The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-08-13
THE LAY OF TIE HARPER.
Queer Ways OF Longssllow's Master.

correspondent, writing from Long Branch
in relation to the celebrated race horse Long
fellow and ''Old John Harper" his owner,
| says:
The great race horse which has this season
created more sensation Than any racer In
America ever created before will soon leave
the racing grounds forever and adopt lie OF
pampered ease at his home In the blue grass
region of Kentucky. To-day young Frank
Harper left the park on the evening train for
New York, en- route for Saratoga, to bring
LOngtellow to "Uncle" Johns stables prepara-
tory to the journey home on Friday or Satur-
day. Frank says that the famous horse is
irretrlevably broken down and will never
again make his appearance in public. ne
will be brought here 80 that he may be put on
the same car with the other horses belonging
to old John Harper and carried direct without
subsequent transhipment to his home. he
will be used probably next year for stock prr-
poses.
1 had talk Yesterday with John Harper
about Longfellow, and 1t does seem at times
as though the old man still cherishes hope
that his horse may recover; he does not IKE 10
admit that ne IL gone. He sat on Q tFestle
under an apple tree at The back OF the iarm
house, and as he tumbled the fallen frut about
with the ferule of his walking stick, he said
that when he last "got word over from the
other course (Saratoga) LongtellOw was men
dim slowly. He was able to put his 1901 10 Inc
ground sometimes, but 1t still seemed 10 pam
him leele." .,o
Three or lour negro BOYS dusty and oaTeI and
footed, were leading Extract, Express soand an,i
ior their walks in o circle OF which the old
formed the centre. o,..,a,o
As TItiIeton passed, the old man pointed To-
ward him with his stick, aud said: WIN
feeble drawl, partly due TO his rnral henluchy
accent: .,,ho,b
he Is leetle light for the weights they put on
him. don't think thar's anything here KIN
beat hm-leavin' out Bassett. He's ,goou
hoss. and think he will do some good run
ming on Friday"
When asked how long he had been In the
business of training and rearing horses, J0hn
said It was .'nigh forty years,s siHce he hrst be-
gan TO train horses, but his fatner nad Deen
hoss-raiser all his lie"
queer lite is that which poor Old John leads.
A drab felt hat, brown speckled homespun snit,
a wrlnkled shirt-bosOm, partly concealed oy
black necktie, and pair Of shoes that look pre-
clsely like army br0gans, comprise all nls vlsl-
BILE attire. he walks with haltin his right leg
and shnff1es along with the other, and Waile ne
leans upon his stick with his right hand hls LETT
arm is thrown behind his fast bending back.
His shoes sosh about on his weary feet. aud
light cough seems TO stick now and then IN
his throat. He lives at his stables, eats from
a rough board table set temporarily under Inc
caves, his diet being little else than bread;
meat and potatoes cooked In an iron pot by
one of hie stable hands. He travels In the:
cars with his horses, and can make good
comfortable night of 1t on shock or
straw in the corner. And yet the old man
seems tolerably we'll pleased with his exist
ence, rises early and goes to bed early, never
drinks, Is pleased always to have little quiet
talk with strangers, but not too much OF Il.
He appeared for awhile on the lawn to-day,
and as his identity became known, halt the
ladies' on the grand stand rose 10 their feet to
look at the feeble old man. Such is lame.
He had come over from the stable 10 see Elk.
tract and Express win, and added another
Disappointment to the list which mas CHECKER
ed his life.