Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-08-30
Helena, Montana, Thursday, August 80, 1888

Ole Miss has among her treasures a
6guereotype of him as he looked that
day, with his bright brown crlris shining
above the velvet and lace of his bizarre
costume. with his proud young figure
eyes that look Of courage of determine
ton, of victory
Goose knowed Marse Phil wuz hand
some man" Jeff always said in speaking
of that day, ''but never see dat look on
his face agin till see him chargin up de
hill on Black Bess in de face of the can
non, wild his soad in one hand en- de flag
in de yuther. Hit mex me think bout de
day of the tournament right away, en-
God knows hit warnt no time to be thinkin
bout home den."
Well, it was only a moment Marse Phil
sat there motionless on his horse, and
then he and Black Bess were speeding
around the ring as lightly and smoothly
as bird sweeps II. circles. =,
"God, how he ridesI" mnn e.z..cc..aimed
under his breath. III wouldn't give that
for Edwards chances, with contempt
uous snap of the fingers; but JEFF, who
has heard, and who in the excitement has
pushed his way up to the railing that
shuts in the track, JEFF only greaned,, for
be has just caught sight of pretty Polly,
her face white with suppressed anxiety,
leaning far over from the grand stand,
and he remembers what hindrance her
presence used to be at the practice in the
blue grass meadow.
''Nlarse Phil's des fool enough to lose
de race count of some foolishness bout
ber," he said to himself. He can only
trust Marse Phil's eyes are elsewhere than
on the grand stand Already twice has
he strung every ring on his lance. He
has only once more to take with his un-
errlng hand the ten more rings that pro-
claim him victor. There is a moments
pause, and then, with the crash of the
opening bars of music, Marse Phil is away
threading his lance through the rings
at the mares best gait. A third of the
way aroundl Half of the way around!
jeff breathes easier. Marse Phil is op-
posite to the grand stand when he glances
up to meet Polly's eyes fixed on him, so
full OF pride and love and joy, he loses his
head little. What wonder? poor fellow.
1t does not take quarter of second
scarcely, but in that time Polly snatches
off her arm a bracelet set thick with shin
ing stones and throws it right before
Black Bess' flying feet. Quick as the act
Is, 1T is not quicker than loves intuition,
and in another instant Marse Phil has
strung his trophy on the lance and is TAX
ing the last ring from the hook. 1t was
calamity done. The crowd cheered itself
loarse; but the timekeeper from the
Judges stand called:
'"Twenty-one secondsp
jeff stumbled away from the scene
lazed and infuriated. He had so counted
IN success and Marse Phil had thrown it
lway In the very moment of victory for
whim. He hung his head as he
ed Black Bess back to the stables, and |
when he heard the shouts that saluted |
Japt. Edwards victory he laid his head |
iown on the mares neck and sobbed for |
disappointment. But Marse Phil had none |
IT the signs of defeat about him as he |
made his way to where pretty Polly, as |
lusklly red as June rose, was awaiting
lis coming. What was it she was saving |
lnder cover Of all the noise and confusion? |
"You won
And Marse Phil in answer to the look in |
Ter eyes finished the sentence
"My Queen of Love and Beauty"
For the sake of beautys eyes he had
oSt the prize, but the management of the
ournament sent him, in recognition of
is superb horsemanship, the slender,
werlilSe pitcher that still stands on the
ideboard at Woodstock That was the
ast tournament. Before another golden
utumn rolled around, the tempest of
7ar had broken over the land, and the old
outh, the old, careless, idle, happy south
ad ceased to be.-Elizabeth NJ Gilmer in
Jew Orleans Picayune.