Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1882-11-16

he recognized me. "QueIle foulei mon
Dieu! quelle foulev he exclaimed, as he
mopped his forehead with huge red silk
handkerchief. I showed him the place
that had been reserved for him, and
left him, to see what was going on
at the stable. There were three races
before the Grand Prix, which was to take
mination of the last of these races 1 was in
readiness with No. 7S17, and I managed to
pass the formalities exacted at the pesage
before the other "entries.D This ordeal
satisfactorily passed through, our jockey
descended to the track before any OF the
others were out, and gallooed off, as IL to
warm his animal, to bend in the course
beyond the limits OF the crowd, where the
machine and Joe were awaiting him, on the
inner side of the track, where there is no
railing. Bill dismounted as il to tighten his
girth, and this was the signal for Joe, who
was partially disguised in cap and blouse,
to come close to him with Aluminium, and
pretend to aid him. Thus the exchange was
successfully effected. Some time elapsed
before all the competitors were in the field.
Bruce was the last to make his appearance,
mounted by Archer. The excitement of the
crowd, that had only been lukewarm during
the highest pitch, and cries of "Feneion -
spruce ~ "Archer 20 "Marden" rang from
the crowd, and were echoed by the grand
stand. --fl-
II have only one word to say to you."
whispered Joe to Bill English, as he gal
loped Aluminium to the starting place, "and
that is to mind the neck valve. God bless
youv $at 20 ~ Isl ~
1 had no time to ask Joe for an explains
ton of this mysterious injunction, for in
another instant the bell rang, the flag COM
menced to fall, and they were off.
Fenelon led, closely followed by Alhambra,
then came Bruce and Aluminium hugging
the inside of the track, followed by Marden
and Grande Princesse, with all the rest hud-
died together in one indistinct mass, show
ing all the colors Of the rainbow. They were
gone like flash; out of sight in moment,
leaving us thrilled with excitement and
rooted to the spot, straining eyes through
| double barrels, on tiptoe to catch glimpse
of them round the bend OF the course. A
breathess silence, subdued hush. had
come over the multitude in every direction,
as it swayed to and fro in eager expecta-
| ton. Soon murmur was waited back to
| us from the outer limits OF the crowd. Lies
VOLTA! les voilav' soon became audible
Then the cries broke out all along the line.
Some clapped their hands, others threw up
their hats; and shouts and cries like the
confused roar of the surging sea arose from
the great multitude.
aluminium! Aluminiuml' I shrieked,
my heart humping against my ribs, and my
very knees knocking together.
Bruce and Fenelon were nose to nose, and
Aluminium between them, only . neck be-
riding with the motioniess ease of perfect
Jockey. aluminium! Aluminiumw 1
roared.
Fenelon's jockey was already lashing him
with all his might.
"Lost!' thought to myself. s'Alumin-
ium can never make up that neck" But,
at the crucial moment, just as they passed
the judges line, thought l saw, like the
mocking phantom of by-gone dreams, the
nose of aluminium dart out like flash from
between the heads of Bruce and FeneIon.
Yet NO. Could it be? The body was still
behind. / not only felt that all was lost, but
that my reason had tottered from its throne.
I made a rush for the judges tribune. mad
self, knocking over several people, and
climbing over the shoulders of others. in my
wild. impetuous career to rejoin Joe.
Joe was leaning against the tribune, hat
less, with his shirt torn open, weeping like
a child, in the same helpless convulsive way
that he had done when had been so rash as
to solicit the loan OF a louis.
"Lost! Lost! We've lost !''I cried, clutch
ing at him.
He could not speak; he only slowly lifted
the tribune overhead. guessed his mean.
ing, and looked up.
The blood stood still in my veins. I was
dumbfounded as 1 read:
Aluminium Ire,
Bruce Pine,
Was I asleep or awake? I rubbed my
eyes.
'Wh-a-a-at!" I exclaimed, bewildered
beyond measure.
Joe put out an arm and drew me to him.
"The neckl 1t was the neck!"
A light like the beautiful clear sun OF
heaven shining on wicked world burst
upon me.
A fortune acds ours.
just then NJ. Druot toddled up to us, hold
ing in his hand a negative taken at the very
instant psychOi0gique Of the race.
'sWhat phenomenon! l will lecture on
it at the next meeting at the Academy
said the enthusiastic Academician, full of a
sort Of aged glee. ''Just look here!"
Joe took the negative in his hand, but al
most instantly let it fall, breaking it into a
thousand fragments. He expressed his sor-
row, and afterward we compensated the old
man for his loss by making him present of
the finest collection of lepidoptera we could
find in Paris.
During the wild symposium which OF
course followed the terrible strain of the
day, Joe explained the ''neck secret" to me.
Nv ideas of its mechanical construction arc
vague: Veuve Cliquot is excellent, but l
do remember Joe placing his two hands af-
fectionately on my shoulders and saying to
me, while appealing to Bill English, who
behaved like a trump all through, and rode
the race like a Centaur, ''Why, INV dear
boy, Alumnium's neck can telescope nearly
two yards! Waiter, another bottle OF '12. 7"
William B. Greene, in Harper's Mdgd-
zine.
Game.