Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1892-02-19
JOSEPH BATTELL,
Middlebury, VT.
EARLY TENNESSEE TURF HIS
TORY.
BY ALBION IN THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES
1877.
ICOutinupb

BY ALBION IN THE SPIRIT OF THE TIMES
1877.
[Continued.1
"During the absence of Colonel FL
lot and Uncle Berry, DR.. Sa~ppington
employed Monkey Simon to ride for him,
and when the race last above mentioned
came off, Simon rode Oscar against
Whip, the latter owned and run by his
old friends and favorltes. Colonel FL
lott and Uncle Berry. Some uneasiness
was manifested by the friends of Oscar,
who was high-strung and difficult to
control, lest Simon should suffer him to
eXhai st himself early, and thereby lose
the race. This suspicion was altogether
groundless, for Simon always rode to
win, if possible, and if he had a weak
ness, it was in being too eager for sue
cess III a close contest. At the tap of
the drum Oscar went off under a tremen-
dous head of steam, and in spite of all
Simon's eXertions to restrain him, was
soon fifty or sixty yards ahead, which
served to increase the doubts of Simon's
fidelity. DR.. Shelby dashed across the
field, and ordered Simon, in a most per-
emptory tone, to hold his horse, to
which Simon replied, in his characteris-
tic style, you fool, don't you see his
mouth is wide open?' And Simon
would have made the same reply to
General Jackson, under these circum-
stances. The General said to Simon on
one OCCASION. just before the horses
started in Il very important race snow,
Simon, when my horse comes up. and is
about to pass you, don't spit you to-
bacco Juice in his eyes and in the eyes
OF his rider, as you sometimes do" to
which Simon replied ''Well, General.
j have done a good deal of work agin
your horses, but with an OATH. none
OF tleln were ever near enough to catch
my spit ON another occasion, after
Hdnic's Maria had beaten the Generals
favoritc, PacOlet, and when no friend
dared to take Il liberty with him, Simon,
meeting him in "A large crowd, said:
"General, you were always ugly, but
now you're "A show. | could make a
fortune by showing you as you now
look, if | had you in Il cage where YOU
could not hurt the people who came to
look at you"
"'Many years ago | was riding on
horseback with Colonel Elliott to the
Nashville races, and when we reached a
point about one mile from the ferry at
Nashville. on the Gallatin road. he OBJ
served: "Here is the place where ne.
groes annually hired in old times. and
where | have often hired Simon, who,
on account of his detormity and dissi-
pated habits, usually cost me from Sl2 to
$50 per annum. On one occasion Colo
mel Robert c. Foster, guardian of the
minor children to whom Simon belong
ed conceiving it to be his duty, bid
against me and ran Simon up to thirty
odd dollars-the then price of a good
field hand. | concluded to drop Simon
on the Colonel's hands, and take the
chance of hiring him privately. Simon
watched the bidding with the deepest
interest, as he was most anxious to re-
main in the stable and enjoy the fame
and emcluments of riding Hanie's Maria.
and other distinguished winners. When
j indicated that | would bid no more.
Simon turned to the Colonel and said.
In his peculiarly sarcastic manner. with
his head laid back and one eye closed
Colonel Foster, | am not a selling. but
hirin' for only one year. The Colonel.
who was a maj of high spirit and great
dignity, replied, shaking his cane at ST.
mon: You impudent scoundrel, do YOU
know who you are talking to?' Simon,
with the most aggrayating GOODNESS, re-
piled ~ think do, and If | am not mistak-
en-, you are the same gentlemen who
made a small Experiment. for governor
once'-alluding to a race the colonel had
made for governor under very fayora-
BILE circumstances, in which he was bad
ly beaten. The witticism of Simon ere
ated much mirth, amidst which Colonel
Elliott got him at the next bid"
1.-THE purses at that period were un-
worthy of the attention of so superior a
a horse, and DR.. S%appington had neither
the means nor disposition to travel or
run him for heavy matches Oscar was.
therefore, when sound in all respects and
in the prime of his racing career, with
from the turf, and died at eleven
years old, the property of General r..
Desha and Mr.. Isaac Bledsoe of SUM