The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-03-24
RED AND WHITE.
Uncle zeke's Investigations and
His Courtship.

"How's Northwestern this morning,
Unkle Zeke?" asked Dick Spriggs across
the restaurant table.
"Slumped off six points, blast it, p"
scowling viciously over his paper at
the steak brought by the waiter.
Ezekiel Spriggs laid down his paper
and picking up his fork stuck it into
the meat. AS he withdrew it and saw
the rich. red juice ooze out, his
face frightened. Spriggs was some
what of an epicure.
six points pretty big drop" said
Dick, possessing himself of the paper
and alternating between it and his
breakfast: "How dye come out?"
But Spriggs was busily engaged in
tearing off huge pieces of steak and
chewing them with much the same ex-
preston that chicken exhibits when
taking a drink of water. Business was
business, but breakfast was breakfast
Just then, and while Dick chartered and
read extracts, Spriggs turned his eyes
to the ceiling at every bite and gave
himself up to the soulful enjoyment of
what was before him. Dick skinned
lightly over the news, took cursory
glance at the editorials and paused at
the lower corner of the page; then he
read aloud:
Possibly the reason why, when a red-heaGed
girl appears on the street, white horse soon
makes its appearance, will have to be sought for
in history Away back in the early Greek and
Egyptian days. red-haired girls were justly
priced above all.
"Whadz that?'' interrupted Spriggs.
Spriggs was bachelor, and though
rich, was not especially addicted to the
fair sex.
Dick leaned thoughtfully back in his
chair. ITS dodgasted funny thing,
Uncle Zeke, but it's a fact, never knew
it to fail; straight as string, too"
"Well, what is itP'
"Why, don't you see, the saying is
that where ever you see a red-headed
girl there is always a white horse in
sight. believe it now-didn't at first.
Why only last Sunday night went to
church with Miss Austin-you ought to
see her, Uncle Zeke-" Dick paused
with piece of steak halfway to his
mouth and gazed yearningly at the
blank wall. "Well, as l was saving,
went to church; coming out l saw di-
rectly in front of us a girl with hair
just about as red as you find it. One of
the rules of the game is that you must
always 90 some where that is accessi-
BILE to the horse after seeing the red
hair, so made an excuse about short
cut and dragged Mabel out the side
door. thought had the white horse
sequence dead this time, but Just as we
came out the door, sure enough the in"
evitable white horse came trotting
around the corner. There wasn't an
other four-legged animal in sight and
didn't see any the whole way home.
I've tried it every chance and never
knew it to fail"
Spriggs grunted an inaudible. re-
spouse and rose from the table. BY
noon he had forgotten all about it but
the sight of a red-haired girl brought
the subject to his mind. In spite of its
evident absurdity, there was something
odd and uncanny about the notion and
Spriggs almost unconsciously began tc
sean the passers-by. Turning the corner
he came plump against another maid
with fiery hair and sure enough there,
hitched to post, was rather scrawny
but an unmistakable white horse.
This was the beginning of his down
fall, for there and then he determined
to see exactly what was in the saying
Now Spriggs was nothing if not me
thodical. A long life of single blessed
ness and business training had made
him so. and he entered into the investi
CATION in somewhat the same manner
as he would some great business ques
ton.
The major part of the next day wa;
spent in keeping tally of the horses
that passed his Office window; and tn.
following day in an extended hunt o
red-headed girls without regard t.
their so-called accomplishments. TIL,
result was that while one horse in every
fifteen was white, only one female il
thirty-one had red hair. A series o