The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1880-03-25

FIRST quarter Flyaway and Lighting
were neck-and-neck and Kitty half q
length behind. They've finished the
mare said a man near me, and its be-
tween themp watched them nervously.
At the second quarter the people shouted,
The mare creeps aheadp Then / saw
her nose Just peering past the favorites.
/ had no DOUBT 1t would encourage her
if she could hear my voice and know
that l witnessed her performance. But
fearful home-stretch. / could see that
the rider thrust his spurs into the
favorite's fanks, and slashed him with
his whip. Then i heard Jack, in the
quiet that precedes the final outcome of
so close race, calling in louder tones
of entreaty, Now Kitty! Now!' Her
ears hugged her neck, Jack said, and
she brought him six inches nearer the
grcun1, as she made her final springs
and passed under the line winner of the
heat and race by q neck. How the
people cheeredl 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 she'd
ding them but twice, and this was the
FIRST occasion When she had been
sponged and blanketed, and had some
what recoyed 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
spurr j only wear these for orna-
ments, when / rides her, replied the
jockey, and, winding my arms about
her head, l said to Kitty.
"'Pd like to see the man who d dare to
put spur into your flesh, pet
"After five years mad elapsed, and
my thoroughbred had won manv purses,
she ran her last race, on a Southern
course, where she was fayorite. On
that occasion, a six-year-old, very like
her in appearance, called Revenge, was
entered by wonaa--one Madame Des-
cartes. Madame was young-not more
than twenty-four, and superintendent,
personally, all the arrangements regard
ing her animal. She went heavily into
the pools, by her agent, against the
fayorite, whom l backed strongly, of
course. During most of the TINA she
was on the field in close c.rriage, 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
watched her through my glass. i saw
her mare throw her bead up and down,
and Jack told me afterwards, that
Madame had said: You will via this
race, won't you, Revenge? and the
animal had nodded at q wave of her
hand. Then saw her tax. the animals
nose in her delicate palms, and lay her.
veiled cheek against its face. Then.
when the bell rang, she patted its neck
and it went off quietly to its place.
"There was a nd the first trial,
and at the first quarter, Kitty was lead
ing by half a length, with Rev nge
pressing her hard. Away rolled
madame's carriage 70 point midway in
the last quarter. She got out and stood
on the edge of the track. could see
Kitty about a 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
thoroughbreds 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 a tie. Away went madam's carriage
down the track, and could see her
groom sponging and blanketing, while
she caressed the animal. Then, while
the groom walked her about a circuit,
madame 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. sst.. ..
"This horse made me feel uneasy.
Its disposition was too like Kitty's.
Jack shared my fears. 'You had better
lngive Kitty shout on the home,' he
said, I'm afraid she's beaten, if that
mare has as good bottom as Kitty had at
her age Accordingly, in the next heat.
took my place behind Madame. The
horses were passing us neck-and-neck,
and my shout Now, Kitty! Nowl'c was
followed in Madame's clear, ringing
tones, with Now for Revepge' There
was something familiar in Madame's
tones. hardly knew why thought of
| her for whom she was named, Kitty
Wells. 1t was only for an instant.
The race was absorbing was
beaten by a head. felt that the race
was lost. Kitty would be discouraged
Poor Kittyl Gentlemen 1 felt more
for her, at that moment, than for my
anticipated loss of money-the prospect
of financial ruin.
81 had bet more heavily upon her than
before. Again the yeiled woman and
myself stood by the home stretch. The
horses came sweeping past neck by neck.
Now, Kittie! Nowp l shouted once
more. One ear went back at my voice.
Once more for Revengel' shouted
Madame, and followed it with a clear,
ringing laugh. The voice so familiar
again, but the face was hidden. "A
very close race Madame remarked,
with as much composure rs / could as
sumo, while watched the horses near
the line. H
"'Yes, SIR she replied, as she stepped
into her carriage, but Revenge has
won.'
Yes, she had, by head, and my pet
was beaten. Before reached where she
stood, 4 caught glimpse of Madame,
with her arms about her mares neck,
and the bystanders said .he kissed her
in the face. But poor Kitty. She
stood for a moment, very still. and then,
as 1 approached, shuddered and
staggered towards me. caught her by
the bride, as she fell on her knees.
Then her muscles relaxed and her body
came heavily to the ground. Her dull
eyes turned upon me for an instant, as
L sat down on the turf, with her head on
my lap. She seemed to say Il have
done my best, Jim, l die trying
Another shudder, and Kitty was dead.
MThe tears uantleman q ,uuad faat