The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1880-04-13

ever known what 1t is to be in love with
horse, and can hardly appreciate my
feelings when l saw her in the lead at
the third quarter, untouched by whip or.
spur. felt that she knew who was
waiting to caress and feel proud Of her
when she came in. was compelled to-
gulp down my emotion and shade my
ewes az I hastened from the stand aud
went beyond it to greet her. ! heard
the people talking and caught the ex-
pressions, Good marer BEST rider on,
the coursep 'Who owns herf Whats
her namep' Then a knowing fellow
said, 'Ah, Lightning and Flyaway are
just knocking the bottom out of her.
while they put her up in the pools for
the greenies to lose on Then ! saw
them straining on the home stretch.7
The excited crowd we're hushed into sis
lence-the-race ives so close. s-''-
II saw Kitty with yard the advan.
tage, her neck stretched out and her nos
triIs aaame-twenty yards to go-and
heard Jack say louder and stronger than
common, Now, Kittyp I saw Light
niug's rider strike him with the whip
But Kitty spraug forward at his word
with new energy, and passed the line by
a. half length ahead amid the deafening
cheers Of the assembled thousands
Quiet, Kitty said Jack as she passed
where / stood with water and blanket.
She came to me with her neck stretched
out, her painting sides and swollen veins.
/ sponged her face and mouth and put
on her blankets, and as she walked about
with me she put her nose on my shoul-
der again. She might as well have said,
How does that suit you, Jim?' / so
understood her.
"Jack," said !, "were they only press
ing her for bets ?"
"He asked the time, and when ! had
informed him he said, 'Flyawsy was up
to his best time and was running 10
win
"Pressing her ?" said Jack contempt
uouslv. 'She's the best bottom on the
field "
"The FIRST heat had the eff ct 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
hea. there we're two false starts sgain,
and each time Jack rode Kitty up to me,
and / patted and talked to her. Then
away thev darted again. and at the first
quarter Flyaway and Lightning were
neck -and-neck and Kitty half length
behind. They've finished the mare,
said man near me, 'snd it's between
themp / watched them nervously. At
the second quarter the people shouted,
The mare creeps ahead! Then ! saw
her nose just peering past the favorites
had no doubt it would encourage her II
she could hear my voice and know that
l Witnessed her performance. But then
she did know. And now came the fear
ful home stretch. / could see that the
rider thrust his spurs into the fsvotite's
uduhc duu otooucu ulb Will MS Wuips-
Then l heard Jack, in the quiet that pre-
cedes the final outcome Of so close d
race, calling in louder tones Of entreaty,
Now, Kitty! Nowr Her ears hugged
her neck, Jeck said, and she brought
him six inches nearer the ground as she
made her final springs and passed under
the line winner of the heat and race by
a neck How the people cheered! /
ran toward her with water and blanket.
She saw me, and blown as she was, walk
ed forward to meet me-yes, gentlemen,
to meet me, and while ! caressed her the
tears rolled down my cheeks. Since
have been a man never remember she'd
ding them bat twice, and this was the
first occasion. When che had been
sponged and blanketed, and had some
what recovered her breath, she thrust
her head over my shoulder and / laid
my cheek against hers. was standing
thus when q Kentucky vender asked my
price for her I answered, The State
of Kentucky; she has won for nae eight
thousand six hundred dollars and the
stakes The gentleman emilingly re.
piled that I didn't want to sell very bad,
and after examining her aanks said to
Jack, Did she do it without spurp i
only wear these for ornaments when
ride her. replied the jockey, and wind
ing my arms about her head said to
Kitty: I'D like to see 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 Southern course,
where she was the favorite. On that
occasion a six-year old, very like her in
appearance, called Revenge Was entered
by q woman--one Madame Descartes.
Madame was young-not more than
twenty -four, and superintended, person
ally, all the arrangements regarding her
animal. She went heavily into the pools
by her agent, against the favorile, whom
I backed heavily, Of course. During
most of the time she was on the field in
close carriage, and just before the race
began drove down the track and beck.
oned to her rider, who brought Revenge
up to where she stood. Her back was
toward me as ! watched her through my
glass. / saw her mare throw her head
up and down, and Jack told me after.
ward that Madame had said: You viii
win this race, won't you, Revenge P and
the animal had nodded at wave Of bel
hand. Then I saw her take the animals
nose in her delicate palms and lay bel
veiled cheek against its face. Then
when the bell rang, she patted it's mech
and it went off quietly to Its place.
"There was a send-off the first trial
and at the first quarter Kitty was leading
by half a length, with Revenge pressing
her hard. Away rolled madame's carri
age to- point midway in the last quar-
ter. She got out and stood on the edge
of the track. / could seek Kitty abou
neck ahead as they passed the last
quarter pole; but just when they were
opposite madame Jack said she shouted
Revenge The animal strained every
muscle at her voice, and there was the
novel sight Of two thoroughbreds com.
Il ing in on the homestretch without whiE
or spur. Their noses broke the line &c
nearly at the same instant that the judges
pronounced 1t tie. Away went mad
ame's carriage down the track, and