Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1875 — Good at a Spurt. [ARTICLE]

Good at a Spurt.

A letter from Seneca Falls, N. Y., relates this horse story: “A Wonderful improvement in the breed of horses has taken place in this section of the country during the past few yeafs. Nearly ever}’ man of note and means now owns fast horses, and several men with slim purses have fattened them by lucky investments in horseflesh. This has awakened great interest in horses, and every new acquisition to roadsters and track-stock is watched with keen eyes that have speculation in them. A visitor to the Seneca Falls race-course on any fine morning at this time of the year will he rewarded by seeing bursts of speed that would astonish even a Long Island horseman. Mr. John S. Baker, the owner of the noted horse Tom Keeler, has several youngsters whose records crowd the twenties, and Col. William Johnson, who represents Seneca and Ontario Counties in the State Senate, has a fast and very promising young horse which he bought at auction for S2OO. “ A man may sometimes purchase a flyer for a very small sum of money,” I remarked to a veteran who was watching the Colonel’s colt as he came sweeping around into the home turn. „ “ Yes, and even a good horseman will sometimes pay a-large price for a poor horse. By the way, "Hid you ever hear how George Hayt came to buy the parson’s trotter, that they poke so much fun at him about?” “ I have heard something of it, and should like to know the true story.” “ Well, you see, our minister, Mr. Bland, owned a beautiful, long-limbed horse that was terribly afraid of the whip,

and at the first swish would dart off at a tremendous pace, trotting at the rate of 2:20 for a few rods, when l|.e would drop into a lazy jog. One day George Hayt and a friend were sittjng in front of Hoag’s Hotel watching' vhe roadsters as they rattled by. The parson saw them, and. just before reaching the hotel he gave a fierce swish with his whip and the horse shot past the hotel and flew around the comer with the swoop of a carrier-pigeon. “Hayt sprang to Iris feet, saying, ‘Holy smoke, what speed; he shot out of sight like a bullet. I wonder if the parson knows what he has got there ?’ “‘ I guess not,’ replied his friend. ‘ The horse struck a two-minute gait as sure as I’m a sinner. We’ll go up to the parson’s house as soon as he returns and buy his horse if we can. 1 “ Calling at the parson’s house, after a friendly cljat, they broached. the horse business. ‘“You have a fine horse, parson; did you ever speed him?’ “ ‘ He’s a good horse, but I never ran him for any distance, although 1 have seen him spurt out quite lively at times. You see it wouldn’t do for a minister to rush a horse much.’ “ ‘ Would you sell him, Mr. Bland?’ “‘ As I remarked before, gentlemen, I’ve seen him spurt out quite lively at times, and I don’t know but a cheaper horse would do for me. It would be more suitable and more economical. “ ‘ What is your cask price, Mr. Bland?’ * "" “ 1 Well, for a horse that spurts out as lively as he does SSOO is the lowest figure that I could think of accepting.’ “ After a short conference with the buyers the bargain was closed. “The next morning the purchasers hurried to the track at break of day to give the horse a trial. At the crack of the whip the nag would dash off rapidly for a few rods and then drop into a lazy jog, from which neither coaxing, yelling nor whipping would drive him. It was impossible to get a mile out of him in less than six minutes. lie wouldn’t make a decent road horse. Thoroughly disgusted after repeated trials, the horsemen returned to the pastor’s house. “‘We have concluded to give you a chance to buy your horse back again, Mr. Bland,’ said George Ilayt, ‘“ And I have concluded that a cheaper horse will do for me, gentlemen, although your horse will spurt lively at times. Good morning, gentlemen.’ ”