The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-06-29

Slowly, as when the walking-beam
First feels the gathering head of steam,
With warning cough and threatening wheeze
The stiff old charger crooks his knees,
AT hrrt with cautious step sedate,
AS il he dragged coach of state;
Hes not colt; he knows full well
That time is weight and sure to tell;
No horse SO sturdy but he fears
The handicap OF twenty years.
As through the throng on either hand
The old horse nears the judges stand,
Beneath his Jockeys feather.weight
He warns little 10 his gait,
And now and then step is tried
That hints of something like stride.
" Gn.'-Through his ear the summons stung
As if battle trump had rung;
The slumbering instincts long unstirred
Start at the old familiar word;
Ii thrills like flame through every limb
What mean his twenty years to him!
The savage blow his rider dealt
Fell on his hollow TANKS unfelt;
The spur tina, pricked his staring hide
Unhceded tore his bleeding side;
Alike to him are spur and rein
He steps five year-old again!
Before the quarter-pole was past
Old Hiram said, g He's going fast.
Long ere the quarter was half.
The chuckling crowd had ceased to laugh;
Tighter his frightened jockey chung
As in mighty stride he swung,
The gravel flying in his track,
His neck stretched out, his ears laid back,
His tail extended all the while
Behind him like rat tail file! ..=
OF went ehOe-away II spun, "
Shot like bullet from gun.
The Quaking jockey shapes PRAYER
From scraps Of oaths he used 10 swear;
He drop. his whip he drops his rein,
He clutches ferce!y for name;
He Il lose his hod-he sways and reels-& W
He'll slide beneath those trampling heelsI
The knees of many hOreeman quake,
The flowers on many q bonnet shake,
And shouts arise from left and right.
" Stick on! stick on" 'Hould tight! Hould
tight!''
" Cling round his neck, and don't let go
That pace can't hold-therc! steady! whoa!"
But like the sable steed that bore
The spectral lover Of Lenore,
His nOstrls snorting foam and fire,
No stretch his bOny limbs can tire;
And now the stand he rushee BY,
And . stop im!-stop him!' is the cry.
stand back! he's only just begun
He's having ont three heats in OneI
" Don't rueh in front! he'll smash your brains;
But follow up and grab the reine!''
Old Hiram spike. Dan Pfeiffer heard,
And sprang impatient at the word;
Budd Doble started on his bay,
Old Hiram followed On his gray,
And OF they spring, and round they 20,
The fast ones doing :. all they know"
Look! tw ce they follow at his heels,
As round the circling course he wheels,
Aud whirls with him that clinginc bow
Like Hector round the walls Of Troy:
Still on, and on, the third time ro1bdl
They re failing of! they're losing ground!
Budd DOble's nag begins to fail!
Dan PfelIfer 6 eOrrel whisks hie tall
And see! in spite of whip and shout,
Old Hirsms mare is giving out!
Now for the finishl ct the turn
The old hOrse-all the rest astern--
Comes swinging in, with easy trot?
BY JOye! he's distanced all the lot!
That trot NO mortal could explain;
some said, Old Dutchman come again.
Some took his time-at least they tried,
But what it was could none decide;
One eaid he cOuldn I understand
What happened to his second hand; @a
One said 2:lO; that couldn't be
More like two twenty two or three; .as.
Old Hham settled it Ut last;
- 4 he time was twO-to0 mighty fasti'' t1.sf
The parsons horse had won the bet:
II cost him something of sweat;
Back in the une-horec shay he went: $500
The parson wondered what it meant,
And murmured, with q mild surprise
And pleasant twibkleof the eyes, ~. :
" That funeral must have been . trick,
Or corpses drive at double-qnick; "a .@s
shouldn't wonder, deelarS, ! E,
II Brother Murray made the prayer!''
And this is allI have tosN ~ s7g- e.as.- ga
About the parsoM's peOr old bly, @7ss YsS
The came thai drew the Ose horse shay. %TS
Moral for which this tale lie told:
A horse can trOt, for all he's old.
Atlantic Monthly for July.