The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1892-04-01

\. n.~rvsh,ng THAT Wore Hair and
Went 90 Fear Legs

a. EVERYTHING THAT Wore Hair and
w~ss en Four L~gs-
Portland gentleman was discussing
~ hre..er~' association aud II prepara-
.,,,. with q party of friends a after
,oon when he asked
..Did YOU ever see n bull racc?"
ID. no one present had even seen a
mil race. "a the old boy vent on 70
sell Nj, story
THE race ~ which speak" he said.
took place on a little half-mile track
along the Monongahela river, just
,hnv. the old town Of Brownsville.
HI Farette county. Pa. about fifty
xears 70. II was a notable event. and
NV i.nuss-warming gathering OF the old
Fay,ttc pioneers or their children.
where the applciaclx and wnlnuts are
"a >~ci around in those parts. ever
r.curs without q repetition Of all the
particulars Of 'lIominy Johnson's bull
race.
lin those palmy days ~ the olden
time. a half century ago. the horse
race and the withdrawing day were
The special events for fun and amnsc-
men, for every body <ortof frce-for-
All. And on this particular occasion
the horse-racc committee had advertised
a race frce-for-all that wore hair and
went on four legs never dreaming that
such generous latitude might let in a
representative OF the bovine race. But
\ colored brother by the name Of John
ION. who made his way by pcddling
hominv. saw in this race an opening TO
Turn an honest penny and gather in the
fen-lo'iar stakes. which would provide
sally and the ch;l'ens' with shoes for
the next winter. johnson hrd a scrub
hull which he had trained 70 work and
rifle like q horse. SO that he could ride
Him 10 town. carrying his sack
81 hominy. or Intel, him in shafts
ana sled in his winters wood or
rlOw his crop OF 'cawn AID faterS.'
- he resolved that The hull should run
FIR this money. And while the 'bloods'
used the track in tie daytime to train
their horses. johnson wotld repair
.hi,'ier at the wee sma' hohys' to put
tie hull round and round. 50 that there
would he no throw or for cant 81 an
understanding OF what vas wantcd Of
him on race day.
Finally the day came and with IL
johnson and his bull; hut ffe presence
of the hull tied At the fence was not
noted. for johnson rode him as other
people rode their horses The whole
country side was there. ard not the
least noisy Of tho delighted gamins was
little Jim Blaine. with his trousers sus-
PENDED by n single 'galus' and .oIlri
up 70 his knees
The frec-for-all race was finally
called. and promptly Hominv johnson
be>trode his bull and appeared in front
Of the judges stand and demanded 20
he assigned : place The judges
vromptly ruled him ont. but johnson
rluscd TO 60. appealing 70 uc words
81 the advertisement. The erowd was
rr slow 20 see the point. and rallied n
The support ~ johnson. seeing that il
the bull spoiled the race he would make
bushels If fun. Loud cries were made
70 rive johnson and his bull . show.
and threats were not lacking that il
there was NOT a fair deal there would
som be a frce-for-all fight. The apple
jack had got in its work. and finally,
se,ing no alternative. johnson on hi
bull was assigned TO the outside Of tho
track. the word was given and away
~ent the motley rang ~ racers, quar-
ter mays. family mays, old stagers. plou
horses. and Johnson's bull lickcty Brin
die down the first quarter. johnson
hanging to the tanks Of his aristocrat:'
rivals.
'i;ut knowing hat the bull could no
hold out for more than two hundred
wards johnson had provided means 4
make up by strategy what his ma,
lacked in speed. Ills saddle wa
a dry co~hidc. and he carrie
4 tinnsr-born and wore a pal
of revolutionary spurs. and As soo'
~ Drindlc made signs 81 Stacking u
le apple: his whip vigorously 70 III
hide. plunged the spur, into the bull
aanls. and between the rafting Of III
Hide and the believing Of the bul
every horse on tile course flew III
track. broke across the field. and n
Efforts ~ the Jockeys could retur
them 70 the race. But the bull stuc
20 his work. going the rounds Of ia
entire track. and as he came down III
homes.rr;ch tho bulls Of Bashan' wcr
mot a patching 70 the believing Z
This hull. with tail waving aioft, wit
johnson shrashing the cowhide n
footing his norm in triumph. while III
crowd broke into such roars and chez
ing that pandemonium itself seemed
have broken loose.
johnson got the stakes. with q gel
ercns voluntary contribution Of ZIP
and 'levies' from an hilarious GROVE
which voted the bull race 70 be n
greatest thing since the days Of job
Iilrin's ride. -Portland Orcgonian-