Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1877-12-04
From the New York sun.
From the New York sun.
HIS LAST RACE.
The Ghostly Judge and DeIirious Driver
Thine, 2iIJ I-2!"

Cor
l. was tree-lor-all race, and there
wasn't = driver behind one OF the five
horses who didn't mean 10 take The first
money. Not shout, not q touch Ut the
whip, not u whisper from one Of the
drivers, as the trotters went around the
turn in bunch. The crowd at the grand
stand were brea.hess ss they watched
them down to the hali-mie flag. Not a
horse fell behind, not horse Ieit his feet.
| Down around the back str. tcb, into the
home stretch, and an Old veteran on The
Judges stand shaded his eyes and whis-
pered
Great heavens! but never saw any
thing like it betorem
Down they thundered, not break or Il
skip, and the driver with the orange-cOi-
ored cap drove under the wire only neck
ahead. Ii was halt minute before there
was a word from the thunderStruck
crowd, and then there was such shout
went up as was heard over the meadows
tor long mile. The timer chalked his
hgure on the board and hung it up,
~. 10 II :" and the crowd shouted again.
w Ltu lut uOlsCS oNOlth again AuAl y
was new driver under the orange co.
ored cap. "Honest Jack" had been
hurled from his sulky in pulling beyond
the wire. Some said he was only shaken
up, and others looked grave as they saw
his white face and the bloody irOth on
his lips. They took him to the track
keepers house, and the doctor examined
him and said;
"Ie won't drive again this summer,
and tear he has met his death blow"
."What was the time?" whispered the
driver, opening his eyes for the first time.
A brother driver answered him despite
the surgeons warning gesture, and Jacks
white face showed disappointment as he
said:
II thought We were flying, but we
we're only Jogging. I'll see Little Nell
beat that by three seconds"
Fever came, and his wild rawlings were
about weight, over-checks, hand holders,
and trainers and rubbers. Tne public
iolgot him in day, but the trainers and
others around the track inquired about
him every hour in the day and took turns
sitting up with him at nights. 1t was
plain that death was coming nearer every
hour, but they could neither break his
fever, nor lead his wild thoughts into
other channels.
There goes the bell Get ready All
right! Out o. the way there! | take the
pole" he kept calling out. and they saw
that he would die with his thoughts on
the stables and track.
One night when the air braced up, and
the sultry heat was driven away, the pa
tient rested better than usual. lie ceased
his raving. and fell into sw eet sIeep,and
by and by his tired watchers also slept.
When they opened their eyes again they
heard the ding ding ding OF the bell
on the Judges stand. Honest jacks led
WAS empty, and for p moment they could
not comprehend the situation. Ding
ding ding went the bell again, aud the
watchers ran over 10 the track. Two Of
the stable boys joined them. having been
aroused by the bell, and in another min
ute the trackmsn was there. Through The
gloom of midnight they made out
human figure beside the bell. Il was rot
Honest Jack. A cold chill crept over
each one as they realized it was rot.
Ding! ding rang the bell, aud they
heard the beat of hoofs on the soft track.
One glance showed them Little Nell BE-
fore her sulky, and behind her was half
clad figure, with face so white that il
seemed almost like star in the gloom
Long white fingers clutched the lines,
and pair of eyes. almost on fire shone
upon the little crowd as Honest Jack
walked his horse down to the stand, as il
to confer with The judge.