Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-06-03
FROM TIE SADDLE TO rae SENATE
Congressman curtis's Ride From the Rae,
Course to the National Legislatur.

FhOh InE SADDLE 10 TAX SENATE,
Congressman Curtis's Ride From the Rae,
Course to the National Legislature
Few who listened to Representative
Curtis, Of Topeka, make his masterlV
defence OF Kansas against the imputs.
tioH OF the calamity howlers during tba
recent tariff discussion would suppose
that seven years OF his early hoyhood
were spent in the saddle as q jockey.
Il have riddea some Ga the fastest
races In the West" he said TO a Wash.
ington Post reporter few days ago
II was reared by nv grandmother, who
owned q good string OF horses, aud IA
1860 l took TO the saddle as a natural
result OF being connected with
stable or race horses. From that
year until 1876 never race
season passed that l didn't have
nv full share Of the excitement
travelled the Western States, riding
races in Kansas, Missouri. Colorado and
Texas, and got such a reputation IS
rider that / was engaged for q big Ken
lucky stable and would have gone Eat
but for my grandmother.
1T was in 1876. My grandfather had
been dead several years, when, on Sun-
day afternoon, while We we're at Topeka,
after weeks racing, l went TO the
house where my grandfather lived, in
tending To 90 TO Kansas City the neIt
day and join the stable OF thorough
oreds. / had made considerable money,
and used TO spend IL for clothes aud FOR
schooling when the race season was
over. As / called on my grandmother
she begged me 10 give up horse
racing and take 8 thorough course
Of schooling. / don't know how
ii was The thought had never entered
my head before, but got 10 thinking
tue matter over, and suddenly made Up
my mind that my grandmother was
right. / went back 10 the fair grounds
and told Phil Gilman, now the well
known Chicago starter, that | was 90.
ing to quit horse racing and 20 =
school. He thought II was a good idsa,
but said he would not engage a Jockey
for few days TO take my place, as be
felt sure ! would change my mind and
join him in time 20 ride the next big
race. He was mistaken In his conclu.
sions, however, for started to school
the next day and never stopped until
1879, when l completed my course. As
soon as had done this / entered AlaW
office In Topeka, and from that time 20
this have had nothing more TO DO
with horses
"You want 10 know something about
my experience as a jockey2 Well, ioI
one thing, | rode the celebrated West.
ern PAGER Little Casino. probably the
fastest and certainly the best known
horse in the West Then rode Tlden,
probably the fastest half mils horse In
the United States, aud Beecher, the Ia
nous two mile horse. One OF the fastest
quarter mile horses I'm the West was
Bob Ridley, and nobody but me could
ride him. While he could easily pass
anything on the track he had an ugly
habit Of throwing back his ears and
baking. carefully studied all bis
habits, and IN a big race that was
TO be run one day | fixed things so
that Bob would win whether
| he wanted TO or not. ] got pair OF
spurs with rowels an inch long and
| sharp as q needle. To this formidable
equipment added a Whaleoono whip
that would cut through the skin. and
so armed swung myself into the saddle
and took my position. Well, the word
was given and away we went like -
cyclone, Bob Ridley and me 10 the leSd
as i knew we would be. / was sur
i OF the heat II could hold Rob level.
but just at the critical moment ! saw
| him throw back bis ears, and | knew
| that the next thing he would DO would
be TO come down stiff on bis two front
| feet and stop. | didn't walt for
him TO do II this time. just
buried the rays OF the rowel In
his heaving sides, fetched him a cot
with the whAlebone that made the
blood squirt, and Bob and / shot under
the wire, easy winners. He never tried
that trick on me again. but I heard
Gfterward that be had gone back 20 his
old habits.
IL rode one race at Independence
that would have gone down 10 horse
lore as the greatest OF the kind N 10
hadn't been for the slow time. 10 was
TWO mile and repeat race. best two In
10 three, and We ran five heats. II was
between Boston and 4 mare called Lady
Soothing Syrup. rode Lady Soothing
Syrup and won the first heat. The sec.
ond was dead heat. Boston won the
third, the fourth was another dead
heat, and the fifth fell TO my lot