Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1873-07-19

i the zee rested in great doubt. Their
was a large post standing ON the edg
{ of the track, within 200 yards of tn
: outcome, and the contest being equal
1t evidently appeared that the rider o
the Kentucky horse was bearing tn,
Old King against that post. He wa,
borne so closely to it that the leg O
Peyton brushed it. So soon as they
passed it, Peyton struck the opposite
rider in the face with his whip, and 9
running fight ensued, which lit III
afresh all the fires Of the Old King
and as he came to the judges stand a
victor, there was the thunder of battle
in his stride and the noise of the tenn
pest in his wing. While hundreds OF
voices proclaimed that the Old King
was the winner of the purse, there was
a rumbling discomfort proclaiming foul
riding. In these times it was of the
first Importance to have good and will
ling fighters as chiefs of staff in cases
OF emergency. Guild and Peyton had
defended them in courts, and were at
tended with a reliable reserve. Guild
saw the difficulty and fight progressing
bstween the riders, like Roderick Dhu,
blew his whistle, and his clansmen,
Johnny Outlaw, Bird Fallice, and 9th
ers of tried grit, were by his side.
They ran six hundred yards to the head
of the stretch they found Peyton had
dismounted and was heavily pressed,
putting his assailants at bay with his
drawn knife. Guild announced to
Peyton, Here we come and perfect
order and peace were established.
The judge decided that the Old King
had fairly won the purse, and it was so
awarded. He was led back to his sta
bic with the triumph equal in noise
and feeling to that given Roman Gen
eral upon his return from glorious
campaign.
THE JOHN GILPIN RIDE.
The young lawyers now retired from
the turf and resumed the practice of
the law. Shortly after this celebrated
race, Judge White was visiting Craig
Font, and one morning had his fine
Pacolet brought out to ride. He
mounted him while his head was turned
west. Guild knew he would break as
soon as he was turned east and told
him to turn his horse before mounting.
lie disregarded the suggestion and as
soon as his head was turned east, he
bounded off like brick, and at a few
strides he was at the topmost of his
speed. While the Judge was a poor
horseman, he was one of the finest
lawyers, and one of the purest men
that Tennessee ever had. At the first
bounce of the horse the Judge let go
the bride, and held by the name and
saddle. Shortly his hat fell off, the
happlng of his great coat increased the
alarm and rapidity of the horse, then
his saddle bags fell, then wig, and as
he turned the Wilson corner, the re-
Election of the rising sun from his bare
head was like unto flying meteor in
the east Guild and Peyton ran for
two miles to give him relief, appre-
hending the worst results, but fortu-
nately they found him returning on
foot leading his Pegasus by the bride.
They congratulated him upon his safe
ty. The Judge expressed astonish-
ment at his horse bounding off as he
did, and could not account for it
Guild remarked to him that he must |
have struck him with the spur as he
mounted. The Judge said that he was
very careful, and did not touch him
with the spur. Although Guild and !
PeytOn knew the cause, they never
ventured to explain to the Judge the
cause of his running, but devoted them
selves assiduOusly to tanning and gen.
tling the Pacolet, SO the Judge after
wards rode him in safety. This able |
jurist and good man fell victim to the |
war in the spring of 1863.
About 1886 he selected Kitty beau
tiful orphan child of four years, and
adopted her as his daughter. He ed
ucated and made her charming and !
most accomplished woman. She is now
the wife of the Nashville merchant, |
Charley Thompson. The shattered |
remnant of fine estate he gave to his |
wife and Kitty, having donated his |
large and valuable law library to the
bar of Gallatin. These acts coupled |
with his judicial life, which appear in
the reported opinions of the Supreme |
Court are a monument to his power, |
more lasting than stone, marble or
brass.
PEYTON ELECTED TO CONGRESS.
| will close this communication, now
too long, with one more incident of the
olden times.
Guild and Peyton, after this race, de-
voted themselves to the law, and in
1892 had acquired prominence re-
markable for men of their age. After
the retirement of the old patriot sol
dier, Gen. Hall, from Congress, the
people looked upon either Peyton or
Guild to become the candidate for the
succession. Guild having then a sue
cessful run of practice, yielded, and
urged his old and lOng-tried friend,
Peyton, to assume the position. He |
announced himself in opposition to
Col. A. I'll. .Oyerton, of Smith county,
who was a speaker of marked ability,
and had voice as sweet and musical
as violin. He relied upon his age and
fine oratory to carry him into Congress,
and spoke to Guild rather disparaging-
ly of PeytOn's running against him
Guild said to him, that he would find
Peyton rather rough customer, and
very hard to beat When you meet
HIM upon the stump, without dispara-
ging your oratory, you will hear it
thunder and you will witness the fork
ed lightning jumping from crag to crag.
In few weeks after this they met on
Defeated Greek to address the people
of Smith county. Col. Overton antic-
ipated great victory. PeytOn had
made this appointment upon the war
path and battlefield of 1890, where his
father and uncle had calamity fought.
Peyt0n opened the discussion to a
large assembly of ladies and gentlemen.
He went back to the revolution of 1776,
and the various battles of that glorious
struggle. He alluded to the old pio-
neers of that revolution, after having
achieved the independence of their
country, coming to the far west to re-
claim Tennessee and Kentucky from
the hOrdes of savages who possessed
those delightful regions. He described
them as blazing their wav over the AL
leghanies with tomahawk in one hand
and the rifle in the other, and by their
courage and endurance had reclaimed
Tennessee from the dominion of the
savage foe, and had made this wilder
ness blossom as the rose. He pointed
out the battlefield upon this creek upon
which his father and uncle fought.
both badly wounded and by their eour-
age and endurance covered the retreat
and saved our gallant pioneers from
the tomahawk of the savage. He re-
ferred to the great battle of Nick-o-