Fashion vs. Peytona 215 



learned, for it was impossible to get across to the Club stand, that 

 100 to 70 was the current offer there on Peytona's winning the match. 

 We had good luck in checking the 'devouring flames' of thirst among 

 the select few by whom we were surrounded in the Judges' stand. 

 That * Good Samaritan ' DOWNING may his shadow never be less! 

 whose oysters are the envy of his rivals and the admiration of 

 his customers, spied us and immediately 'understood our case!' 

 He forthwith scrambled over carriages, horses, and the heads of all 

 sorts of people, and by dint of great exertion oftentimes imminently 

 perilous (to the safety of our drink!) finally tossed up to us a goblet 

 and a bottle of iced Champagne! More than once we deemed his 

 case would be a sad parallel to that of the 'certain man,' who 'went 

 down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves.' We shall 

 not forget Downing until we are ' turned ' into something quite as 

 stiff and 'salty' as Lot's wife. 



"Just before starting for the 2d heat we understood that on the 

 Public Stand they were betting 3, 4 and 5 to i, on Peytona. We 

 heard, too, that Van Leer was a good deal alarmed about Peytona's 

 heels; she had on very light plates, and consequently was somewhat 

 foot sore. About us the backers of Fashion, consequently, would 

 not hedge their money, but determined to 'let it slide* on 'the old 

 mare.' The backers of time, however, a majority of whom had lost, 

 partially got out by staking their money on Peytona at extravagant 

 odds. Thousands of dollars changed pockets by the fraction of the 

 second in which the ist heat was run under 7:40; both the official 

 Timers, however, were supported by others, a majority of the 

 watches making the time between 7:395 and 7:40. A great number 

 of carrier pigeons were sent up within a minute of the close of the 

 ist heat, and the result was known in town in ten more! 



"SECOND HEAT: Another good start, Peytona leading off as before 

 around the first turn, with Fashion nearly lapt on her. As they were 

 near the quarter post, suddenly a tremendous shout was sent up by 

 the people on the roofs of the stands, in the trees, and on the fences 

 and carriages in the vicinity. 'Fashions ahead! ' shouted Conover 

 to us an exclamation which quickened the pulse or blanched the 

 cheek of more than one gentleman who heard it. If we could see 

 little of the race during the ist heat our range of vision was now still 

 more circumscribed. Mounted men and carriages were constantly 

 dashing across the field from point to point, endeavoring to get 'a 

 show' of the horses, for the sides of the course were, in many in- 

 stances, lined with carriages six or eight deep! Yet Conover had 



