The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-04-23
BLOODED HORSES.
What Kentucky Men, Women and
Children Think Of Them.

to MIR. Emerson, who says, cit is not a
compliment, but a disparagement, to
consult man only on horses, or on
books, OF on steam, and, whenever he
appears, considerably to turn the con-
vcrsation to the bantling he is known to
fondle." like to hear people talk
| about that which they best understand,
and, naturally, that is apt to be the sub
,, Ject which they have nearest at heart
and have most thoroughly studied. So
when you want to talk "horse" look up
Kentuckian and you will find your
time will not be wasted.
Almost every child you meet in the
Blue Grass country can tell you about
Longfellow, Ten Brock or Tom Bowling
while great many of them do not know
the name of the governor of Kentucky.
They know that Ten Brock at four years
old ran three miles in 5:261, and four
miles in :15a, and at five years old ran
two miles in 3:274, far better than they
| know the church catcchism. They can
even tell you the very year and day of
the month when the great feats were ac-
complished.
Few are the Kcntuckians who can de.
scribe to you the sad death of the Ia
mented McWhirter, who ran his two
miles in 3 80, without touching lower
ing of the voice and suspicious moist
ure about the eyes.
After visit to one of the great stock
farms one Can appreciate this enthusi~
asm.
Indian Hill, the beautiful stock farm
Of Mr.. T. Veech, is quite near Louis
Vile, and very numerous are the visitors
to it during year. The celebrated trot
ter Trinket hailed from here, you know.
Last year, at his spring sale, Mr.. Veech
sold a beautiful little three year tilly,
Femme Sole. for $1,000. Even Richard
Ill, who offered "a kingdom for a
horse,'' would be surprised, l think, at
the prices that arc paid for some Of them
in these days The colts at Indian hill
are looking none the worse for the long,
cold winter, except one poor little fellow
who slipped on the ice as he came out of
his stable one morning. Even should he
recover entirely from his lameness, you
may be sure Mr.. Veech will tell all about
the accident when he IS offered for sale.
Last spring, at the sale, colt was put
up and sold while MIR. Vecch was en-
gagged elsewhere. He arrived just as the
horse was knocked down to the highest
bidder. He stopped the auction
eer and told him to state that
the horse had been hurt
while colt, and although in his opinion
it did not injure the horse, still he
wished attention called to the scar, and
the horse could be resold. This was
done, and Mr.. Vcech lost 500 by his
candor. Some time ago Mr.. Thorpe, q
Louisville merchant, bought colt from
Indian Hill, and afterward laughineiy Y
told Mr. Veech that the horse had disap-
pointed him greatly. Whereupon Mr..
Veech gave him the best colt he had that
year. This colt is now the promising
horse Greenlander, that trotted in Chi
cago last year.
These horsemen seem to know and love
| their horses as a man does his children.
One morning one of them missed a fine
young mare which had been grazing in a
| field with eighty others. Search was
| made far and near for days, but she was
| nowhere to be found. At last a noise was
| heard in stable that had not been used
| for some time, and on examination she
| was found in between the floor and the
| ground. What she went in for and how
she ever got in have remained mystery
| to this day. The space was so small that
| the floor, had to be taken up to get her
out. One of the most beautiful sights
ever saw was the show of fine horses at
| the Louisville fair grounds several years
| ago. l was very much amused by little
six year-old girl who sat near me. Her
mother was telling her about the horses,
| their names. etc.. C That is Harold, "
she said, pointing to group standing
| near, the father of Maud S; that ugly
white mare is Miss Russell; the mother
| of Maud S; and the little colt is Lord
Russell, Maud SIS little brother" Th'.
child was deeply interested, being Ken
| lucky born, and after thinking for
some time she asked her mother in the
most puzzled way: eff Miss Russell is
| the mother of Maud S. why is she called
| Miss Russell-why don't they call her
| Mrs. S. 2"
Last year they had number of the
great stations at the Louisville Expos
ton. They were in stalls in an annex at
tended by crowd of adoring trainers and
| stable-boys, but Mr.. Harper was himself
in Longfellow's stall. you may be sure.
Some luckless man had brought splen-
did Louisiana horse, Louis Napoleon,
to show, and great seemed his chagrin
that the partisan Kentuckians could
scarcely spare glance as they hurried
by his stall to reach those of their beloved
Longfellow, Ten Brock, King Alfonso
and Springbok. AS we stood by King
Alfonso the old colored man in charge
invited us to come nearer, assuring US he
was ''as gentle as lamb" One man,
deceived by the mans words and the
horses looks, walked forward to pat
him, whereupon his majesty bit at him,
and almost caught his hand. reproach-
ed the man for telling such stories,
when he said. "La, he would not hurt
! anybody, he was only nipping at him in
play" I, however, kept at safe dis
tance, as I made up my mind, If | was
killed, it would not make any difference
to me whether / had been maliciously
bitten or playfully nipped to death.
These stable boys have the most Won
derful memories for the names, ETC., OF
all the horses on the places. | asked
one of Mr.. Harper's boys what had be-
come of little mare, Sallie M, that
had been named some time ago for a
friend of mine. He quickly answered: ::
Eyes. 1 know the mare you speak of:
she was by Longfellow, dam Platina
She was considered very speedy, but
she went lame, and now she has very
promising colt by her side.''
The curious effect which the placing
of fertilizer on one side of an orange
tree at Lake Jesup, Fla, and none on
the other had on the fruit is noted by d