great
Then, there ! see gifted lady, as beautiful IS
EvangelIDc. from New York; another by her side,
from Richmond, full OF esprit; and stlll another
silver haired madam, from New Orleans; and still
vet another elegant daughter OF New York State,
that turned the neads Of haf the senate and House
III Washington TWO winters since might con.
doom" should ] give ali the notapies within my
VISION Just now.
ecoop In the crowd down where my friend is gone
and old Jimmy MCGOWAN and Doct Underwood are
dispensing tner llttlc cards by the score, you WILL
Gee many eccentric characters ana men OF note
That maD-brOn2ed-iaced man, with bald head
and bun vest, standing against the judges stand
taking with Dosweli-is Colonel Bassett OF New
knala linhfu