Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1880-03-25

The fire up-leapt in ardent birth
To her thin substance his to win;
That heart of hearts the dsedal Earth,
Her own unfolding, drew therein.
-Aacmillan's Magazine.
THE LITTLE BLUE JOCKEY.
By ANNA MASON.
Early in the season the usually quiet
town Of W was all alive with excite
ment and gayety. Fine equipages filed
it's thoroughfares, while strangers
crowded its hotels, keeping the propri-
etors and their supernumerary assistants
on the verge of despair with their exac-
tons, only bearing up under them
through the powerful incentive of money
being lavishly squandered.
Besides all this, the wave from the
outer world had brought into the quiet
town a style and elegance in dress usual
in fashionable localities, but astonishing
to the towns people, awakening them to
sense of their own deficiencies, and
turning many pretty little head with
foolish longings, hitherto unfelt.
For the first time, except, on the most
insignificant scale, horse-racing had
found its way to the secluded town.
Heretofore it had been confined to
farmers lads, mounted on miserable
grass-fed specimens of equine creation.
although it must be admitted that Judge
Harris son, seated in his light sulky
behind fast horse, had, occasionally.
raced on the road against Brack Turner
and his celebrated La Purcelle.
Turner was professional trainer. en-
ployed on the estate of Mr.. Tremaine,
the masnate par excellence Of the place
Oh grounds purely mercenary.
As the first rosy dawn prophesies the
full effulgence Of approaching day, so
these premonitory signs Of a mighty
turf-fever," that rapidly increased and
eliminated in the grand races, stirring
the great world beyond W, and
bringing surging into it men of wealth.
ladies of fashion, lovers of the turf. and
host of spectators, gamblers and adj
venturers. The great wave swept over
the little town, and it scarcely knew it.
self.
Mr.. Tremaine, gentleman of large
means, was fond Of horses, and had al
ways kept number on his place. He
was somewhat given to trading, and I'M
usually fortunate in his transactions: for
when he bought horses whose fine points
or, more correctly, latent possibilities
of fine points-no one else seemed to
appreciate, he would, after due care and
training, part with them on terms ex-
tremely advantageous to himself.
Nharo 1:kk1o
place Of pedigree that would have led to
no great expectations on the part of
turf-men, that early exhibited marked
traits. She was difficult to break in, and
rebelled so fercely at work that she was
at last turned loose, and allowed to roam
about the place at her own sweet will,
Occasionally she was called into requi-
sltion by Tom Snow, the groom's son,
when sent on some errand, until that
worthy discovered that the small irrita-
BILE, nervous mare had remarkable speed:
after which .he surreptitiously led her
out at night and won many trifling
wagers of peanuts and grog.
It so CHANGED that she was seen nv
Brack Turner, who at once perceived her
great capabilities. He demanded prii-
vate interview with Mr.. Tremaine. and.
as its result, was at once installed an
Dony's trainer; whereupon he proceeded
to break her in and bring out her fine
points.
Many times did Mr.. Tremaine medi-
tate parting with her, for it seemed as if
even with her patient trainer she never
could be broken into steady trot, while
the expense of keeping Turner was no
tritie. On the other hand, the trainer
prophesied a glorious career for Dolly.
and held his faith in her mistaken. while
with great earnestness he urged Mr..
Tremaine not to part with her.
The event justified his confidence and
recommended his penetration. Racing
men came from distance to see Dolly:
fabulous prices we're offered for her: and
and when race course was finally laid
out in the suburbs of the town she was
entered in competition with horses Of
famous record. 80
MI. TremBine's only daughter Mai-a
pretty girl of eighteen, sharing her "a
theirs enthusiasm for horses, and herself
line Observation-Disclosures her az
Purcelle, and she was no more known as
Dolly. r T. : - -
On the first day Of the race the little
town was as gay as Rome at carnival
time: To be sure, there were few
good, ld.fashioned conservative folks
who closed their blinds and remained at
home in shady rooms; but the gay city
people welded . mighty influence, and
their countenance seemed to lend to the
whole affair an air of responsibility. 80
that even grave and sober people were
drawn into the vortex.
In one carriage, whirling rapidly
through cloud of dust, was Seated MI.
Tremaine, fat and pompous gentleman
whose rubicund and rather coarse-fea-
tured face was. beaming oomplacently.
His obesity rather added to thai, detract-
ed from self important air. he wore
fine brOadcloth; white silk vest, OPEN
ing low over an expensive chest adorned
by an embroidered shirt front. ON which
sparkled diamond Of exquisite lustre: q
wide spreading hat, refreshingly lined
with green, and adorned with q scarf of
tuiie; pair of yellow kid gloves, stitched
with req, drawn tightly over his little
prodigy hands; and sleeve-studs of enor-
nous dimensions, representing with the
finest touches Of the goldsmith's art
heads of his. equine idols. 4: &. ]
Like his friend, Mr.. Tracy. who was
seated beside him, and who shared his
faith IN La Purcelle, he wore on the left
breast OF his coat roeette Of blue and
and maroon ribbons.
Opposite these two gentlemen was a
boy OF some fourteen wears. Int small
and slightly built for his age. possesaino
face, however, remarkable sr;ritad a,,9