Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1873-04-10
Aumorons department.
RACE WITH A BULL.

Some forty years ago, the members of a race
course near Brownsville, on the Monongahela,
published notice of a race, one mile heats, on
particular day, for purse of one hundred
dollars, "free for anything with four legs and
hair on"
A man in the neighborhood named Hays
had bull that he was in the habit of riding
: to mill with his bag of corn, and be determin.
ed to enter him for the race. He said moth
ing soout it to any one, but he rode him
around the track number of times on sever
al moonlight nights, until the bull had the
hang of the ground pretty well, and would
keep the right course. He rode with spurs,
which the bull considered particularly disa-
greeable, so much so that he always beloved
when they were applied to his sides.
On the morning Of the race, Hays came
upon the ground on horse back-on his bull.
Instead of saddle, he had dried an ox-hide,
the head part of which, with the horns still
on, he had placed on the bulls rump. He
carried short tin horn in his hand. He
rode to the judges stand, and offered to enter
his bull for the race but the owners of the
horses objected. Hays appealed to the terms of
the notice, insisting that his bull had "four
legs and hair on, and that therefore he had
right to enter him. After good deal of
swearing, the judges declared themselves com.
PEELED to decide that the bull had the right to
run, and he was entered accordingly.
When the time for starting arrived, the
bull and the horses took their places. The
horse racers were out of humor at being both
cred with the bull, and at the burlesque which
they supposed was intended, but thought it
would be over as soon as the horses started.
When the signal was given, they did start.
Hays gave blast with his horn, and sunk his
spurs into the side of the bull who bounded
off with terrible bawl at no triAing speed,
the dried ox-hide Tapping up and down, and
rattlIng at every jump, making combination
Of noises that had never been heard on a race
course before. The horses all flew the track,
every one seeming to be seized with a sudden
determination to take the shortest cut to get
out of the Redstone country, and none of
them could be brought back in time to save
their distance. The purse was given to Hays.
general row ensued, but the fun Of the
thing put the crowd all on the side of the
bull. The horsemen contended that they
were swindled out of the purse, and if it had
not been for Hays horn and ox.hide, which
he ought not to have been permitted to bring
on the ground, the thing would not have
turned out as it did.
Upon this Hays told them that his bull
could beat any of their horses any how, and
if they would put up one hundred dollars
against the purse he had won, he would take
off the ox-hide and leave the tin horn, and
run fair race with them. His offer was &C.
cepted and the money staked. They again
took their places at the starting point, and the
signal was given. Hays gave the bull another
touch with his spur, and the bull gave tre-
mendous below. The horses remembering
the dreadful sound, thought all the rest was
coming as before. Away they went again
in spite of all the exertions of their riders,
while Hays galloped his bull around the track
again and won the money.