Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-06-07
The Kentucky HOrse RArn.
[Corroe ponoeuco Nov York Run1


tCorreponeence Now York SUM-
Riding along the Frankfort pike, the othe-
Aft ernoon " drove into the Harper farm I'll e
quiet, dwarfed Old dwellings, OF the HarpeI 8
from the road. The farm contains SO acres OF
excellent land, part pasture and part wood a nd
There are only about forty head Of blo,ded
owner. grew up in the old home one Uaroer
was killed here by guerrtllas. and two were
murdered In nth tneis BEDS ieS years ago. Tae
down blunt as hammer. No one has ever been
openly charged with the murder, and the mys-
tuckians In whispers F. b. Harper is a rather
kindly faced farmer OF co. He wears spectacles
and talks slowly In q friendly tone. YoungFrank
Harper, nephew, assists In running the farm.
Frank was absent ia Louisville with string OF
horses, getting ready for the spring races We
had been informed that the old gentleman was
very reticent, and were therefore agreeable sur
prised when we found him willing TO talk about
his famous horses.
Leading the way to the weather-beaten and
dilapidated stable few rods In front of the
house, Mr.. Harper directed Harry Hurley. a
frizzled, snn-dried old negro. with q face Ike a
sphinx, to bring out the horses. The negro
walked under narrow shed that extended
along In front OF the barn doors without saving
word, disappearing through stable door. He
soon Ieappeared, leading ..Longfellow'' by the
halter. " hile the handsome stallion was pran.
eng around, MT Harper looked on with beam
OF satisfaction lighting his face. "There," be
said, lis one OF the only two horses In America
that ever ran mile i'm lao. The other one Is
ID ID there: He ran 1t in 1885. "Longfellow" is
run again On the turf. All OF Mr.. Harper's colts
and fllles are by "LongfelIow- "sLongfelIoN'
was old uncle Johns pet" said MI. Harper, .but
zen Brock was always mine." After admir-
lhg The horse a few minutes longer Mr.. Harper
SAID: ''They want Longfellow' to go TO Ten
hessee next year, to Gen. Harding's; but II he
goes ne won't be mine; they'll have TO buy him. y
This was said In manner that Indicated a
ri N
sphinx, saying: 'That1l do, Harry; take him
Dack ard bring out the h rse." Harry whirled
around silently as an automaton, and led Long
fellow" back to his box. Entering an adjoining
stall. he soon returned leading "Ten Brock"
Inc King or race-horseS is now seven years
old AS he came bounding into the sunlight his
DrignI DAY coat ShoDe like satin. HIS eyes were
fuil OF fire. He raised the sphinx from his feet
every time he threw his arched neck I'm the air
Nj. Harper looked at the horse with pride; then
stepping TO the writer's side he sald:-
"There'S horse that has made the fastest six
races ever run In this country After allowing
tlme 10 admire the horse, Mr.. Harper continued:
my uncle wanted to ruin Ten Brock when he
was youngster, but 1 saw pints about him
that convinced me he would turn out great
horse. So fairly begged him not to spoil him,
and he finally consented
"WaS he large colt?"
"No.. Any one that saw him then wouldat
have given SIS for him. He was little runt
and used to feed with the sucking calves Even
as two-year-old he was SO small that was
you take good care of him now, supoose?-
Nothing extra. The boys often ride him
AFTER the COWS, and go to the p1st-office on his
back. My neighborS cuss me for allowing It. but
Inc boys DO as they are a mind to with him.
Here Wesley James, a good-natured young
darkey, the trainer CT Ten Brock who stood
back OF Mr.. Harper, grinned from ear to ear
Nv men zen Brock was two-year5-old. - con-
tnued Mr. Harper, she was beaten in his first
race by BIN Bruce at Lexington In 1874 After
that race still asserted that he was the best
q hav do l,o%%
'Longfellow.'"
After gazing at the horse intently again. Mr..
Harper said: " He began TO spread out and i'm
prove after that race. His joints developed.
There is something peculiar about his forrna
ton. You see he stands over sixteen hands one
Inch high. Well, ne Is exactly the same In
length from his hips to his breast. A painter OF
race horses says he is the only horse he ever
saw whose shoulders are longer than his head
They are usually OF the same length
what condition IS the horse in MOVES"
run fast as ever this fall. His lungs are as
sound and his legs stronger. He can run now
without any training. The horse has never yet
s s, W., what ne really can 90 believe II had
three miles, he would have made the four mics
10 7:l0 or 1:l2. The boy had TO hold him so taat
his fingers were cramped to such an extent that
he could not ungirth the saddle after the race
He can change his feet, move his head, and
swing from side to side quicker than any horse
l ever saw, thus relieving the strain on his
.NoNISo NIiiC- tAtiu 81 Say IS Dou
Bruce. Mr.. Bruce declares that there Is no
other horse in the world like him.
"Would you sell the horse, Mr.. Harper?"
Well, some English duke may come along
some day and get him."
A recent visitor is said to have asked MIR.
Harper, 80 VIII you sell Ten Brock p"
Eyes" he answered, ''for my price,"
What Is your price,"
"0ne hundred thousand dollars"
"RatEer high"
al may as wen own a good horse as anybody"
was Mr.. HarperS reply