Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-07-12
JOCKEY TODD.
How He Showed His Heart to
Leona as Plain as Day.

Jockey Todd was always sent with his
pair of bays on the perilous journey of the
torpedo-man. He was in the employ of a
torpedo company, and it was his business to
take the nitro-glycerine to the oil well, pour
the fluid into the long cylindrical shell,
lower it to the rock, and drop upon the cap
the weight that would release the explosive
to rend the petroleum stratum.
One day on the Custer road he gave the
bays the whip. They broke into a wild run.
and the Obstetrics have a vivid memory of
Jockey Todd's dash through the town. He
came down the main street like awhirlwind
and they held their breath, waiting for the
explosion. As he rushed upon them they
lived an age. But Jockey Todd sat on the
box as carelessly as if he were winning a
race in walk. In the post-ofice door stood
a girl of twenty. She had run out of the
street to avoid the team. She had hardly
time to turn around before the bays shot
past yet her buckeyes noted the calmness of
the man at the lines. 'Oh!" she cried 1.-The
Sandy!"
The Sandy was only small mountain
stream that flowed into the Tuna, but the
bridge had been torn up for repairs. The
plunge into that narrow ditch would be
fatal beyond doubt to the driver, and he did
not seem 10 KNOW ABOUT IT,
The spectators, fascinated, could not fee.
Their hearts beat hard and their eyes pro-
iected as they looked for the explosion. The
bays cleared the ditch, and the wagon dived
into it. The Obstetrics could not believe
their eyes, for there on the ground stood the
iriver, unframed, and away down the road.
with the wagon tongue humping on the
ground between them, the bays were run
-, 3 ell T,l
Every spectator shouted and ran to the
bridge. Leona Jervis went with the crowd,
and when she saw Jockey Todd coolly
answering questions she fell in love with
MIN. Noticing her, he remembered that he
mad seen her in the post-office door, and he
smiled as he recalled her frightened look
Meeting his gaze, she blusheS, and his smile
quickly gave place to a scowl. Daring al
ways, he strobe to where she stood, and
asked in harsh tone:
'Did you think to see a man in bits, blowed
n every direction by the glycer'n'm
''No; / come hopin' to see him clear the
hitch as easy as he come to it,
Il ask your pardon. My name is Todd
Hiram Todd
pointing to house on the hill above the
Tuna.
From that impulsive beginning the ac-
luaintance of Jockey Todd and Leons Jer-
lis rpened into mutual affection
Some days after this, Jockey Todd pulled
up the bays as he was passing Leona's home.
She was getting breakfast for her brother
Grip.
When Jockey Todd was leaving. Leona
threw her arms around his neck and said
Give it up, Hiram; am so afraid all the
time"
81 will Leona- 1 will never drink again."
But that was an evasion. She chung to
aim tighter, and pleaded: 20, Hiram, /
ssn't let you go back to it The terrible |
tlycerine viii surely take your life some |
Jay If you keep on handlin' ii, and I'm |
worried to death all the time. Why, 1 never
hear an explosion, il it's only an empty can. |
without jumpin'. My heart just stands still |
while wonder if it's you or-or-"
And she stammered into silence, hiding |
her face on his shoulder. He filed out the |
sentence, whisperingin her ear-"Or Grip.n |
Her face pressed his shoulder in assent.
Grip was a moonlighter-one who torpe- /
ioed oil wells In the night at the risk of ar |
rest and Imprisonment The torpedo com
pany for which Jockey Todd worked had a |
patent emitting them to the exclusive right |
of torpedOing oil wells, so that all persons
engaged IN ciandestine operations with the /
torpedo at the well were in danger of the \
law. Such persons were called moon
lighters. Grip Jervis had long been sus-
pected BY the torpedo company, and detect
ives had been employed to watch him; but |
he was cunning, and had never been caught.
Leona's admission TO Jockey Todd was the /
first reliable evidence obtained by any one
in the compsny's employ that Grip was
actually mooulighter.
Jockey Todd loosed her arms and jerked |
open the door. Leons's face blanched.
"You're not goin' to tell on Grip, are youi
he carries pistol, and would kill you"
81 amt goin' to do nothin' now. III shoot
this well, and think things over on the way
back Pn most likely give it up.r !