The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1880-05-12

teld.'
'The first heat had the effect of send.
ing up the field to par with the favorite,
and second choice found few takers.
Kitty had astonished them, and they
hardly knew how to bet. On the second
heat there were two false starts again,
and each time Jack rode Kitty up to
me, and I patted and talked to her.
Then away they darted again and at the
first quarter FlyaWay and Lighting
were neck-and-neck and Kitty half a
length behind. They've finished the
tnsre,' said q man near me, and its be.
tween themP I watched them nervously.
At the second quarter the people shouted,
The mare creeps aheadp Then / saw
her nose just peering past the favorites.
l had no doubt it would encourage her
if she could hear my voice and know
that / witnessed her performance. But
then she did know. And now came the
fearful hOme-stretch. I could see that
the rider thrust his spurs into the
favorite's fanks, and slashed him with
his whip. Then / heard Jack, in the
quiet that precedes the final outcome of
so close race, calling in louder tones
of entreaty, Now Kitty! Nowp Her
ears hugged her neck, Jack said, and
che brought him six inches nearer the
ground, as she made her final springs
and passed under the line winner of the
hett and race by neck. How the
people cheeredg / ran toward her with
water and blanket. She saw me, and
blown as she was, walked forward to
meet me-yes, gentlemen, to meet me,
and while / caressed her, the tears
cOursed down my cheeks. Since / have
been a man, / never remember shed
ding them but twice, and this was the
first occasion. When she had been
spOnged and blanketed, and had some
what recoved her breath, she thrust her
nose over my shoulder, and / laid my
cheeks against hers. / was standing
thus, when a Kentucky vender asked
my price for her. / answered, The
State of Kentucky; she had won for me,
eight thousand, six hundred, and the
stakes The gentleman smilingly re-
piled, that didn't want to sell very
bad, and, after examining her fanks,
said to Jack, did she do it without
spurP / only wear these for orha-
ments, when l rides her. replied the
jockey, and, winding my arms about
her head, said to Kitty.
"'Pd like to see the man who'd dare to
put spur into your flesh, pet
After five years had elapsed, and
my thoroughbred had won many purses,
she ran her last race, on a Southern
course, where she was a favOrite. On
that occasion, q Six-year-Old, very like
her in appearance, called Revenge, was
entered by WOmau-One Madame Des-
cartes. Madame was yOung-nOt more
than twenty-fOur, and superintended,
personally, all the arrangements regard
Ing her animal. She went heavily into
the pools, by her agent, against the
favorite, whom backed strongly, of
course. During most of the time she
was on the field in a close carriage, and
Just before the race began, drove down
to the track and beckoned to her rider,
who brought Revenge up to where she
stood. Her back was toward me, as l
her through my glass. / saw
her mare throw her head up and down,
and Jack told me afterwards, that
Madame had said: You will win this
race, won't you, Revengep and the
animal had nodded at a wave of her
hand. Then I saw her take the animals
nose in her delicate palms, and lay her
yelled cheek against its face. Then
when the bell rang, she patted its neck
and 1t went off quietly to its place.
"There was a sendOff the first trial,
and at the first quarter, Kitty was lead
ing by half length, with Revenge
pressing her hard. Away rolled
carriage to a point midway in
the last quarter. She got out and stood
on the edge of the track. l could see
Kitty about q neck ahead, as they
passed the last quarter pole; but just
when they were opposite madam, Jack
said she shouted Revenge The ami
NAL strained every muscle at her voice,
and there was the novel sight of two
coming in on the home
stretch without whip or spur. Their
noses broke the line so nearly at the
same instant, that the judge pronounced
it tie. Away went madam's carriage
down the track, and l could see her
groom sponging and blanketing, while
she caressed the animal. Then, while
the groom walked her about a circuit,
sat in her carriage, and each
time the animal came round, it thrust
its head in at the open door for white |
hands to rub its face.
"This horse made me feel uneasy. |
Its disposition was too like Kitty's. /
Jack shared my fears. You had better |
give Kitty a shout on the home he |
Iaid, Pm afraid she's beaten, if that |
mare has as good bottom as Kitty had at |
1er age Accordingly, in the next heat. /
took my place behind Madame. The |
horses were passing us neck-and-neck,
Ind my shout Now, Kitty NowP was
in Madame's clear, ringing
ones, with Now for Revengep There
vas something familiar in Madame's |
ones. hardly knew why I thought of
Ter for whom she was named, Kitty
Wells. It was only for an instant.
The race was absorbing-Kittie was
,eaten by head. felt that the race
vas lost. Kitty would be discouraged.
Poor Kittyl Gentlemen I felt more
or her, at that moment, than for my
loss of mOney-the prospect
f financial ruin.
81 had betmore heavily upon her than
'efore. Again the yelled woman and
myself stood by the home stretch. The
orses came sweeping past neck by neck.
Now, Kittie! NowP l shouted once
nore. One ear went back at my voice.
Once more for Revenge!' shouted 4
Iadame, and followed it with 8 clear,
inging laugh. The voice so familiar
gain, but the face was hidden. "A
cry close race Madame l remarked,
nth as much composure as / could as.
1me, while watched the horses near
be line.
"'Yes, SIR she replied, as she stepped
lto her carriage, but Revenge has
on
g Yes, she had, by head, and my pet
as beaten. Before reached where she
:ood, caught glimpse of Madame,
-ith her arms about her mares neck,
nd the bystanders said she kissed her
/ the face. But poor Kitty. She
jood for moment, very still. and then,
J / approached, shuddered and
aggered towards me. / caught her by
le bride, as she fell on her knees.
hen her muscles relaxed and her body |;