Year: 1879

Some seventy years ago the managers of
race course near Brownsville, on the
Monongahela, published notice of race,
one mile heats, on particular day, for a
purse Of 500, free for anything with four
legs and hair on. A man in the neighbor-
hood, named Hays had bull which he
was in the habit of riding to the mill with
his bag of corn, and he determined to en-
ter him for the race. lie said nothing
about it to any one; but he rode him
around the track number of times on
several bright nights, until the bull had
the hang of the ground pretty well, and
would keep the right course He rode
him with spurs, which the bull considered
particularly disagreeable; so much so that
he always beloved when they were ap-
piled to his sides On the morning OF
the race, Hays came upon the ground ion
horse back" on his bull. Instead Of a
saddle he had dried ox-hide, the head
part of which with the horns still on, he
had placed on the rump. He carried u
short tin horn 10 his hand. He rode up
to the judges stand and offered to enter
his bull for the race, but the owners of the
horses objected. Hays appealing to the
terms Of the notice, insisted that this bull
had "four legs and hair on" and that
therefore he had right to enter him.
After a good deal OF "cusin and discus
sin, " the judges declared themselves com
PEELED to decide uat the bull had the right
to run, and he was entered accordingly.
When the time for starting arrived the
bull aud the horses took their places. The
horsc-racers were out of humor at being
bothered with the bull and at the burles-
que which they supposed was intended,
but thought that would be over as soon as
the horses started. The signal was given,
and they did start. Hays gave a blast
with his horn and sank his spurs into the
bulls sides, which bounded with terrible
below, at no triaing speed, the dried OK
hide Topping up and down rafting at ev-
cry jump, making combination Of noises
that had never been heard on race course
before. The horses all few off the track,
every one seemed to be seized with sud
den determination to take the shortest cut
out of the Redstone country, and not one
Of them could be brought back in time to
save their distance. The purse was given
to Hays under great deal Of hard swear
ing on the part fthe owners Of the horses.
A general row ensued, but the fun Of the
thing put the crowd all on the side Of the
bull The horsemen contended that they
were swindled out Of the purse, and that
it it had not been for Hays horn aud OK
hide, which he ought not to have been per.
mitted to bring ON the ground, the thing
would not have turned out as it did. Upon
this Hays told them that his bull could beat
any of their horses anyhow, and if they
would put up one hundred dollars against
the purse he had won, he would take off
his ox-hide and leave his tin horn and run
fair race with them. His offer was ac-
cepted and his money staked. They again
took their places at the starting post, and
the signal given. Hays gave the bull
another touch with his spurs, aud the bull
gave another tremendous below. The
horses remembered the horrible sound, and
thought all the rest was coming as before.
Away they went again in spite Of all the
exertions Of their riders, while Hays gal
loped his bull around the track again and
won the money. From that time they
nick-named him Sham Hays. He after
ward moved to Ohio, but his nickname
stuck to him as long as he lived. .---PFesb.
Weelly,