The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-25

Like a king returning to his throne and
country after long exile did the great
racer of racers proceed up the Misslssip-
pi and along the Ohio to his native Ken
lucky. An echo of long ago floats
through the memory and mighty shouts
and glad acclalms welcoming the equine
conqueror back to his famed blue grass
land, like ghostly whispers of the past
ring In our ears. There were no theatre
CT. struttings and gasconading talk in
those old days of gentlemen and race
horses, such as we see and hear today
among bookmakers and touts and spiel
ers. But homage to greatness, such as
Lexington possessed, fell little short Of
hero-worship.
This Increase of speed in horses has in
1t something of a mystic nature worthy
of reflection and philosophy. Great per-
formance seems to beget greater per-
Torrance. New powers and sources or
speed appear to be touched by some sub
tie. secret process which had never been
electrified before. Whence does this
spark proceed that verifes latent ener-
gies which reach almost marvellous re-
suits? Can it be that the mind of man
imparts itself by some strange process
to the mind and body Of his horse as he
does to the physical faculty In himself?
1t is not impossible. Can we doubt that
Bonny Black Bess of the bold-riding
Dick Turpin responded to her masters
spirit when she took her wondrous leap
over the spilkad turnpike gate, OF that the
essence of the courageous soul of the
Mameluke, who alone escaped the mas
sacre of the Beys by leaping his horse
over the walls of Cairo, entered into that
of his matehIess barb?
HesentWehe SonSea'eu'
After the signal victory OF Lexington
over their Red river champion, II there
was resentment in the hearts OF the
people Of New Orleans 1t was not dis
cerned by the eye, for there was not
visitor Their who failed to become the
object of the most delicate attention and
the guest at the prodigal board. Hospi-
tally the very weakness of the chival-
rous south, fairly ran riot in the Crescent
City, extending its generous hand more
sa aoS ~ us,e~s '' Thare ' yere s,ch
scenes in fhe old Crescent CITY that night
as one In this dav could scarcely con-
ceive Of. There existed In the far south
an atmosnbere of ouality and delightful
the visitor from the colder ATTITUDES.
Their hero had been deposed. but IL they
had taalousias thew were hidden deem
down In kni0htlv hosoms. hevond the
sight of the visitor within their gates.
NOW and then some lettering gossip Of
fered ,narvaIous axcuse for their defeat
but tho Creole canitaps nroudest and
hest gave gracious CONGRATULATIONS to
their visitors. Yes her hest Not only
her nroudest Of French aristocraey. but
those lineal in descent from that Iuflxi
Humma. whose blood was of the royal
caste of the qreat Toltec mother-race
which. before II welded its Mexican
snIandors 10 fierce conouerinr Aztec
far bevond the proudest era of Monte
zumasYthroned "tbe ieweIed and gold
laden Inca. in Peru. and sent the sa-
cred fire of It's temnles into this Creole
land hv the hand of tho Natchez warrior
To those proud old families. the new
rich Harry J,ebr set of the east must
annaar as tho nunv milo nonv 10 the
kinplv line of Diomed
onereo Regal hospitality.
NJ. Danton and NJ Placquin had that
usual look Of blissful repose that marks
the established Creole. The Grandissimes
and the De Grapions, ever courteous to
STRANGERS, opened their proau uoors On
oiu Espahase street. 70 tue throhs anu
uispenseo a nospi.iii'y lhae was resai.
IN old Creole NouVehe orleans 10 tnls
uay 'here SHINES hsn' VI ioinance anu
sentiment On TINS morse race when MIS-
win coior anu peoples II Win pnan-
'olhs.
W" saws lne uay "nen senerous I'M
Puise anu hhisnty ueeu snail pass away
Aiu.A oui sou'hi"ii"' VI hei "iaJes'y
WIN nave iaheh'
On rare OCCASIONS we yer meet win
stately sentiemen OF tne WINE hair.those
exemplary men Oh the ora "oriu-wno
zen US apoul TUE 'iine "heh we came
paoA iroii dreams "a.n ooa'iosu Oh
nohes' les, yes me ashes Oh hle
oleen retain the swee'ness anu ira
sranoe Vi tne resl. lhe "Trip oach nome ne
On 'ne great mississippi steamer with
'ne.r pass Vi soiu, Is s.ory III i,sen,
ne naile U, lexington was hanuieu
WIN seanceS isss ueienence tnah that
49,, ,e "i's Gnu ne oa.ne uay "nen
'eis oniu gu Noulo ieSi.e ~ Suu the
$3.50" . % Ni's.on' nc pc
.vns.u ~ " 'ui men aione ne was
ne ol d na'ioh. ne was Ley
ne IN anu ai'e' nm 'heie "eie hheleiy
muses.
oon anq oire.
That Lexington or any horse what
ever, was a greater race horse than Bos-
ton, is, to my mind, not true. Lexington's
campaign was too short to compare him
intelligently with Boston as an animal
of steel and whalebone nerves and mus
Giles, and courage Of adamant. Yet,
gagged by the time standard he is far
superior to the horse which sired him.
And If we consider the combination of