Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-01-15
THE JOCKEYS STORY.
How He Was Revenged on His In
human Employer.

was jockey, and they used to tell
mo, tolerably good one, but no longer
claim the turf as my profession, or what.
ever you are amind to call it, and on my
" leaving the track this story hangs.
1t was a good many years ago that !
quit-a mere boy at the time-though
my experience among men had made
me seemingly older than / really was.
was pretty we'll acquainted with the
ways of the world so far as comes within
the opportunity of one mostly associated
with horsemen and horses, with their at
tendant surroundings.
Though but a jockey-in general, a
creature to be kicked and cursed-I was
not unlike many others of the human
kind. cherished the feeling of re-
venge, and for months, yes years, had
lived to crafty it. The person upon
whom 1'longed to wreak my vengeance
was the man for whom had ridden ever
since knew how. had waited for tho
opportunity for-I can scarcely remem-
ber how long-ever since one day whes
had brother, brother that l loved
possibly as we'll as others who aspired
to higher niche on the social, yes, even
the moral, scale.
Willie, little Willie, that's what I al
ways called him, though the others said
'Little Bill" l used to think / was
more like father to him than brother.
He was SO small, and used to think he
oughtn't to have been jockey like me.
taught him to ride, how to handle his
horses on the track just as well as any
of us-yes, better, for when he was in
The saddle they would, it seemed like,
strain every nerve just to please him.
You see, even the horses loved him. He
was such quiet little fellow, and SO
sort O. affectionate, they couldn't help
1T. And reckon that's one reason why
] was kinder to him than / would have
been had he been a rough fellow-like
me. When think about Willie, as we
were in those days, always feel sad
how proud we used to feel of each other
when either had won great race, and
how every month we'd get together in
our little loft and fix up our money to
send home to mother and little sister
that's one reason we were Jockeys. |
Then the promises and resolutions we'd |
make about keeping away from bad |
company till we got home; how we'd re-
solve to be honest always to our en-
ployer, and not let any body or any
bodys money come between us and our |
duty to him; how we used to pet the
horses together, till they all knew us
and understood our voices almost as we'll
as we did ourselves.
But that was all changed-changed in
q moment of passion by the man we had
served so faithfully; the man for whom
we had won laurels and fortune, and
whose confidence had never been broken
Or betrayed, or whose commands had
never been disregardod.
One day Willie lost race-one that
Mr.. Wharton, our employer had set his
heart on winning. He had almost won
It when his horse stumbled and went
iown. Mr.. Wharton was furious. All
n passion he ran to where the two Law
n a heap, and as Willie was getting up
struck him a terrible blow with his
leayy whip. The blow and the shock
'f the fall was too much for him and it
wasn't many hours before he passed
lway to find his homo among the white
teeds OF Heaven. He never recognized
my OF us, and passed away just like he
vas going to sleep.
was to be avenged.
At last the time had come. Ever
ince that awful day had remained
With an old en- ploye, awaiting the day
ghcn should be able to avenge the
ruel Staying OF my little jockey broth
r.
The opportunity bad arrived, and for