The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1882-03-31
A Foot-Race for Money.


serial "Ths Hoosier School bow" print
ed in 81. Nicholas.
Jack, the Hoosier School-boy, has
discovered some unencumbered proper
ty in Kentucky belonging TO Mr.. Francis
Gray. This he intends to attach for a
debt owed his father. His mother hay
ing declined an offer Of compromise from
Tinkhapd, Gray's lawyer, these latter
are discussing the reason of her refusal.
"They've got wind of something, :"
said Mr.. Tinkham to Mr.. Gray, " or else
they are waiting for you to resume pay
mentor else the widows got money
from somewhere for her present neces-
sites"
81 don't know what hope they can
have of getting money out of me-" said
Gray, with laugh. "I've tangled
everything up so that Beal can't find a
thing to levy on. I have but one piece
Of property exposed, and that's not in
this State.
"Where is itq" asked Tinkham.
"It's in Kentucky, five miles back OF
Port William. I took it last week in q
trade, and 1 haven't yet made up my
mind what to do with il.
"That's the very thing" said Tink-
ham, with his little face drawn to a
point" the very thing. Mrs. Dudley's
son came home from Port William yes.
terday, where he has been at school.
They've heard of that land, Tn afraid !;
for Mrs. Dudley is very positive that
she will not sell the claim at any price,
20 J.,
on that land, and send it off from the
mail boat as go down tomorrow" said
Gray.
"Thatll be too late," said Tinkham.
"Beal will have his judgment recorded
as soon dis the pack gets there. You'd
better go Ivy the packet, get off and see
the mortgage recorded yourself and then
take the mail boat"
To this Gray agreed, and the next
day, when Jack went on board the pack
ct SI7iftsure, he found Mr.. Francis Gray
going aboard also. Mr.. Beal had warned
Jack that he must not let anybody from
the packet get to the Clerks office ahead
of him-that the first paper deposited
for record would take the land. Jack
wondered why Mr.. Francis Gray was
aboard the packet, which went no fur
ther than Madison, while Mr.. Gray'a
home was in Louisville. He soon
guessed, however, that Gray meant to
land at Port William, and so TO head
him off. Jack looked at Mr.. Gray'a
form, made plump by good feeding, and
felt safe. He couldn't he very danger
GUS in foot-race. Jack reflected with
much hopefulness that no boy in school
could catch him in a straight-away run
when he was fox. He would certainly
leave the somewhat puffy Mr.. Francis
| Gray behind.
But In the hours run down the river,
including two landings at Minuit's and
Draig's, Jack had time to remember that
Francis Gray was a cunning man, and
might head him off by some trick or 9th.
er. A vague fear took possession of him,
and he resolved to be first off the boat
before any pretext could be invented tc
stop him.
Meantime, Francis Gray had looked
at Jacks 1.-THE legs with apprehension.
81 can never beat that boy" ne had
reflected. "My running days are over. y
Finding among the deck passengers q
| young fellow who looked as though he
needed money, Gray approached him
with this question
"Do you belong in Port William,
young man?"
'sI don't belong nowhere else, reck.
on" answered The seedy fellow, with
shuf1ing impudence.
"Do you know where the County
Clerks Office is ?" asked..Mr Gray.
eyes, and the market-house. I can
show you the way to Jail, too, if you
want to know, but 1 s'pose you've beer
there many time" laughed the
"wharf-rat."
Gray was irritated at this rudeness
but he swallowed his anger.
"Would you like to make S5?"
"Now you're talkin' interestin'. Why
didn't you begin at that eend of the sub
jick? I'd like to make SIS as well
as the next teller, provided it ISM
to be made by too mach awful hare
work"
Can you rim weIlP"
=" If they's money at tother eend d
the race can run like sixty fer q SPELL
'Tain't my common gait, howsumever.
"If you'll take this paper" said Gray,
"and get it to the County Clerks office
before anybody else gets there from this
boat. I'll give you So"
"Honor bright?" asked the chap,
taking the paper, drawing long breath,
and looking as though he had discovered
gold mine.
"Honor bright" answered Gray.
"You must jump off first of all, fol-
there's boy aboard that will beat you
if he can. No pay if you don't win. -
(Which is the one that'll run ag'in
re ?" asked the long legged fellow.
Gray described jock, and told the
young man 70 go out forward and he
would see him. Gray was not willing to
be seen with the "wharf-rat," lest sus-
picions should be awakened in Jack
Dudley's mind. But, after the shabby
young man had gone forward and looked
at Jack, he came back with doubtful
air.
"That's Hoosier Jack, as we used to
call him." said the shabby young man.
He an two more used to row boat
acrost the river every day to go to oln
Niles school. He's hard one TO beat
they say he used to lay the whole
school out on prisoners base, and that
he could leave EN- all behind on fox"
"You think you can't do it, then p
asked Gray.
"Gimme little start and Treckon
I'll fetch it. It's uphill part of the way
and he may lose his wind, for it's good
half-mile. You must make row with
him at the gang plank, er do somethin'
to kinder hold him back. The winds
down stream to-day, and boats shore to
swing in little aft. III jump for it and
You keep him back"
To this Gray assented.
As the shabby young fellow had pre-
dicted, the boat did swing around in the
wind, and have some trouble in bring
ing her bow to the wharf-boat. The
Captain stood on the hurricane-deck
calling to. the pilot to "back her, !"
"stop her." "go ahead on her," 'go
ahead on yer labberd," and "back on
yer stabberd" Now, just as the Cap
tain was backing the starboard wheel
and going ahead on his larboard, so as
to bring the boat around right, Mr.. Gray
turned on Jack.