Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1892-12-07
AN UNEXPECTED RACE.

clergyman, whom we Will call Ride
we'll. He was of the Baptist persua-
sion, and very rigid in his ideas Of
moral propriety. He had in his em-
ploy an old negro, named Pompey, and
if this latter individual was not 80
strict in his morals as his master, he
was, at least, very cunning dog, and
passed in the reverend household for
q pattern of propriety. Pomp was
useful servant, and the old clergyman
never hestitated to trust him with the
most important business.
Now, it so happened that there
were, dwelling in and about the town,
sundry individuals who had not the
fear of the dreadful penalties which
Mr.. Ridewell preached about before
their eyes, for it was the wont of these
people to congregate on Sabbath even
ings upon level piece of land on the
outskirts of the town, and there race
horses. This spot was hidden from view
by dense piece of woods, and for
long while the Sunday evening races
were carried on there without detec-
ton by the officers, or others who
might have stopped them.
1t also happened that the good old
clergyman owned one of the best
horses in the county. This horse was
of the old Morgan stock, with q mix
ture of the Arabian blood in his veins,
and it was generally known that few
beasts could pass him on the road.
Mr.. Ridewell, with dignity becoming
his calling, stoutly declared that the
feetness of his horse never afforded
him any qualification, and that, for his
own part, he would as lief have any
other. Yet money could not buy his
Morgan, nor could any amount of ar
gument persuade him to swap.
The church was so near to the good
clergyman's dwelling that he always
walked to meeting, and his horse was
consequently allowed to remain in the
pasture.
Pompey discovered that these races
were on the tapis, and he resolved to
enter his masters horse OH his own
account, for he felt sure that old Nor
gan could beat anything in the shape
of horsehesh that could be produced in
that quarter. So on the very next
Sunday evening, he hid the bride un-
der his jacket, went out into the pas
ture and caught the horse, and then
rode off towards the spot where the
wicked ones were congregated. Here
he found some dozen horses assembled
and the racing was about to commence.
Pomp mounted his beast, and at the
signal he started. Old Morgan enter
ed into the spirit of the thing, and
came out two rods ahead of everything.
So Pomp won quite pile, and before
dark he was we'll initiated in horse
racing.
Pomp succeeded in getting home
without exciting any suspicious, and
he now longed for the Sabbath after
noon to come, for he was determined to
try it again. He did 20 again, and
again he won; and this course of
wickedness he followed up for over
two months, making his appearance
upon the racing ground every Sunday
afternoon, as soon as he could after
"meeting was out" And during this
time Pompey was not the only one
who had learned to love the racing.
No, for old Morgan himself had come
to love the excitement of the thing,
too, and his every motion when upon
the track showed how zealously he ell
tered into the spirit of the game.
But these things were not always to
remain secret. One Sunday pious
deacon beheld this racing from dis
lance, and straightway went TO the
parson with the alarming intelligence.
The Rev. Mr.. Ridewell was utterly
shocked. His moral feelings were out
ragged, and he resolved to at once put
a stop to the wickedness. During the
week he made many inquiries, and he
learned that this thing had been prac-
ticed all summer OH every Sabbath af-
ternoon. He bade his parishioners
keep quiet, and he told them on the
next Sunday he would make his ap-
pearancc on the very spot and catch
them in their deeds of iniquity.
On the following Sabbath, after din
ner, Mr.. Ridewell ordered Pomp to
bring up old Morgan and put him in
the stable. The order was obeyed,
though not without many misgivings
on the part of the faithful negro. AS
soon as the afternoon services were
closed, the two deacons and some
others of the members Of the church
accompanied the minister home with
their horses.
at is the most fragrant piece OF
abomination that ever came to my
knowledge" said the indignant clergy
man, as they rode on.
at is, most assuredly," answered
one of the dcacons.
"Horsc-racing OIL the Sabbath!' ut
tered the minister.
"Dreadiul," uttered the second dea-
con.
And so the conversation went on
until they reached IL gentle cmincnce
which overlooked the plain where the
racing was carried on, and where some
dozen horsemen, with a score Of look
ers-on were assembled. The sight
was one which chilled the good parson
to his soul. lie remained motionless
until he had made out the whole
alarming truth, then turning to his
companions:
"Now, my brothers" said he, "let us
ride down and confront the wicked
wretcles, and if they will get down on