The New York herald., 1873-08-06
The Troubles Of a Father Of a Family
in Going to the Course.
The Scenes in the Pool Rooms
and at the Race.
THREE SPLENDID RACES.
Battle-Axe Winner Of the Kentucky Stakes,
Strachino Of the Summer Handicap
and Duffy Of the Steeple Chase.

SARATOGA, August s, 1873
lido not know how 1t is that the sporting frater-
nifty Il the term in its most respectable sense)
are In such good luck generally in having fine
weather whenever there is a race to be run l
freely confess that every once in q while we hear
tell OF rain storm ana consequently heavy track
and all the other discomforts too much mud and
water can throw a course into; but did
you never take notice how, as rule
nne weather prevails when there is
"meeting" either here, at Long Branch,
or elsewhere9 The fact is a stubborn one, and If
didn't stand in dread OF general Illumination from
irate pulpit orators for my rreverence, would lay
it down as part of my religious belief here and
now that there Is
SPECIAL PROVIDENCE THAT TAKES CARE OF
RACING DAYS
as well as the individual hairs Of mortals gener-
ally, which might otherwise fal out and go to
waste. Now, who hasn't at scme remote period of
his lifetime made great preparations for
a church picnic or some religious outdoor
ceremony, and laid awake all the night before
nervousy medtating upon his new suit of clothes.
thinking how gorgeous the brass buttons that
made a bee line down the front OF his monkey
jacket from collar TO waist would look in the daz-
Zling sunlight, and then woke up the next morning
to find the rain pouring down in torrents. In fact,
whet was a youngster never knew this kind OF
thing TO fail once and yet in the matter OF races,
as SAID before, the weather disappOntments are
the exception, by no means the rule. 1t Is not for
me to discuss the pr0vldental reasons for
this proposition of mine to argue why
church dOngs should get rain-pelted any
more than race horses; but the day that
broke. in upon us this morning, coupled with what
have experienced in the past under like circum-
stances has led me into this weather-beaten track
4 H., IA.
rs the ladies have it, Last night we all went to
bed-that Is. all who had bed to go to, for are
Just now all FULL mean the hotels are all full;
and the last peep out OF the blinds showed
pale, sicky. looking moon, trying its best with
ALL MOoNsHINE POLITENEss
to return the peep through mass of scowling
clouds, the sight OF which must have turned all the
milk OF human kindness in the Associations bosom
to s0urest curds Indeed, had DR.. Underwood seen
t to sell pools on the probabilities of the weather
to-day before retiring to his virtuOus couch,
know "a rainy day" would have brought first
choice, with the moon ana all the stars that now
nnd then could be seen through the interstces of
the moving clouds thrown into the "feld" in a
bunch Tor l would have ventured couple
Of pools myself, even il / had had to risk
my board bill settlement to do so. But just
picture to yourself our JOY when we got up
this morning and found not the vestige OF even
silver cloud let-the air bracing, the sun shining
brilliantly, and yet not too much inclined to get us
Into lever heat, and wthal gentle, cooling
breeze playing Merry Andrew through the green
foliage of the trees. Can you wonder under the
circumstances that everything was hustle
(no joke here) and confusion among the ladies
NJ all the hotels at much earlier
hour than usual, and that even some OF
the gayest of the gaysome young gentlemen from
HSOfh Uho I tai rat thar
painfully at two O'Clock, were up again at sunrise.
why, one hours sleep last night was worth
whole night OF many OF the nights we have mad for
weeks past. 1t was not simply cool; it was down.
right cold, and windows had to be closed IN order
TO keep
THE NIPPING COLD AT BAY.
So you need not wonder that those who went to
bed late we're up as bright and cheerful as those
who went to bed early. 1t Is really surpris-
ing wnat a cool day in Summer can
do IN the way OF driving away the blues.
Talk about your HatnOrn and your Congress
water and all the rest, because drunk early,
beng the cause Of the general cheerfulness that
greeted you from every face you passed on the
piazza this mornlngl Humbug Wasn't It only
day or two ago, when the thermometer was near
ali the world as lord oil creation and beauties
bright loed sluggishly in their chairs in the par
FEEDING ON BROKEN DARNING NEEDLES
and brass pinheads for month Yet they took
evident change until the cool air came round and
made everybody smile at everybody else. Match
an ann ne ali Ser IN
pue OF horrid ills and gloomy speculatons
MoRRIssEY's FOOL ROOMS
that the interest centred last evening and early
this morning. The Doctor, as usuai, was on hand
to do the h0nors and all the boys from New
pile OF money and don't always do 1t were on hand
good and early IN TACT casual glance @ about M the
OF the Union had put in an appearance. How many
ola familiar races there were l remember, years
bling quite accidentally, you know, several
times into race a.. course IN many diner,
seems paces iSe Yesterday nsren' to me now when
saw the same men bidding at the pools at those
races who were congregated here at the pools to-
day. l thought the majority OF them old then,
yet they look Just the same to-day. Rough and ready
IN their speech, sometimes vulgar, always sefcon.
ident, always pretending to know everything about
every horse booked or not booked-there they sat
this morning by the score In front OF the Doctors
liable with apparently not an additional Wrinkle IN
voices as ringing ever and step as elastic as II
many long years had not rolled by since last saw
was pool TO be sold or good race to be run. Can
II be that there Is, after all, something vitazlng
IN tnls search after fortune from year TO year at
stables
FROM EARLY MORN TILL DEwY EVE
Dn tne LOOK out for reliable news as TO the proba-
ble condition OF the racers Tor the morrows test,
inc constant dining in ones ears OF horse jockey,
We1gnt and distance, age and bottom, keep a.
hay the cares and anxieties from the horse man
that make other men grow weak in step and bowed
IN form In few years. 1t Is a mystery to me. and
1 think 1t Is u mystery to many others who know
more about the affinity that is said to exist be
the race horse and his owners and followers on
the track than can ever hope to know. They are
most OF them really Old men, are these TURTLES
be 1t South or North East or West, are ever to be
met with; but no one, venture TO say, could have
picked out really old man in appearances among
The lot OF them at the pools last night or this
morning. True there is one OF them saw crossing
the room with heavy cane in his nand and limp
ing badly, Dut wait till you see him on the course
when his pets are trotted out. You will see no
cane then. His step becomes firm and steady and
ne moves mis- bones about as lively as a youth OF
eighteen; the cane, all forgotten, lies under the
bench on the grand stand. IL may be that it is the
knowledge the Doctor has OF the innate youth IN
She men about him that makes him to-day so glib
with his tongue, so