Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-02-19

~ NO''tJ Nitlt it lclb SOtnt nHt rum
ming stock, although he never served
more than two or three thoroughbred
Mares
"a history of this extraordinary char
acter, Monkey Simon, will never be
known. In the sphere in which he NOV
ed, he was the observed of all observers.
Ii the traditions that reach us at this
late period may be credited, he was a
most skilful jockey, and possessed to per-
lection those peculiar qualities that are
ever essential to that character to assure
success. He was not only able to hold
a steady rein and maintain a graceful
easy seat, but no emergency ever came
upon him so suddenly, SO unexpectedly,
as to cause him to lose his presence of
mind or disturb his equanimity. No
danger, no peril, was too great for his
courage to encounter, and he moved
with steady nerve in the face of the
most appalling and threatening conflicts.
His integrity was as pure as his cour
age was firm, and the richest brides had
no charms that he could not resist. He
was unflinchingly true to his employers,
and although Il slave, bound by all the
bonds of servitude, he chcerfully Weld
ed, without the hope of adequate re-
ward, the most implicit obedience. 30
conquer was the motto emblazoned by
nature upon his mind and heart; and
glittering gold, threats, dangers, or any
character of circumstances were not
strong enough to come between him and
success, when it was within his power
to accomplish it.
"His attachments were strong. his
friendship trusty aud firm, and he loved
Colonel Elliott and Mr.. Williams with
ade yotion wellnigh akin to idolatry. They
had been his friends from his childhood,
and had caused him to be petted and
BATTERED, to which he was, as most of
us are, exceedingly susceptible. Those
of his own color and race looked up to
him as "a wise man in their midst and
by his superior intellect, tact. and re-
partee he ruled them as with an iron
rod. lie was very strongly inclined to
be superstitious, and it is said that what
the fear of danger, the love of gold, or
the ingenious Vaccinations of the bad
men that then, as now, lowered around
the race courses could not do, this trait,
superstition, induced him more than
once to yield to. Among other strange
stories told of him, illustrating this trait
in his character, it is related that he was
once riding the famous mare, Hanie's
Maria, in a two-mile race, and a cele-
brated negro jockey was on the oppos-
ing horse. The negro believed that the
morse he was to ride could beat Maria
on a burst of a speed, and he thought
that, if he could secure the lead of n
mile and a half, he could get to the end
of the journey before Maria could over
take him and thus win the race. sc he
sought Simon, and told him. in the
strlctest confidence, and with a most
earnest and confidential air, that he had
been communicating with some unknown
and fanciful being, who told him that if
Simon undertook to pass him before he
came to the h%alf-lnile pole on the second
mile, that he would trip Maria, and
cluSe her to throw him and kill him.
This strange threat greatly affected 81
mon. lie was unusually silent and even
sad. 1t was so apparent that 1t was OBJ
served. and when asked the cause of the
nnAA1 1n NNTaE Ia Nf.,a, l--I.
satisfactory answer.
"Maria was "A peculiar mare. and one
of her singular qualities was that al
though naturally lazy, and Indifferent to
whip or steel in all her training, she was
never willing-when the colors were
up, and Il real fight was on hand, about
which she could never be d~eceived-to
run in the rear, but went to the front
without urging, and never found a horse
in the West and South, until she was
nine years old, that could keep her from
taking and maintaining the cad from
the start to finish. When the moment
to start, Simon mounted her,
and although Maria was exceedingly
anxious from the start to 90 to the
front, he held her with a firm and de-
rein. Once or twice she took
the bit in her teeth, and with a rush ran
up beside the opposing horse, when the
turned quickly to Simon and
warned him with earnest emphasis of
the impending danger if he undertook to
pass him before he reached the appoint
place for the charm to be dispelled.
With might and main Simon renewed
the pull. At the end of the mile he was
urged in laundering tones to let the
mare go, but he declined. Threats of vi
olence reached his ears, and curses, bit
ter, loud and deep, Missed through clench-
teeth and althougl, he heard all, he
was unalterably fixed in his mind that
he would never go to the front as long
as the charm lasted. On the fying
sped, hut the goal Is raach-