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

their knees and implore Gods mercy
and promise to do so no more, we will
not take legal action against them.
o, that my own land, should be desc
Grated thus!' for it was indeed Sec
tion of his own farm.
AS the good clergyman thus spoke,
he started on towards the scene. The
horses of the wicked men were just
drawing up for start as the minister
approached, and some of the riders
who at once recognized "old Morgan"
did not recognize the reverend indi-
vidual who rode him.
"Wicked men |" commenced the
parson, as he came near enough for his
voice to be heard, "children of shame
and sin -"
"Come on, old hoss," cried one of the
jockeys, turning towards the minister.
IF you are in for the first race, you
must stir your :stumps. Now we CO."
"Alas o, my wicked -
GAIL ready" shouted he who led in
the affair, cutting the minister short.
"And off it is ~
And the word for starting was given.
Old Morgan knew that word too well,
for no sooner did it fall upon his ears
than he stuck out his nose, and with
one wild snort he started, and the
rest of the racers, twelve in number,
kept him company. .s.,,...,...s,.s ... d.
~"Who-a! Who.oa-oa |" cried the
parson, at the top of his voice.
"By the powers, old fellow, you're
keen one !" shouted one of the wicked
men, who had thus far managed to
keep close to the side of the parson.
"You ride WELL"
"Who-ho-ho-o who-a-o!" yelled
the clergyman, tugging at the reins
with all his might.
But it was all of no avail. Old
Morgan had now reached ahead of all
competitors, and he came up to the
judges stand, three rods ahead, where
the petrifed deacons were standing,
with eyes and mouths wide open.
"Don't STOP" cried the judge, who
had now recognized Parson Ridewell,
and suspected his business, and who
also saw at once into the secret of old
Morgan joining the race. "Don't
STOP" he shouted again "1t is two
mile heat this time. Keep right on,
parson. You are good for another.
mile. Now you go-and off it is"
These last words were of course
known to the horse, and no sooner did
Morgan hear them, than he stuck out
his nose again, and again started off.
The poor parson did his best to stop
the bewitched animal, but it could not
be done. The more he struggled and
yelled, the faster the animal went, and
ere many moments he was again at
the starting point, where Morgan now
stopped of his own accord. There
was hurried whispering among the
wicked one, and succession of very
curious winks and knowing mods SEEM
ed to indicate that they understood.
"Upon my soul, parson," said the
leader of the abomination, approach
ing the spot where the minister still
sat in his saddle, he having not yet
sufficiently recovered his presence of
mind to dismount, "you ride well.
ave had not looked for this honor"
"Honor, sirT gasped Ridewell,
looking blankly into the speakers
face.
"Ay-for tits an honor. You are
the first clergyman who has ever
joined us in our Sabbath evening enter
tainments."
T-I, sir! Ijoined you'll"
lila, ha, ha! O, you did it we'll.
Your good deacons really think you
tried to stop your horse but, saw
through it; saw how slyly you put
your horse up. But you need not fear;
/ will tell all who may ask me about
it, that you did your best to stop your
beast for I would rather stretch the
truth little than to have such q good
jockey as you are suffer-"
This had been spoken so loudly that
the deacons had heard every word,
and the poor parson was bewildered;
but he soon came to himself, and with
Il flashing eye, he cried:
civilians, what mean you? Why do
We thus -"
"Hold on" interrupted one of the
party, and as he spoke, the rest of
the racing men had all mounted their
horses, "hold on moment, parson.
We are willing to allow you to carry
off the palm, but we won't stand your
abuse. When we heard that you had
determined to try if your horse would
not beat us all, we agreed among our
selves that if you came we would let
you in. We have done so, and you
have won the race in two-mile heat.
Now let that satisfy you. By the hok-
ey, you did it we'll. When you want
to try it again, just send us word, and
we'll be ready for you. Good-by!"
As the wretch thus spoke, he turned
his horses head, and before the as
founded preacher could utter word,
the whole party had ridden away out
of hearing. 1t was sometime before
one of the church men could speak.
They knew not what to say. Why
should their minister's horse have
Joined in the race without some per-
mission from his master? They know
how much he set by the animal,
and at last they shook their heads with
doubt.
"It's very strange" said one.
every" answered the second.
"Remarkable," suggested third.
"On my soul, brethren" spoke
Ridewell, 81 can't make it out"
The brethren looked at each other,
and the dcacons shook their heads in a
very solemn and impressive manner.
So the party rode pack to the clergy
mans house, but none of the brethren
would enter nor would they stop at
all. Before Monday had drawn to
close, it was generally known that
Parson RiGewell raced his horse on
the Sabbath, and a meeting of the
church was appointed for Thursday.
Poor Ridcwell was almost crazy with
vexation; but before Thursday came,
Pompey found out how matters stood,
anu nC dSSuIeu lllo lllnSlCi Ihoo Az
could clear the matter up; and after
days search, he discovered the as
founding fact that some ofthose wick
ed men had been in the habit of steal
ing old Morgan from the pasture, and
racing him on Sabbath afternoon !
Pomp found out this much-but he
could not find out who did it y
As soon as this became known to the
church, the members conferred togeth-
er, and they concluded that under
such circumstances high mettled
horses would be very apt to run away
with his rider when he found himself
directly upon the track.
So Parson Ridewell was cleared but
it was long while before he got over
the blow, for many were the wicked
wags who delighted to poster him by