ARTEMUS WARD ON THE RACE COURSE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 89, 3 August 1876, Page 2

ARTEMUS WARD ON THE RACE COURSE.

■» _ - Our correspondent down West supply \is with the/following : —" The celebrated Artemus Ward, jun., like his father, jj rapidly bringing himself into public notoriety. He is about the strangest freak of human nature it has ever been our lot to witness. Last week he got it into he id that his old horse Ne'bb could do a ra ;e or two. Anyhow, he determined to en'-.er him in the Maiden Plate for §15,000, Tlure was a perfect jubilee of fun ,aj Ar;emus mounted liis old stager,. and drjw up -among the competitors; b\i| when Artemus gripped the pommel of the saddle with his lrift hand, and threw hy legs forward nearly on to the horse's neck, there arose a perfect-hurricane of laught 9 among the betting men. "*lt is well to state here that Artemus provided himself with, combustible whip, prepared for the occj. sion. But now the horses were arrange by the starter and umpire. Ward took i position in the. middle, looking anything but graceful. I was going to proceed ftj, ther about Arteiirus lfetting'off some vh) popular and practical curses at his old horse when I heai'd the starter crying out, " Are you ready "I'm in, old hoss,' responded Artemus, while throwing hj body into a strange contortion. /Tlj signal was given. Artenius used ! his in fernal whip ; each stroke a species of bom) burst, followed by a streak of fire. Tfe rest of the horses were terrified and bolted, several of the jockeys being capsized. Tin rest could not gej>-£hem to face the infenu! machine, and, m consequence, Artemm came in a winner by fifteen lengths, auiij the greatest enthusiasm ever witnessed on an American racecourse.