The age-herald., 1901-08-25
TrOttnS, Pacing o~s: ss@isees De:. ssisss ss,. BYAz cAFFHn and Racing World

 ed by the queenly Firenzi had no rightful heir until one summer day four years ago that black marvel of speed, grace, cour- age and beauty, known and loved by thousands under the suggestive name Of Imp, flashed like a meteor around the track at Sheepshead Bay-galloping and romping away from a great field Of colts as if they were toy horses Imp has all the qualities of greatness and all the at tributes of popularity that go to make | up belle of the first flight, for she IS 1 possessed of an exquisite poise under | saddle, beauty and grace and strength, and an suitability that no hap can per | turb She has won big handicaps and rich stakes and has never run a really | bad race, though time and again pitted against the hardest propositions on the | American turf
 At Saratoga last Tuesday afternoon, | when Imp appeared on the track ito start 1 in the race against that other phenomi- nal race mare Smoke and the good horse Admonition, the band played Ma Coal Black Baby" and men and women yelled and applauded the black idol until red in the face. A thousand cheers went up for the old black pet and a thousand more for her black rider, Fairgood, who was in the saddle on the best race mare that ever stood on iron, and who was that hour to throw cloak over the suc- cession of. victories of the good mare Smoke. What favorite old Imp is with the public. When she loses she is showered with sympathies; when she wins folk go wild and those who rarely voice their feelings yell, applaud, jump and stamp. Those who love a good horse almost cry. The feelings of that vast crowd of fashion and wealth burst forth when it saw the good mare buckle down to her work as only she seems ca pable of doing Smoke was ridden by that wizard of the saddle, Winnie O'Con- nor, and jumped off In the lead, the mas ter rider guiding her sagey and almost magically, maintaining an easy lead, seemingly along the back stretch and around the far turn. They turned for home, Smoke laped by Imp, O'Connor using every possible advantage known to the craft, took Imp a little "wide' Imp stood for 1t, and hung like grim death to her rivals steaming Hanks. For the next heartbreaking furlong Imp closed steadily and surely, and O'Connor began to sift and hustle So did black Fairgood on Imp. The black idol of the betting sheds knew what was required of her for she had before this day and moment fought out an hundred heart rending eyelash finishes when only brave heart could answer the cruel call. Imp pinned back her ears, as she always does when determined to do or die, and she was close enough to Smoke to look her in the eye, as much as to say: You are pretty good sort of a wench your self, but you must surrender" O'Con- nor drew his whip and brought it down; Smoke answered the cruel lash. They ran stride for stride. Fairgood was seen to put his whip away which he had not used, while O'Connor kept battling This xxfoG .trrao e.. ,l,. stand. It seemed to strike every one at once that Imp had the race won. Wo- men screamed, great lunged men shout ed. The noise increased as Imp was seen half length in front and drawing away She won by a length
 When Imp trotted back to receive the orders of the Judges. as dainty and as proud as a society belle, to the strains of the band playing My Coal Black Lady" the cheers were deafening. It is said that the beautiful mare seemed to appreciate the ovation for she pricked her ears and looked into the grandstand almost ac- knowledging the compliment. It was scene never to be forgotten by those for tunate enough to be there. Imp Is the idol, the very darling of the fashion and wealth as of those in humbler life. and she ought to be, for shre Is as honest as the day, courageous as lioness, and has
 
 A Distinguished Alabamian.
 The love of pastoral poetry is as old as the earth itself Indeed among those who practiced the commemoration of shepherd and flock in idyllic song at an early date were Moses, Miriam, Deborah and Barak as well as the sweet psalmist of Israel. In later years we find the idylls of Theocritus as overfowing with the sweet reflections of a mind unruffled with the cares which harrass the life of crowded cities as were the hives of his own Hyblaen honey bees Virgils Eolo- ques give Us pictures of a polished mind playing at shepherd and down to these days of progress the pretty conceit-weav- CTS of the centuries have been unrivaled for warmth of coloring and tenderness of pathos in their realm of bucolic min strelsy. Indeed the Strymonian swans