The Osceola times., 1880-08-14
SIXTEEN IN HAND.
Their Breakneck Run Under the Guidance
of Mr.. Livingston, 10 Years Old.

A correspondent of the Boston Herald,
writing from Florence, says: "The fash
ionable world, and, for that matter, the
common one, too, has had first-class
sensation-indeed, scare-of late, Of
American origin. Every visitor here
has remarked, and commented on, ac-
cording to his particular humor, the
team of sixteen handsome horses, at
tached to London drag, with which,
for many years, Mr.. Livings on of New
York has been accustomed to take his
daily airings, handling the ribbons and
guiding the animals with a mastery cir
Gus dexterity. Indeed, his novel turn
out has become one of the staple sights
of Florence. Whether his countrymen
could feel iiattcred by the national dis
tinctionin European eyes thus conferred
on them or not, all could not fail to adj
mire the sang froid with which a man
of 20 couldcontrol so many horses and
take them'through the narrow crowded
streets without accident
Three days ago, coming from the Cas-
cine, while near the city gates, the
horses did take it into their heads that
they had done the triumphal procession
on their drivers account in his way
| long enough and that they would set up
little exhibition on their own account
The idea no socner struck one horse
than it was unanimously adopted, and
| they started on q dead run down the
Long Arno toward the bridges at the
| hour when it was crowded with fash
ionable vehicles. and was the most IA
vorabe for the equine interview and a
/ In
a universal "Sauve qui pcut" (c.ear the
way) for side streets, and putting them
selves out of the course of the. excited
animals as they came furiously on in q
dead run, bounding and banging over
the smooth pavement. Mr.. Livingston
erect and cool, but utterly powerless to
stop them, and expecting every second
either to kill somebody or be killed in
the midst of a crash of colliding vehi
cles. On they went. fortunately clear
ing everything, until they had passed
Pontc Carrai, Ponte Santa Trinita, Ponte
Vecchio nobody hurt, but awlully
frightened, the police shouting like mao
to clear the way, and every Florentint
much disposed for once to obey, unit
one horse tell, and it looked as If the
climax had come. But such was the
impetus of the others they pulled hin
on his legs almost before he knew h,
was off them, and on they went for an
other race, until, exhausted and painting
and thinking they had had enough fur
for this time, they came to a stop, no
body hurt, and Mr.. Livingston more o
a hero, centaur factum, than even he hac
ever anticipated, but with his occupa
ton gone, for it is said the City Fathers
have now resolved to do what they
should have done long SINCE. e., for
bid any such amateur opportunities FOL
breaking peoples necks, at least within
the limits of the town, by limiting Mr.
Livingston's equestrian feats to the reg
ulaton compliment of horses for a de
Gently behaved carriage. 1t was next t,
a miracle that no one was injured thi
time. None could be certain that at
repetition of the spectacle several Lives
might not be sacrificed, and the city
mulced in damages for allowing so peril
Gus show in its confines, for the graft
fication, too, OF foreigner.