A Diplomat in Pigskin 225 



should still possess so many of the marks of vigorous manhood, but 

 the 'three score years and ten' sat lightly upon him in a hale and 

 vigorous old age. He explained that he had only five minutes to 

 stay, and improved the time by pressing me to pay him a visit at 

 his home, near Gallatin, to all of which I glady acceded, and indi- 

 cated the time at two or three weeks from that day." 



Wallace's few days at "Station Camp" were, to use 

 his own expression, "literally filled up with racing and 

 political reminiscences of a past generation." One story, 

 especially, had both a racing and a political origin. It 

 was the joint product of Peyton's appointment as Minis- 

 ter to Chili and the great knowledge of all racing mat- 

 ters affected by one of the high ranking secretaries of 

 the Chilian government. 



This secretary "kept race horses himself," wrote Wallace, "and 

 was known throughout the country as one of the most success- 

 ful and accomplished of all who frequented and patronized the turf. 

 He was a kind of Napoleon among the racing men of Chili, and some 

 time after Mr. Peyton's arrival in that country he improved an 

 early opportunity to escort the American minister, on a great occa- 

 sion, to witness a contest between some of the most famous horses 

 of the country. The winner belonged to the secretary, and Mr. 

 Peyton, not being greatly impressed with the racing powers of the 

 Chili horses, made some remark, diplomatically conveying that 

 idea. The secretary at once wished to know if Mr. Petyon thought 

 there were any better race horses in the United States? Mr. Peyton 

 replied, somewhat apologetically, that the American race horse was 

 larger and stronger, could carry more weight, and, he thought, had 

 more speed. The Chilian, in his anxiety to catch what he thought 

 was a novice in racing matters, dropped all the diplomatic formulas 

 and came right to business, forthwith challenging Mr. Peyton 

 to bring on his American horse for ten thousand a side, owners 

 to ride. To this latter stipulation Mr. Peyton demurred, as he 

 weighed one hundred and eighty pounds, and the Chilian only about 

 one hundred and twenty. After a sufficient amount of diplomatic 

 hesitation, however, he accepted the terms, and sent up to his plan- 

 tation, in Tennessee, for a couple of great, strong race horses that 

 he had bred himself, and knew all about their qualities- for genera- 



