The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-10-27
ouR WASHINGTON LETTER.
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4 "a
inc atmosphere. which made every
one feel well. 1t was especially
nlcasant weather for the numerous
horses and cattle on the grounds,
while the average visitor enjoyed II
as well.
The crowds of people from Balu-
more and other surrounding cities
and country for two hundred miles
were on the ground early. On gong
into the grounds the main building
receives the attention OF visitors first,
after that the machinery hall Is IN
spectcd The stables are then visit
ed when horticultural hall Is taken
in. Bv this time, for 1t viii take at
lcas. two hours to properly examine
the many good things on exhibition,
lunch is in order-aiter that every
thing is given up for theraces, which
catch the Young as well as the Old
and the middle aged. The ladies
display more enthusiasm over the
horses than the men: but the men
lose more money. The pool seller
Is kept busy asking if there Is an
other speculator in the crowd and
disposing of his peculiar wares.
Those who are not good hands at
selecting the probable winners. find
sport in attending the minor races
which are run every minute on
sDinning ienny. -Four on the red
the black WINS the white pays
five 10 one :" who bets on the blue p
are cries that are frequently heard
bv the men who appear to be more
occupied ia scraping in5he winnings
than paying out TO winners.
The managers call it fair. The
fair part Is not worth shucks. For
n lew country people it does very
well but tor people who were at the
Centennial at Philadelphia II l. OF
no interest. 1t serves a. a good cover
for the horse racing however, which
Is what is aimed at by the Fair As
sOciation.
\ finer track could not nave been
sound than that which met St
Julien and the other high steppers.
4 thrang yariously estimated at from
10000 to 10000 swarmed about the
grounds. and every point from which
view OF the track could be obtain
cd was utilized. The hill in front Of
the clubhouse teemed with life and
made up as pretty a scene as could
be desired, the splendid toilets OF
she ladies' and the handsome equip
ACES packed ten deep behind them
making a picture not to be excelled.
The grand stand was packed to It's
fullest limit 1t fifty cents head /;
thc quarter-stretch was crammed at
= dollar q piece, where all was bus
tle. and down the efence on both sides
of the track nothing but q sea OF faces
was discernable. Betting on the
quarter stretch where French pools
srerc sold was lively and animated.
of course all interest centered in st.
Iuhen's feat, but considerable enthu-
siasm Was manifested when the PAGER
Sleepy Tom, put in an appearance.
st. Julien was kept in his stable all
morning, where all who desired to
see him We're allowed that privilege
Everybody seemed to be talking
about his record 2,11} and whether
or not it will be beaten. Ladies in
silks jostled bOotblacks in rags in
their anxiety 10 see the favorite
speed over the turf BY two o'clock
everything was n jam. On the
quarter-stretch were people who
have always looked upon that sec
tion of a race track as the very
home of gambling and all the other
sins, and as n place to be avoided
as pollution. But they were found
mingling with the excited crowd Of
horsemen andpool buyers all because
st Julien was going to trot.
The first heats of the days races
gyere trotted amid comparatively
little enthusiasm. 1t was plain that
the crowd had come TO see st. Julien
and was saving its applause and en-
thusiasm for him. At length he ap-
peared and a prolonged cheer COM
inencing at the lower end iof the grand
stand and spreading along the line
Of spectators, which stretched away
up to the three-quarter pole, went
up from thousands of throats as he
stood 4 moment on the track in
front of the stand. One did not
wonder that this tribute should be
paid to such noble animal. In
the bright sunlight his glossy coat
shone like a mirror. His handsome,
well formed head was high in the
air, showing to advantage his long
neck. Everything about seemed
perfection. Mr.. Hickok bowed in
acknowledgment of the applause
and trotted St Julien gently on the
track. If the horse was the quiet
embodiment of beauty before, it was
the living now. Each action and
play of the muscle was the personi-
ication of grace. Another sponta-
neous burst of admiration was the
tribute the human paid to the
brute.
After having trotted st. Julien
once or twice in front of the stand
Mr. Hickok drove him at an easy
pace around the track. Then he
was blanketed and sent to the stable
until his first fast heat should be
called In the mean time the ex-
pectation had risen one hundred
per cent. Would St. Julien reduce
his record? A strong argument in
his favor was the fact that the horses
In the 2,4S class had cut down their
records to 2,27l and 229. This
showed a fast track at least. Was
everything else as favorable? That
was the question which concerned
many, and while il remained unan-
swered interest in the other races
was almost lost. At last St Julien
appeared and again the ladies and
gentlemen in the grand stand rose
as one person and cheered, while
the ladies excitedly waved their
handkerchiefs. Twice the fieet-foot-
ed bay crossed the wire and was
brought back. The third time he
received the word go" He moved
rapidly toward the quarter pole, but
it was easy TO see that Mr.. Hickok