Anna and the Arabian.

Mr. James looks more solemn than ever, and all eyes are turned upon
him. Captain Waters is not visible--he is yonder, conversing with the
ladies.

But the horses! Fair Anna pants and breathes heavily: her coat is
drenched more completely than before with perspiration; her mouth
foams; she tosses her head; when the rake is applied to her back a
shower falls.

The Arabian is wet all over too; but he breathes regularly; his eye is
bright and his head calm. He has commenced running. The first
intention of Mr. James is to give up the race, but his pride will not
let him. He utters an oath, and gives renewed instructions to his
rider. These instructions are to whip and spur--to take the lead and
keep it, from the start.

The moment for the final struggle arrives, and Captain Ralph merely
says, "Rein free!"

The boys mount--the crowd opens; the drum taps and the animals are off
like lightning.

Fair Anna feels that all her previous reputation is at stake, and
flies like a deer. She passes around the first mile like a flash of
white light; but the Arabian is beside her. For a quarter of a mile
thereafter they run neck and neck--the rider of fair Anna lashes and
spurs desperately.

They come up to the quarter-stretch in the last mile at supernatural
speed:--the spectators rise on their toes and shout:--two shadows pass
them like the shadows of darting hawks:--the mare barely saves her
distance and the Arabian has triumphed.

If we could not describe the excitement after the second heat, what
possibility is there that we could convey an idea of the raging and
surging pandemonium which the crowd now came to resemble? Furious
cries--shouts--curses--applause--laughter--and the rattle of coin
leaving unwilling hands are some of the sounds. But here we must give
up:--as no mere pen can describe the raging of a great mass of water
lashed by an angry wind into foam and whistling spray and muttering
waves, which rise and fall and crash incessantly, so we cannot trace
the outline of the wildly excited crowd.

[Afterwards come contests with the quarter-staff, a wrestling match,
running matches, a contest of singing among "a dozen blushing
maidens," and of fiddling among twenty bold musicians: and the day is
wound up with a great banquet.]

FOOTNOTE:

[29] By permission of D. Appleton and Co., New York.

ZEBULON BAIRD VANCE.

~1830=1894.~

ZEBULON BAIRD VANCE was born in Buncombe County