University of Virginia Library

OLD TUTTLE'S LAST QUARTER RACE.

A few weeks since, Sol. Lauflin matched his bay
four year old colt by Bacchus vs. Hugh's bay mare by
Bacchus, also four years old, to run a quarter, in the lane
near this place, for a C speck. As the colt was known
to be a sharp one, and his owner "one of the b'hoys"
for a quarter race, and that he also had the assistance of
"Old Tuttle," (who will figure presently,) he had the
call in the betting at six to four, until the day before the
race, when the mare made her appearance, looking every
inch a Bacchus, and fine as a star; and the owners of
the old horse making a demonstration in her favour, the
odds fell off, and numerous small sums were laid out at
evens, up to the time of the race.

On the mounting of the riders, it appeared that the
colt had the advantage in training or management, as
the mare was very restive, and finally broke from her
starter, and run like a scared dog, going quite through
before her rider could take her up. Here the friends of
the colt again rallied, and some money was laid out at
five to four, p. p., but when it was known that the mare
was not hurt and would start again, the odds fell off, and
even was again the order of the day.

The mare was soon at her post again, and this time
they got off, the mare a little in the van, which she
maintains throughout, and is declared a winner by five
feet! Well, there! if you ever heard a small crowd
shout, you know what was done then—and if knowing
ones were ever struck speechless, them's they!

Prior to the main race, or, as the play-bills have it,
"previous to which," was acted the farce of "Dog eat
Dog," or "The boys" vs. "Old Tuttle." In order to
get the cream of this, you must know Old Tuttle—and
as I am utterly unable to do him justice in a description,
I'll squat, and let Hooker do it.

Look at the picture of "Simon Suggs," and you'll
see Old T. physically; in the trial scene you find him
intellectually, and in the camp-meeting scene, morally.
Were it not that Old T. never "samples" too much
when on business, and fights the "hoss b'hoys" instead
of the "Tiger," I should say they were one and the
same person. As a matter of course, a quarter race
never goes off without his being thar—and he never
attends without doing some business! So on Thursday
he makes his appearance on the track, on a bay gelding,
(with white hind feet,) which he calls "Indian Dick,"
and "allows he's as good a scrub as there'll be on the
ground!" As Old T. is known, and Dick has been
heard of, the boys are rather shy—but one of them
thinks he's got a scrub that's "some pumpkins!" and
would like to know, without too much cost, how far
Dick can beat him; he therefore proposes to run them
three hundred yards, for "sucks all round." Old T.
understands the game, and says, "No, I don't want yer
to treat this crowd, but I'll run with yer, just to show you

yer hoss can't run!" This was what H. wanted, as he
thought he could tell the speed of a horse, even though Old
T. did ride him; so back they go to the score, and are off
—with (as might be expected) H. ahead, and Old T. in
the rear, whipping and spurring like mad, and letting
his horse go just fast enough to put H.'s at about the top
of his speed—but he can't quite come it—"H.'s horse
is too smart, and can beat him every inch of the road."
So says H., and most of the crowd are of the same
opinion.

Old T. says he believes he can beat H. Saturday, as
"Dick's shoes are loose, and heavy, and he can't run
in 'em."

There was nothing more said about it till old Tut.
made his appearance next morning, when the boys were
all after him with "sharp sticks" and "hot bricks"—
one wanted to bet him a horse on H.'s colt vs. his Indian
Dick—another a V., another an X., and so on.

"Hold yer hosses, b'hoys! Don't all be after the
old man at wunst. Wait a while and he'll commerdate
yer! He's an old man, and b'lieves he knows mor'n
all on yer;—but he don't want all your money at wunst.
He wants to be onabel with yer, so he can cum agin."

This of course didn't set them back any, as they
thought the old man was scary, and they were after him
the faster. Some of the more wary cautioned them to
look out, but they didn't want no caution—they knew
what they was about! They could beat Old Tuttle! and
they were going to "do the State some service" by
skinning him. They'd make the "old cuss" poor afore
they left him!

He took it all very coolly, advised some of them to

save their money for next time. He was an old man,
and b'lieved he knew more'n all on 'em. His father
didn't work for nothin' sixty-five years ago! But the boys
said that was all gas, to scare them off; but 'twouldn't
work! The old cuss had got to be skinned or back
out.

The result was, they got up a horse and fifty dollars
in money a side, to run on Saturday at two o'clock,
each one to start and ride his own horse, judge tops
and bottoms—the winning horse take the cakes—and
no back out! Either party refusing to run forfeits the
whole stakes.

Things went on smooth that day—some thinking Old
T. was playing some game on the boys, but what the
d—l it was, no one could tell. However, before night
it was known there was a secret among the boys. They
knew the speed of Dick, and knew they could slay him;
but there mustn't any thing be said about it, as when
they got the old man on the track and right, they were
going into him the whole amount of his fixings. They'd
caught the old man napping once. They'd got a —
sight faster horse than he thought for—and now they
were going to pay off old scores.

Two o'clock came, and found Old T. on the spot,
leading Dick round, and telling the boys they'd be surprised
when they see Dick run his best—at the same time
"doing what business offered"—but somehow the boys
appeared a little scary. Old T. was "on hand" for
every offer, and no mistake, and 'twas known he never
bet liberally, unless he "had a sure thing," so that the
betting soon began to lag, and the old man had the call,
but no takers. Finally the old man said, "I've got a

little more money, b'hoys, and I wouldn't mind giving
you a chance at two to one for it." But this set them clar
back—no one dare bite. There not appearing any more
chance for investment, the old man stripped off his hat,
coat, vest and boots, tied a red cotton bandanna around
his head, (as an old man only can tie it,) then pulls off
the clothes and saddle from Dick, and mounts, bare
back, declaring himself ready.

H. mounted, and the word was given to "clear the
track!" Then Old T. says, "Are yer ready?" "Yes."
"Go long, then!" And over the score they go, H. a
length ahead. But, oh! Jeminy! see Dick run! Before
you could turn round twice, the ends of Old T.'s bandanna
were pointing out the road for H., and at the outcome
Dick was one, H. nowhere!

Anybody that has seen a "quarter-horse" run by a
"dunghill" knows how this was—no one else can appreciate
it. The thing was out. Old T. really knew
more than all of them, sure enough—but what was the
secret, and how in — could those in the secret be so
stuck? That's the idea.

The secret was, "the boys" stole Old Tuttle's
horse on Thursday night, and run him with H.'s horse,
and beat him easy! And the way they were stuck was
this: the old man, supposing they would steal his horse
that night, and run him, had put Dick's clothes on another
horse of the same colour and marks, and about the
same size, and put him in Dick's stall, starting a shoe,
so that if they run him they would lose it, and he should
know they had taken the bait good. In the morning the
shoe was gone!