The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-02-10
we we're subjected 10. we sueceehed in

we we're subjected 10. we succnehed in
keeping il secret. We all retired TO rest
about i p m, aud every morning at day
break tap would come at my door, and,
dressing quickly, would find cup OF
coffee aad Miss Jennie awaiting me down
stairs.
Peek a-boo was one Of those long,
laDk. hungry, scrub porkers that a drover
will tell you can run Ike the wind when
they like We fed him once n day on II
bushel Of corn, he was placed in crate
with sliding door Of bars, he saw the
corn dumped into trough, aad was then
carted, hungry and squealing, to the 300
ward limit. Here the word go" was
shouted the door opened and piggy went
down the homestretch ike flash Of por-
cine lightning.
Even the.first day he went straight
along without an error; and after n spell
of twelve days he was phenomenon; say
"go," open the door and away he would
start: commence pouring the corn into
the trough as he came nearer, and he
spurted in the last fifty yards like pro-
fe..ioual pedestrian. Then he was taken
back to his styc, and b. the time the
household awokc TO the duties End pleas
urcs Of tie day, Miss Jennie and would
be completing our toilets a little later
than the rest.
Greatly to the cOlonels annoyance,
some one put II prominent advertisement
of the race into the papers, and friends
from far and near came round 10 see the
fun. House and grounds were thrown
open to the public, and the place was
thronoed with eager people 10 see Miss
,Tennie's roam porker Peek-a-boo meet the
col0nel's bay mare Verdant.
Betting ran six to four on Pees-a-boo,
The colonel tried to laugh, but began, sud
denly, to fancy lie was caught in an awk-
wark trap Of his own setting.
At O'Clock D. N the saddliug bell rang
out, ladies began to group on the grand
stand specially erected for the occasion.
Again the bell, and Verdant came out
looking like picture. She took short
canter past the stand, and then turning,
passed it again going TO the starting post
IS she neared the post Peek-a-boo was
carried out in his pen, squealins Justify as
usual, and | noticed the mare lay her cara
oacl; and kick somewhat viciOusly, as ii
the music did not suit her.
"Oh, hor' thought, "here is new de-
yelopmcnt."
The starter asked If we were ready. ]
looked up the course and saw the man
with the CON in his arms at the trough
took hold Of the trap door and nodded
the flag fell, Go" Numbered. Peek
a-bcO shot out with demoniacal squeal-
iarted in among the mares legs. Ner-
liant reared, nearly falling backward,
turned round once, ana shot off like
rocket ~ find Peek boo beat her on hel
merits, literally outrunninG her, and was
muchiug his corn contentedly when She
came up.
The colonel swore dreadfully; we Of
fcred to repeat the wager, but he was
"frozc out" We won the $1,000, and
the colonel made an excuse, and left the
Valley house two days later.
Peek -a-boo hereafter is 10 live IN
clover he IS to feed on the fat of tie land,
and die d natural death; his placid porcine
Temperament never 10 be troubled 10y feaI
Of butcher OF shambles; for him the hor-
rible knife and scalding tub VIII hold nc
terrors lie win see his brothers led out &c
slaughter, and will slumber along TO
good old age, with the promise, from his
fair mistress, that when he dies his head
will be stuffed and mounted, as the ieetest
hog in Iowa.
Happy pig
And Miss Jennie
All dear reader, it is most prosalt
ending. Miss Jennie was happily mar.
ried this spring and my share of the
plumber went toward buying her weddine
present She had noticed the strange dis
like Verdant had TO pigs one day when
the mare was leaving the stable for eXer-
else; and Oh that knowledge took up the
colonel's bombastic wager by challenging
him 70 run the mare in "a queer race. -
The Journalist