The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1907-10-02
"OIL IN THE G. A NJ
The Race Story from The Belle the Blue H. D Puman
By permission Of the c. M. Clark Publishing Company

all around mat little meadow close to town, what
l showed you as we come along-and put that
horse in training. They called him Oil in the
Cam and them has seen him says he is creased
lghtnin'.
These people are all crazy bout him. and they
out loud bout him, cause they don't want the
bookmakers to find out just what he kin do.
They bin practcln' him mostly befo' day
light OF mornin', and they've all been settin' like
crows on the fences watchn him, with their stop
watches in their hands. Now thar's tip fur you
an l don't charge nothin for it.
"Say'-after moments thought, reaching down
in his pocket-"of course you re stranger me,
but I'm gwnter trust you with this five dollar
bill to put on Oil in the Can at the best odds you
kin git"-looking me square in the eye
Gratified at the compliment to my squareness,
accepted the trust with some misgivinss, for had
not much confidence in oil in the Can, pitted
against the horses of which he had been telling
me- | said something to this effect but his vii
liage pride was aroused and giving me know
ing wink, he answered:
old Phil can't be fooled happen to know
he's backing him we'll as the boys. You put
that bill just as | tell YOU
Arrived at Lexington found the town buzzing
like bee hive. The hotels were all crowded, for
McClusky had told me- here were people from
all parts of the country gathered together to do
homage to the equine kings and queens of the
turf.
Southern people, summering in the North, had
made it convenient to pass this way and stop for
the races. People from the North and East and
the West were all here, and not few foreigners,
for all other horses had gone down in the battle
for supremacy before the Kentucky racers
On the evening before the inaugural race, the
office of the Phoenix was converted into pool
room, for the auction of chances upon the horses
only favortes were largely dealt in heard moth
ing of 'Oll in the Cam. His supporters stood
aside, dumb oysters, making no wagers on the
favorites, evidently they reserving their
for hl fa ito fiYr,r Ix,;t1,
prehenson, McCluskys bill, which seemed to be
burning hole in my pocket.
The following day, all roads seemed to lead to
the race track. By eleven o'clock the streets We're
congesed, for every highway leading from the
country was thronged with people hurrying into
town. The railroad brought in numerous excur-
sion trains, conveying thousands of people,
strangers from all over the state, and the United
States. BY twelve o'clock the mixed multitude
had all converged into the principal street lead
ing to the track; hacks, omnibuses carriages
wagons the negro drivers, all excitement, crack
ing their whips shouting. racing, barely escaping
running into each other by the narrowest
gins. The sides OF the road thronged with
pedestrians men, women, and children, negroes
and white people, an ndiscriminate mass, all of
them powdered thicky with the white lime
stone dust raised in such clouds by the passing
vehicles, that could scarcely get his breath
They did not seem to mind it, for they all
eager to get there, and get good places. even if
they had not the wherewtha for the grand stand
A little later. the family carriages began to roll
out in mere leisurely fashion for the occupants
had their places secure, either reserved on the
grand stand, the carriages to be drawn up at
most desirable point the green lawn to OBJ
serve the great trials of speed and endurance.
There medley of voices shouting, and
rushing to and fro, until the hour approached for
the first race when a rush of expectation began
to settle upon the people. Then l had leisure to
look around and mark with appreciation, the
beautiful picture presented in this incongruous
of frOn a Ike nf fa