Wichita eagle., 1888-01-11
TEDDY BURKE.

He was gamin on the streets. His cloth
ing was not much to speak of, and the soft
morning wind blew through them with the
greatest freedom Over a shirt OF un-
bleached cotton, two pieces OF tarred rope
acted in lieu of suspenders, holding up pair
of trousers made for an adult. They were
rolled up at the bottoms, displaying two
sturdy legs, tanned and dirty, Scared with
hard knocks and slivers from the wharves.
The wearer Of all this toggery was a boy
apparently IL years old After executing
his JIG. he stood ON one foot, thrust grimy
hand into pocket and drew ont handful
of pennies, which he proceeded to count
.'Deres huff fur four Worrs and tin Suns.
H, but I'm late dis mornin'!"
He replaced the pennies in his pocket and
started toward Whitehall street. When he
reached it be stopped to look at some horses
standing at Hamilton Terry waiting for the
gate to open.
II guess dem is torobredsm y he soliloquized,
and turned to go up town and purchase his
papers, when one of the men in charge of the
horses shouted ''Hello, there, you boy. Do
you want job!"
"Betcher life retorted the boy.
"Well, come over here. I'll give you 81 to
ride one of these horses and lead two more to
Sheepshead Bay, and pay your fare back"
"Dat's whack," said he, and giving a leg
to the man was hoisted on the back of a race
horse in transit from Baltimore to Sleeps
head Bay track.
The Journey was an uneyentfui one in one
sense and an eventful one in another. The
boy was asked his name and he gave it.
Teddy Burke was all the name he knew of.
though it might have been anything e.se, as
he didn't remember his father Or mother.
"What do you do for lvings" asked the
trainer, who rode alongside
Il siils papers and does anything what can
fur TO make a few cints. | sleep in de dock. ="
How would you like to be a stable boy and
learn to be jockeys" kindly asked his en-
ployer
in it'"
an give you SO week and board, and by
and by, when you learn to ride, you can
make hundreds of dollars in week"
"Je whiz"
"Yes; / have known jockeys to get s. 900
for winning one race"
"Go on. Watcher givin' me. Tipk I'm .
fool."
Ia! na! lauSHeu oDNHSOU, LOT tudL was
the trainers name "You be 4 good boy
Teddy, and I'll make man Of you. / think
when you get the dirt washed off, and a suit
of store clothes on, that you will be a differ
ent boy Ever ride horse beforef7
"No; never did"
aYou ride well. You sit like born
jockey"
"Bedad, hev to- can't get down widout
breakin' me neck"
Thus was Teddy engaged as a stable boy.
He had never been over to Brooklyn but
once and then he only went up towr. as far
as the City hall and didn't think it half az
nice as the City Hall park Ill New YORK. But
on this beautiful May morning he saw the
budding, blossoning and leafng of trees,
and rs they neared Gravesend, the farmers
eariy at work in the fields, the waving masses
OF garden truck, aud the fresh scent Of the
grass All was new, Like 20 an uuexpIored
world, to him The boy had touch of
poetry in hrs soul for more than once Ee
pulled III his horse that he might enjoy somo
particularly fine aspect Of nature, saying TO
himself: II could always live here wid de
grass an de flowers. Dey're nicer nor dey
are in New York"
In due time they arrived at Sheepshead
bay track. The string of sixteen horses were
coziiy quartered IN TIE H.ocsl sheds, given
their feed. and then Johnson turned and SAID
kindly: Come on, bub We VIII tackle our
fodder now"
But Teddy did not stir. There was a
troubled Ioos, in his eyes Johnson turned
again and asked, a little !Tnf aE.snIiY; What
you thinking a5outl Come on and eat.
Il forgot sns pard, boss
-Yo1r psrtii7
"Yis, boss Larry Flanuaein is me rard
He's lanse. Larry Is; and duFn II didn'a for
git him, / mus 20 back.7
See here, Tsidy. I've taksn liking 20
you, and / want 70 keep y0a. You're better
OF vita nls, Roy soy, tnzn xnor1iHz around
in tcs city Can Larry 40 anytAiugT
sHs slt.s papers at "a ferry, ooes- He's my
pard bays de papers Aai de grub. aid
goes snacss ND nina lie an got no far.ier
nor nsudae-, nessi-r-7
-E'l lesI y1a wlsa: vou do, Teddy Heres
81 G-s On the tram aad 50 70 Aew Ycrx
F4a8 Larry and come back tas way you
went Bgias him vitH you III Hna soms-
thing f1- bin - do
@TEznkee. boss. You're trick
This compliment probably psea>et Mr..
johnson more sban any 1e had ever received.
lor i.s knew thai j: came fToal tie boris
l.szra- - o'clock On thai dag, when tks
trainer WAITED LIS stable. there we're Terry
and Larry, aae lS.ts- l1Ec.4 tss sane ss
Teddy - als h4oi.Anlents J heir .aaes sEoas
ui4a sap aEd water. Joanson ssswesi tlseza
w1eye - maze their beds ard wtsase tAsy
TrcS.a -xs ta-ir raeals ThGs Tesidys lie
saa4Se,i fFoaa DsSsboy TO ssan3s = 2. IN
fss DAYS Ae sas bosrx< III TIRE saddle. Es
-.wsys rode tzreassstezI, as49 s.oo4 ths 5IAs-s
ci hls eoEE EEraEl0szs good nst.r@siy, sosnsesas-s
glv!a. ,hsEn tas-e Il sEayY irlsa vi, tsat
sAswvd E.s uss--se. Es VAS an sdsf. st pl.cs-
irx PENNIES, ~ smokes! cigarette throegh
kis uqse With al tne--s-ce % csas, 4 pglEa-