Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-09-06
"TIME, 2:13 1-2.


first money. Not a shout, not a
a touch of the whip, not a whisper
from n of the drivers as the trotters
went around the turn in a bunch.
The crowd at the grand stand were
b~reathless as they watched them down
to the half-mile flag. Not a horse
fell behind, not a horse left his feet.
Down around the backstretch, into
the homestretch, and an old veteran
on the judges stand shaded his eyes
and whispered:
"Great heavens! but L never saw
anything like it before!"
Down they Numbered, not a break
Or a skip, and the driver with the
orange colored cap drove under the
wire only a neck ahead. 1t was half
a minute before there was a word
from the tl~rlnderstruck crowd, but
then such a shout went up as was
heard over the meadows for a long
mile. The timer chalked his figures
on the board and hung it ur,
"2:16 1-2!" and the crowd shouted
again.
When the horses scored again
there was a new driver under the
orange colored cap. "Honest jack
had been hurled from his sulky in
pulling up beyond the wire. Some
said he was only shaken up, and 9TH
ers looked grave as they saw his white
face and the bloody froth on his lips.
They took him to the track-keeper's
house, and the doctor examined him
and said:
''IIe won't drive again this sum-
mer, and | fear that he has met his
death blow"
"What was the timer" whispered
the driver, opening his eyes for the
first time,
A brother driver answered him de-
spite the surgeons warning gesture,
and Jacks white face showed disap-
pointment as he said:
II thought we were flying, but We
were only jogging. I'll yet see Lit,
tie Nell beat that by three seconds
Fever came, and his wild rawlings
were about weights, over checks.
hand holders, and trainers and rub.
bers. The public forgoth him in a day.
but the trainers and others around
the track inquired about him every
hour in the day, and took turns sit
ting up with him nights. 1t wa,
plain that death was coming nearer
every hour, but they could neither
break his fever, nor lead his wilt
thoughts into other channels.
"There goes the belll Get ready
All right! Out O the way there! ]
take the pole," he kept calling out
and they saw that he would die will
his thoughts on the stable and track
One night when the air braced up
and the sultry heat was driven away
the patient rested better than usual
He ceased his raving, and fell into
sweet sleep and by and by his tireC
watchers also slept. When the,
. opened their eyes they heard tn
ding. ding! ding! of the bell on TIL
judges stand. Honest Jacks be,
was empty, and fora moment the,
could not comprehend the situation
Ding! ding! ding! went the be.
again, and the watchers ran over t
the track. Two of the stable boy
joined them, having been aroused b
the bell, and i'll another minute til
trackman was there. Through tn
gloom of midnight they made out
human figure besides the bell.
was not honest Jack. A cold chi
crept over each one as they realize
that it was not.
Ding! ding! rang the bell, an
thcy heard the beat Of hOofs Oh TIL
soft track. One glance showed thel
Little Nell before her sully, and be
hind her was a half-olad figure, wit
face SO white hat it seemed almo'
like q star in the gloom. Long, whit
fingers clutched the lines. and a pa
of eyes, almost on fire, shone dow
upon the little crowd as Honest JAG
walked his horse down to the stant
as if to converse with the judge.
1.-The boy has left his bed, harness.
ed his horse, and is going to tr'
against time!" whispered the tract
man, but they dared not step foo
upon the track to stop him. In I'll
judges stand was a-what? Was
n human being or the spirit of son
driver gone before? They crowde
closer together as each one aske
himself the question, and they Sc
the unknown bend down, GESTURE, an
act as a living judge would have ac'
ed. Little Nell worked her ears an
stamped her feet as she stood there
and the trainer whispered:
''See how eryou she Ssh
smells the dead!"
The bell rang out sharp and clean
and horse and driver dashed past t
the Score. Every ear in the grou
heard the sulky turn, and the mex
instant the little horse was down upol
them. Her ears were pointed for
ward, her eyes blazing, and in tina
800 ;1cta-4 Ill 4nn1y ,,,t..o 4Io& L