Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-06-18
ENGLISH DERBY DAY.
SCENES At THE GREATEST RACE IN
THE WORLD.
On the Way from London to epsom-All
Eagland at the 0srby-Priaces and
Paliament in Attendance-Ihe
Humble commonef
Race and Finish.
GLORIOUS VICTORY FOR THE AxeRI-
CAN HORSE.

of all the year in England. Racing ant
rowing and cricket matches have beer
the order OF each successive day. The
fame OF the English Derby day Is 81
world.renowned that any foreigner so
iourning for the time being in this coun
try invariably pays visit to EPSON,
town sixteen miles from London, on Ii
great carnival day. The Derby is the
Greatest Race IN the w orld.
This year it has been OF unusual in
terest to all Americans; for the first time
in the history Of the Derby an Ameri'
can horse has won the race, and hereaf
ter Iroquois will be named, in conjunc-
ton with Parole, as having carrleC
American colors to the front OF the Eng
lish turf. The Derby day that | have
so recently enjoyed may be treated en-
Enthusiastically or philosophically. To
deal with 1t in terms of gratitude would
be to exhaust the most accepted forms
of speech. Take it as you will as a
Specially Given Day ofiDsys,
as a picture, as an example OF continued
scenic beauty and perfected organiza'
ton. as a summer holiday, as type oi
original national sentiment, the DERBY
Day of 1881 has probably had no rival
since one memorable occasion when the
Japanese ambassadors came to see how
the Barbarians enjoyed themselves on
Epson Downs. Fate fixed the festival
on the lst of June, and fortune gave us
the most glorious weather that the
yariest Sybarite could desire. There
have been Derby Days OF every lmagln
able form and pattern; Derbys run in
snow storm; Derbys under umbrellas;
Derbys perplexed with east winds and
auagmires; Derbys when you were per
ishing under the richest top Goa, or
ankle deep in mud; dull Derbys; mild
Derbys; uuinteresting Derbys; matter
ol-fsct Derbys; days when il looked like
summer, and days when il felt like win.
ter; but this time
Ant the Effects Were Turned On,
and the oldest freQuenter OF the course
can never have seen day so splendid,
a crowd 30 incalculable, or course Sd
admirably kept. The atmosphere APP
peared TO demand a holiday, so away
went all sorts and conditions OF men to
see the world on Epson Downs. There
are hundreds of thousands who would
never MISS it whilst they have a heart
for merriment or a shilling TO spend.
The scene is old to them, but ever new.
What il il Is dusty, or the crowd IS in
convenient, or the fayorite does
not win, or the hackney
carriage breaks down, or the
Jehu inbibes too freely, or one OF the
innumerable accidents occur2 Alter
all, it is only once a year. But as
against the
Countless Thousands who Go to the
Derby
with intent aforethought, who order
their horses and traps at the livery, who
command their luncheons, who look out
the very dryest Pommery, who give ex
press orders to nea'-handed Phyllis not
TO forget the salt, the cake, and the sal
al dressing, there are Just 80 many
countless thousands more VINO elect To
hesitate and are incontinently lost. IL
il happens to be a wet day, or the
weather looks cloudy, they will satisfy
their conscience and convenience at the
same time. But on "Wednesday, who
could resist the smsrt-looking HansOm
or the comfortable four-wheeler, with
gauzy dlst blinds prowling innocenlly
against the curbstone? Who could
listen un moved to the sound OF the horn
un Innumerable drags? Who could
gaze without a sigh on the gay barouche;
rattling along the kensington road OF
Piecadi!ly? On this day Of all Others
duty and inclination clashed.
Reaching the Derby.
The popular way 10 90 to the Derby
races il by road; the comfortable
way by rail, and the profit
able way, physically speaking, on
loot. Some travel along the accustomed
route ON drag, on the roof OF an omni'
bus, in crowded wagonnette, ia dusty
Hansom cab, and behind donkey on q
cost, rnOnger's cart. Some 20 at the last
moment by train and at the first mo
ment by walking across the fields from
some riverside retreat at Surbiton. Some
arrived in Epson town SO early that
Even the Gipsies Were Not Awake,
aud they have remained studying eccen
trici,y so late on the hill that they have
missed the last midnight railway car
riaZe. think fortune was beneicenl
TO me on this occasion. | went by rail
and / did not encounter q speck OF dust
saw everything, and was not crowded
seriously OF robbed OF my purse OF SOW
ereigns. ! was one OF the first ten
thousand on the course and the earliest
| To arrive safe in London. | saw the
drags arrive up that slippery grass hill
opposite the grand stand; and was the
earliest to welcome them on their return
in Piccadilly street.
Starting from daybreak, the Downs
were all alive with the refreshment con
tractors, showmen, gipsies, and Others
getting ready for the husiness OF the day
Early in the morning visitors began 10
arrive in royal quantities and no one
could have any doubt but that Epson
would see grand sight during the day
A vast contrast the travellers by roac
afforded to those who came by rall; the
former looked
Dusty anu IrsNcA-Staiuoo,
while the patrons OF the iron hors'
came like brides and bridegrooms iron
their chamber.
Considering the comfort there is to b
4 rived from quicS journey by rail
the Nonder all tue more is tha
the road is at all patronized, ex
4 cept by those entirely wishiul U
a drive. ard to study the geo.
raphy OF the county of Surrey, either U
which pleasures can be far more easily
attained on any other day than. that O
the Derby. That the English peopl,
like TO take their pleasure under diff
culties is q worldwide proverb, bu
surely il must have either originated o
received confirmation irom Epsom ol
the Derby day.
| Looking from the Grand stand,
the question which arose to ones min,
MAS not SO much as 10 where the peopl
came from as 20 how they would &
home. In some directions, almost q
lar ~ the eve slgh, woul reach over th
rolling h'lds or downs, could be see
the black populsce in'rTmirgied wit
show tents aud vendrrs' stands, at whic
were SD articles OF every conceivabI
4, Scription.
HOti dssnaratalv haft Enaf hx;