The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1877-09-26
BLACK EAGLES LAST RACE

when Mars Dick-dat's your un-
Gle, chilyun-went off to Europe, |
heah'd him a sayin' fa'well to yur
farder. you've got de 'heritance
yet, Robert" he says,-'you've got
de house an de lan" I'se de prod
igal son. l'se lef myself only an
empty pocket, an desc two old sab
wants VIII you glib 'em shelter till
dey dies, in 'membrance OBJ ole tines?'
Dem sahvants war dat boss in de
stall yonder,-dat great racer, Black
Eagle. anne" And the speaker
gave emphasis to his remark by a
lordly wave Of bis hand over sis
skinny little figure, as he sat perch
ed on the top of barrel.
"Yis sab Dat war jes' like your
Uncle Dick,-allers free-handed, -
gibbin' to de right ham an de lef'
de mos valooblest t'ings he owned
Dab be is now, in dem far off lan's,
admin wild kings, az waltzing
wid princesses,-de FurloDgs alters
KEEP de best ob company, neber
nigge. oh his own to black his shoes
How's dey TO know he's de owner Of
dat great boss, Black Eagle, sab, or
oh me ? Yur fader, he's got US He
alters had de pick an de choose,
Mars Robert did"
The Furlong boys did not relish this
everlasting grumbling of old Point.
They bad a pretty clear idea of the
true story of Uncle Dick Boys al
ways do catch glimpses of the family
skeletons, no matter how tightly the
closet doors are closed.
They suspected that it was on ra-
ces like Black Eagle that MARS
Dick" had squandered bis property,
and that now, in his old age, he did
not spend much of his time in dining
with the crowned heads of Europe.
But their father, whenever he appear
ed in the stable yard, did not allow
them to argue with the old man. no
matter how cranky be was.
"He was faithful TO your Uncle to
the last" be would say. "Poor
Dick!" And-stroking the old black
horse tenderly-"I wonder if you re-
member your master, old fellow 2"
And always when he went away,
be would give orders to Sanders, the
man of all work, to take especial
care of that horse"
Sanders who was crabbdd but or
derly Scotchman, when behind his
masters back would often call Black
Eagle old carrion. and threatened to
take him out some fine day and shoot
him whereat Point would raise from
his doze on the barrel, suffering
with rage
"De boss understand you sab, but
be can't answer you! Talk to me,
sir Ef Mars Dick on'y knowed how
bis ole age was bein' made misabul
by desc poor white trash !"
To which Sanders only replied by
declaring that be couldn't keep the
barnyard tidy as long as Mr.. Fur
long cluttered it up with the carcass
es of beasts and old men,"
SO the squabble went on from day
to day. suspect both the old men
enjoyed it at heart, though Point in
sisted that the horse was made
wretched bv it.
dat boss, chilyun, neber 'sociated
wild sech white trash befoh. He's
KEEP mighty ine company in his day.
He belong to an English prince when
he's colt; an when Mars Dick buy
ed him, and bringed him ober, all
de papers In de lam war tellin' the
news. mind de fus' time be run on
de Me,airic course All the bess
gemplun OBJ de Souf war dare to see
him; an dey war all bis frien's. Yes,
sab! su' when be run agin that great
crack horse 10 de Norf, all de whole
Souf bet on Black Eagle. Now be
hears this missabul old rat catcher
call him carrion ! tell yuh, childun,
bis heart is broke"
II spect be feels pretty much as
that lion in the story did when the |
asa kicked him." Joe Furlopg said.
Whether the horse understood or
not, there could be no doubt that,
old skeleton as be was, there was a
real pride and intelligence 10 his eyes.
They were certainly different from
the boys had ever known.
Dick, who had just put on his first
chose TO make Black Eagle
bis principle companion. He almost !
iued in the horses stall. He could
AXE any liberties with the old racer,
who would scarcely allow Point to
touch him,-crawling even over his
back. sliding down by bis tail, and
leading him, on warm afternoons, out