The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1902-03-15
ELKTON LONG AGO.
By J. POLK RACINE.

Then Jolly John asked the boy what
the old Spccklcd greys name was and the
| response came, Sleepy JIM" And our
old black hero, yelled hell take de rag
| often de bush dis day."
] would have my readers know that in
those days in Cecil not more than two
StccdS ran ut one time, that is there were
but two opponents in each race.
Joe said 'hully John fix de pomken.
and we will mcnce de snapper turtle
show" Jolly John cut the top from the
pumpkin and Scooped out the intcStincs
set the shell on top of the old flour bar
rel, and de show was about to be opened
The monster turtle which was tied to a
stake by one hind leg. was rs vicious as
Il viper. Now. as it was II full hour vet
before the racing would begin. pudd lust
had about time enough To get off his uni
que performance. and Jolly John will
soon tell YOU in his herald what that per.
formancc will consist Of just look Mt
our old greasy black hero. he has stuck
out one of his drum sticks next the snap
perS ugly mouth and the savage quad
ruped has snapped and fastened himself
40 firmly to the stick that pudd wells with
delight and sets back on stick. string and
turtle. and surely something must give
way. All. there he goes, and the ugly
brute is on top of our hero.
"Oh oh. take him off John, take him
off. he half don eaten me up. take him
off. And really the old black villain is
no more alarmed by the snapper crawl
Ing over his great stomach than he would
be if there We're Il good big drink of
whiSkcy gliding down on the inside. But
the dear old mig wants IL crowd for de
show. and he is getting there bcauti-
fully. And notwithstanding, he is living
PROSTATE on his back, the old coon is
actually higher than when he was on his
Stubby legs. Pudd soon scrambled to his
feet. and in doing 50. he had overturned
the monster snapper to the ground but it
soon ruhb"r-ncckcd himself To his crooked
legs again. But just hear our clown.
Jolly John i'll his haranguc while an
nouncing de Show-"Come right along
now gentlemen. and see Joe Pudd con-
Jur" the most vicious reptile that Swims
the river. just watch it when | poke
this stick near its dangerous mouth"
John held out the staff. and the terrible
brute clamped it and John dragged it
around to prove that he was Il slayer
Now gentlemen, this old negro will
charm that vicious monster and actually
pick it up and then kiss it ON its very
mouth. Get the pumpkin Joe
Our hero got the halowcd pun. and
went off in II ripping stream of his gIo.-
iouS laughter. Then said. THAT cunnun-
drom yondcr, pointing toward the turtle
is some kin to me. hut | dono how much.
but | Spcct when | kiss en- dat he will
stick closer dan Il bruddcr and | ;lX dc
Eemmen to put some money in dis ponkcn
10 pay de doctor To sew my lipS ON
again And when old Pudd got through
passing around his unique contribution
box. 1t was nearly full of old cart wheel
copper cents. fps. lavicS. quarters, half
dollars, and even dollar bills found their
way INTO JOc'S Scoopcd out pumpkin
And he yelled with the ecStacy of gcc
count dc money John. while ] get de
drum, un wax up old lop yerd Sleepy
Jim, for he's gwin to win me hol heep
money dis day. And when Jolly John
had finished counting the ten dollars and
more, Joe laid his loved old drum aside
and said. NOW gemmcn | gwin to lobe
aud kiss dat baby, meaning the snapper
den ! kiss ole lop ycrc. Sleepy Jim
the tip-toc of expectancy. and many were
poking canes, whips and hats nt the open
mouthed snapper. and he. the vicious
monster was doing the Swapping.
At last our hero walked To the front
mid great cheering from the crowd.
Come to yo faddcr. yo putty baby"
said he. and picking the creeping devil
up, Rugged it right good. then kissed the
vicious brute once. twice. thrice. right
on its ugly mouth. And the people were
spell bound.
We have not the space to 20 into do
| tlil III regard to the races. but will merely
say that old lop-carrd Sleepy Jim got
there every time He had been brought
from the Gap. ii hamlet mp in Chester
county. Pa, to do the cleaning up bust
| ness, and pudd'S old money purse was
primn fHciu evidence that he was not
found wanting. And when the racing WAS
over. what Il glorious sequel TO the days
port WAS gotten off by Jolly John and
dear old Joe l'udd. 1t was Just exactly
Ike this. Black Hawk. Il magnificent
horse owned by Henry. who lived close
up to our town, had been pittcd against
sleepy linn, and had uonr good work
very nearly to the finish. but Sleepy
James at this point raised up his lop ear
and opened his lame eve, and sailed over
the finish line like CREASED lightning.
This had ruicd IIcnry's temper. and
with Il biz roll of bills in his hand, he
was Offering to run anything in the uni
verse for any amount of money.
Vie. Pet. Jolly John and Pudd are hold
ing sweet little conference yondcr next
he old flour barrel and snapper. and all
ut once Pudd yclls forth 'Ho Mars
Henry. kin beat Black Hawk me self
That started the ball rolling. and soon
| the fun was on in earnest. Vie and Pet
knew that the high spirited black had al
ways run away in all his races, and they
were sure that he would do it Just once
more. even if he never did it again.
Jolly John had made it plain to old
pudd. And hence we hear our hcro's
challenge to Henry, that he Joe. will
run Black Hawk three hundred yards,
wheel and come. In antique days this
race was called cut and run, wheel and
come.
Jolly John put up twenty dollars that
Joe would win the race And the space
was carefully laid off, which was three
hundred yards in extent. Joe aua the