The San Francisco call., 1896-01-18

upon a more romantic spot had he
searched this broad land from ocean to
ocean.
1t was an old Kentucky colonel, one of
those knlght-hearted old prototypes of
Colonel Newcomb, who said that the Blue
Grass was heaven enough for him, and
that the only way for God Almighty to i'm
prove on the Elysian fields was to tell the
preachers to include in their announce
ments of the inducements offered TIE peni-
tent the statement that there would be
horse-racing in Paradise and that the
clubhouse of the Kentucky Association
would be located near The wire; that
Colonel Jack Chinn would send the fields
away and relate his coon stories when the
card had been cleaned up; that Milton
Y oung, Bill Barnes and Sanford Lyme
would pose in the judges stand ana Tom
Mcdowell and Hal Hendlev and Gus
Straus catch the time; that Hull David
son would have charge of the clubhouse
and dispense hospitality, and, finally, that
the Holy One would promise that the big
spring at Colonel Peppers distillery would
always flow and that Major Thomas mint
patch would never fade away.
Mr.. DaZey has drawn his characters with
rare skill and a thorough knowledge of the
characteristics, oddities and peculiarities
of the people he aims to depict. His
colonel can be seen almost any day Iolling
about the office of the famous old Phoenix
Hotel in Lexlngtou-a breezy, whole
souled Southern gentleman, whose one
passion is fondness for good horse. His
heroine is an excellent type of true Ken
to the demands OF dramatic license, and
his moonshiner strong, vigorous fellow,
rarely seen out of the Businesses of the
mountains and better known in Kentucky
than outside of that favored State.
Lexington, the Queen City of the Blue
Grass, has been called the hub of the horse
world. Between the name of Lexington
and the horse there is linked a sentiment
SO inseparable as to cause the one to sug-
gest the name of the other. Equally ia
vored by nature, the city is blessed by it's
association with the equine, and this
noblest of all animals is constantly repay
ing the debt it owes Dame Nature and its
native heath by superb contests the world
over. Old Lexington himself was q race
horse Of unexcelled ability, and his get
have demonstrated that his gifts were as
potent as they were brilliant, and like the
descendants of those lion-hearted old Ken
lucky colonies who made Kentucky and
Lexington their early reputation, the
grandsons OF old Lexington are sweeping
blc Iui1 Cue plCSchI 1no OI 1SA-
ington is the turf center of the world; the
finest, fleetest Jhoroughbreds are reared in
the blue grass region. 1t has been said
that the ''favotite son" of Kentucky is a
horse.
Mr.. Dazey understood all this, and that
is why he put spirited horserace IN his
play. His story, too, is deftly woven
around horse, and that horses prowess is
what arouses every Kentuckian who sees
the play to a wild pitch of enthusiasm
There never was a true Kentuckian
who did not worship a good horse.
In several churches in Lexington the min
listers are antagonistic to racing, but as the
days pass their views are gradually becom-
ing broader, and some of them are regular
attendants at the races and realize that
clean. honest racing is the "sport of kings"
Mr.. DaZey could not have selected a more
interesting people for the characters in his
drama than these sturdy sons of old Ken
tucky, and if he has caught the true spirit
of Blue Grass life, the success of his play
Is not to be wondered at.