The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-06-30
now THE OLD HORSE WON THE BET.


Blue are the skies OF opening day;
The bordering turf is green with May:
The sunshine's golden CLEAN is thrown
On sorrel, chestnut, bay, and roam;
The horses paw and prance and neigh,
Fillies and colts like kittens play
And dance and toss their rippled names
Shining and soft as sllken skelns
Wagons and gigs are ranged about,
And fashion flaunts her gay turnout;
Here stands = each youthful Jehu ureai4
The iointed tandem, ticklish team
And there i'm ampler breadth expand
The splendors ofthe four-in-hand
On faultless ties and glossy tiles
The lovely bonnets beam their smiles
THE STYLES the man, so BOOKS aVoW
The STYLES the woman, anyhow;
Erom lounces frOthed with creamy lace
peeps out the pug-dog's smutty face,
Or spaniel rolls his liquid eye,
Or sfares the ,iry pet OF Skye
o woman, IN your hours OF ease,
So Shy with rs, SO tree with these!
Come on III bet you two to one
III make him do il ~ CIVIL you Done p
What was it who was bound to dot
| did not hear and can't tell you
Pray listen till my story's through.
Scarce noticed, back behind the rest,
BY cart and wagon rudely prest,
The parsons lean and bony bay
Stood harnessed in his one-horse shay
Lent TO his sexton tor the day.
IA funerals the sexton said
His mothers uncle's wife was dead).
Like Lazarus bid to Dives feast,
So looked the poor, forlorn old beast;
His coat was rough, his tail was bare,
The gray was sprinkled in his hair;
Sportsmen and jockeys knew him not.
And yet they say he once could trot
Among the tieetest OF the town,
TIL something cracked and broke him
The steed's, the statesmans, common lot
"And are we then so soon forgot"
All met | doubt if one OF you
Has ever heard the name "Old Blue"
Whose fame through all this region rung
In those old days when | was young
Bring forth the horser' Alas he showed
Not like the old Mazeppa rode:
Scant-maned, sharp backed and shaky -kneed.
The wreck OF what was once steed,
Lips thin, eyes hollow, stiff IN joints;
Yet not without his knowing points
The sexton laughing in his sleeve
As ii 'twere all a make-belleve,
Led forth the horse, and as he laughed
Unhitched the breeching from a shaft,
UnClasped the rusty belt beneath,
Drew forth the snatfe from his teeth,
Slipped off his headstall, set him free
From strap and rein, "a sight to see,
So worn, so lean in every limb,
1t is his back the pig-skin strides
And flaps his lank, rheumatic sides;
With look of mingled scorn and mirth
they buckle round the saddle-girth;
With hOrsey wink and saucy toss
A youngster throws his leg across,
And so, his rider on his back,
They lead him, limping to the track,
Far up behind the starting point,
To timber out each stifened Joint.
I
One plying look old Hiram cast ::
500 it, We cripple, while We camp
Cried out inSentimental Dan;
"a fast day dinner tor the crows"
Budd Doble's scofing shout arose.
Slowly, as when the walking beam
First feels the gathering head of steam,
With warning cough and threatening wheezt
The stiff old charger crooks his knees,
At first, with cautious step sedate,
As If he draWed coach of state;
He's not colt he knows full well
That time is weight and sure to tell
No horse so sturdy but he fears
The handicap OF twenty years.
As through the throng on either hand
The old horse nears the Judges stand,
Beneath the Jockeys teather-weight
He warns little to his gait,
And now and then a step is tried
That hints OF something like 2 stride.
$50 m-Through his ear the summons stun2
As if q battle trump had rung;
The slumbering instincts long unstirred
Start at the long familiar word;
1t thrills like flame through every limb
What mean his twenty years to him
The savage blow his rider dealt
Fell on his hollow TANKS unielt;
The spur that pricked his staring hide
Unheed tore his bleeding side;
Alike to him are spur and REIN
lie steps tive-year-old again
Before the Quarter-pole was past,
Old Hiram sand "He's going fast"
Long ere the quarter was a halt,
Ehe chuckling crowd had ceased to laugh
Tighter his frightened Jockey chung
As in mighty stride he swung,
The gravel flying in his track,
His neck stretched out, his ears laid back,
His tail extended all the while
Behind him like 4 rat-tail file
OF went shoe, away it spun,
Shot like bullet from 4 gun.
The qualling Jockey shapes prayer
From scraps of oats he used to swear;
He drops his whip, he drops his rein,
lie clutches fercely for name
tie IL lose his hold he sways and reels
tie ii slide beneath those trampling heels
The knees OF many horseman quake,
The flowers on many bonnet shake,
And shouts arise from left and right
"Stick on! Stick on Hold tight Hold tight
ceiling round his neck and don't let GO
That pace can't hoid-there steady whoa -
But like the sable Steed that bore
The spectral lover of Lenore,
His noStriS snorting foam and fire,
No stretch his bony limbs can tire;
And now the stand he ruShes BY
And Stop him stop him - IS the cry
Stand back he's only just begun
He's having out three heats in one
"Don't rush in front he'll smash your brains
But follow up and grab the reinsr'
Old Hiram spoke. Dan Pieifer heard,
And sprang impatient at the word:
Budd Doble started on his bay,
Old Hiram followed on his gray,
And off they Sprang, round they go,
The fast ones doing ''all they know"
Look twice they follow at his heels,
As round the circling course he wheels,
And whirIs with him that clinging boy
Like Hector round the walls OF Troy;
Still on, and on, the third time round
They failing of! they're losing ground
Budd Doble'S nag begins TO fail
Dan Pteitfers sorrel whisks his tail
And see in spite OF whip and shout,
Old Hirams mare is giving out
Now for the finish! at the turn,
The old horse-all the rest aStern-
zones swinging in, with easy trot