Richland beacon., 1880-04-24

waiting to caresS ana Ieel prOuu vi neI
when she came in. 1 was compelled to
gulp down my emotion and shade my
eyes as | hastened from the stand and
went beyond it to greet her. ! heard
the people talking and caught the ex-
pressions, Good mare!' Best rider on
the coursen 'WhO owns her.? What's
her namep Then a knowing fellow said,
'Ah, Lightning and Flyaway are Just
knocking the bottom out OF her, while
they put her up i'm the pools for the
green's to lose on Then l saw them
straining on the homestretch. The ex-
cited crowds were hushed into silence
the race was so close.
81 saw Kitty with yard the advan
tage, her neck stretched out and her
nostrils ahame-twenty yards to go
and heard Jack say louder and stronger
than common. Now, Kitty! I saw
Llghtning's rider strike him with the
whip. But Kitty sprang forward at his
word with new energy, and passed the
line by a half length ahead amid
deafening cheers of the assembled thOus-
ands. 'Quiet, Kitty said Jack, as she
passed where l stool 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 shoulder again. She nigh
as well have said, How does that suit
you, JIM I so understood her.
"Jack,' said l, 'were they only press
ing her for bets?'
He asked the time, and when l had
informed him he said 'Flyaway was
up to his best time and was running to
win.'
"Pressing herT said Jack contempt
uously. She's the best bottom on the
field
"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 1 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
length behind. They've finished the
mare said a man near me, and its be-
tween them! watched them nervOusly.
At the second quarter the people shouted,
The mare creeps aheadv Then l saw
her nose Just peering past the favOrites.
I had no doubt it would encourage her
if shc could hear my voice and know
that witnessed her performance. But
then she did know. And now came the
fearful hOme-stretch. l could see that
the rider thrust his spurs into the
favorite's fanks, and slashed him with
his whip. Then l heard Jack, in the
quiet that pFecedes the final outcome Of
so close race. calling in louder tones
of entreaty, Now Kitty! Now! Her
ears Rugged her neck, Jack said, and
she brought him six inches nearer the
grounA, 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, walked forward to
meet me-yes, gentlemen, to meet me,
and while l caressed her, the tears
coursed down my cheeks. Since have
been a man, l 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, sne thrust hel
nose over my shoulder, and l laid my
cheeks against hers. l was standing
thus, when q Kentucky vender asked
my price for her. l 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 flanks
said to Jack, did she do it without
spurT Il only wear these for Orna
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 a 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 a favOrite. Or
that occasion, a six-year-Old, very like
her in appearance, called Revenge, wa'
entered by wOuan-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 thu
favorite, whom l backed strongly, o
course. During most of the time sh'
was on The field in close carriage, ant
Just before the race began, drove dowl
to the track and beckoned to her rider
who brought Revenge up to where an,
stood. Her back was toward me, as
watched her through my glass. l saw
her mare throw her head up and down
and Jack told me afterwards, tina
Madame had said: You will win thi
race, won't you, Revenger and tn
animal had nodded at q wave Of he
hand. Then ! saw her take the animal
nose in her delicate palms, and lay he
veiled cheek against its face. Thel
when the bell rang, she patted its necl
and it went off quietly to its place.
There was . sendOff the first trial
and at the first quarter, Kitty was lead
ing by half q length, with Rev ng
pressing her hard. Away rolle'
| ,nadame's carriape tn A pOint midway ii