San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1891-01-13

the pace killing, widened her gap On N
French horse at the second hurdls
though he took it easily and followed he
down the back stretch in splendid rush
1t was plainly nobody's race, the horse
not yet having shown their best, and tn,
men all riding well in their differin,
fashions.
De Chavirac sat rather far back in hi
saddle, showing iron grip of calf snt
knee, but evident use of his stirrup. Ht
rode, too. with heavy hand, lifting tn.
willing horse to his jumps by strong use
of the bit. The German rode with heels
down and short stirrup feathers pulled
| taut; but he sat his horse, and swung to
the motion of the heavy brute. Hoyne,
Cecil's was the English cavalry seattle
bent knees and feet thrust to instep in
the irons. He rose to the leaps with his
horse, till daylight showed under him,
leaning far forward with the swing, as
though to help the jumper over.
Everett and the Mexican rode almost
alike. Each sat well down in his saddle,
erect and easy, the leg dropping straight
down, and holding only by strong knee
clamp that left calf and ankle free. Both
carried the foot level in the long stirrup,
whose sole use seemed to be support for
the weight of the lower leg, not as any
aid to the seat. But it was in light, flex-
IDLE feeling of the bit that both differed
most from their transatlantic rivals. The
latter held their horses and lifted them
at every jump, not doing the light wrist
riding" that guides by barely feeling the
mouth and keeps man and beast in per-
feet sympathy.
Just within the track was the third
hurdle; cleaning beyond it showed the
wide water jump. the test leap Of the
race. Everett felt it time to close the
gap on the gallant little Mexican and
shake off L'Empereur. A pressure of his
foot, not of the spur. and slight shake
of the reins, were answered by splendid
rush of the black, that sent him to the
mares flank as she rose to the fence.
Almost side by side the black and tho
white took the leap, skimming it with
ease and without lifting to it. Then.
with a quick backward glance, Dale
Everett took in the field Close behind
him-so close he could almost feel the
hot breath from the crimson nostrils-
Numbered L'Empereur, his lank head
straight out, his eyes glowing As fercely
as those of the rider with set lips, who
piled spur and whip at every bound.
Behind, in easy reaching distance, Hoyne-
Cecifs horse was going steadily and fast:
thirty yards behind him Won Schlegen
pounded on, practically out of the race.
Then, for the first time, Dale Everett
spoke to his horse, and, to the amaze Of
Chavirac, now laundering by his side,
he checked rather than urged the horse
$50, boy! steady-so-oy" was his
quiet call, and the bay shot by and kept
lengths lead down to the water. For
little by little the tremendous pace was
beginning to tell upon the mare. But
she still kept her lead, and once safely
over the water there was short quarter
only down the homestretch. ...
No let up now in the pace. Scarce
twenty yards ahead CLEANS the bright
water, and La Vega raises his whip and
swings it over the mares ears with .
"whoO!' as he sends the cruel spurs into
her sides.
With whip and spur and voice De
Chavirac urges his noble horse. He. too,
sees that the despised Mexican once
across the water, the sternchase might
not be long enough for stride and bottom
to tell.
And what both knew could not be IN
known to rider like the American.
Tearing as the speed was, he knew his
horse the freshest, and he felt thrill as
be recalled that Jonathan's speed had
not yet been fully tested.
With a sharp, quick word, and scarce
ly frightened grip upon the bit, Dale
touched the spur to Jonathan and rushed
ahead, to reach the water even with the
Frenchman and the white mare, gain
ing on them at every bound of the now
well aroused black.
Thirty yards, twenty yards, ten only,
between the whites nose and the water,
the Frenchman tapping her flank. the
black three lengths behind.
With a wild, uneanny cry La Vega
raised the gallant little marc to the leap.
Rising lightly, she cleared the water,
but landed SO perilously close TO tho
bank that it's edge crumbled under the
heels that spurned it into the water,
only the impetus Of her rush keeping her
steady.
And as the white marc landed from
2er leap De Chavirae-his teeth set, his
yes cleaning and his body bent forward
as if to push his horse onward-dYovc
both spurs into L'Empereur's sides and