160 Making the American Thoroughbred 



health; it was much improved; he slept better than he 

 had for ten years. 



"To that night/ says he, 'spent on a shuck mattress in 

 a little garret room at Chesterfield Court-house, Sunday, 

 March the pth, 1823, I look back with delight. It was a 

 stormy night. The windows clattered, and William R. 

 Johnson got up several times to try and put a stop to the 

 noise, by thrusting a glove between the loose sashes. I 

 heard the noise; I even heard him; but it did not disturb 

 me. I enjoyed a sweet nap of eight hours, during which, 

 he said, he never heard me breathe. N.B. I had fasted 

 all day, and supped (which I have not done since) on a 

 soft egg and a bit of biscuit. My feelings next day were 

 as new and delightful as those of any bride the day after 

 her nuptials, and the impression (on memory at least) as 

 strong.' 



"He was present (as most lovers of the turf were) at 

 the celebrated race between Eclipse and Henry, on the 

 Long Island Course, in the month of May. He stood in 

 a very conspicuous place on the stand during the race, 

 surrounded by gentlemen of the North and the South; 

 and he evidently was very confident of the success of 

 Henry. But after the result, to him so unexpected, and 

 while the thousands of spectators were vociferously ap- 

 plauding the successful rider (Purdy), Mr. Randolph 

 gave vent to his great disappointment by exclaiming to 

 those around him in his most satirical tone: 



"'Well, gentlemen, it is a lucky thing for the country 

 that the President of the United States is not elected by 

 acclamation, else Mr. Purdy would be our next President, 

 beyond a doubt.'" 



Hon. Rufus King, of New York, and Col. William 

 Wynn, of Virginia, were together at the race, and the editor 

 (then or later) of the New York Express was near them. 



