The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-11

fees would not tempt them. No one could
be persuaded to give his reasons. and there
the fact remained, and Rowland was often
hard pushed for Jockey. This develop
ment of the situation perplexed US much,
and gave rise to long talk and specula-
ton. But the explanation of it all was
soon to come, and In manner for which
/ was least prepared.
This was in the November stakes of ten
years ago, one of the last big Hat races of
the season and run at the same place that
| have already spoken of, Fullingham. |
had for mount in that race a mare called
The Flirt, between whom and another
mare of the same age, Zanetta, whom
Charlie Beach was riding, the nnlsh was
supposed to lie. They had only one to
beat, this was smart 3-year-old called
Volunteer, one of Howland's who, heard,
had been well tried, and for whom the Ty-
ingham division were going In earnest,
terrible earnest, so far as Rowland was con-
cerned. for it was common talk that he was
on his last legs, and that failure this time
would about finish him. The rest of the
held was made up of weeds and piaters,
who counted for nothing. When the
flag fell Howland's colt went of at score.
and was soon out with a six lengths lead.
Charlie Beach, who rode Zanetta, and
were side by side nursing our mounts,
and waiting Tor the leader to come back TO
MS, as, from whBt | saw OF him, felt
pretty sure he would do. Rounding the
top turn into the home-stretch we began
to go up TO him. but had run hardly
another furlong when l felt that my mare
had enough of it. Then l called on her,
and made my effort. "Giye way, Fred.
when you're beaten" cried Charlie to me,
and the next moment the Filrt began 10
drop back. Instantly Zanetta shot out
like an arrow and in dash had passed me
and gone on after the leader. L saw her
gaining on him foot by foot and inch by
inch, but they had only fifty yards more
to go, and the youngster was still neck
to the good. ssShe'Ii never catch him."
| said, and the words had hardly lett my
lips when right on the post, Volunteer
stopped. swerved, and SHE'D, and Charlie
had got the mare home by a short head
sit was marvelously strange. The track
had been perfectly clear, nothing that
could see to account for Volunteers eccen-
trio behavior. Yet there the fact was
The horse had stopped and risen on his
hind legs right on the winning post, a
thing that in all my experience | had
never seen. Everyone was amazed, but
they were not so amazed as I was when, a
few minutes later, little Tommy Garrett,
who had ridden Volunteer. came up to me
with face as white as sheet and tremb-
ling like leaf. | asked him the reason
of Volunteers mishap.
That's what | came to tell you, he
caught hold of my arm. raised himself on
tip toe, and put his lips to my ear.
s'.Do you believe in ghosts?' he whisp-
cred
81 stared at him for moment without
replying, wondering whether he had gone
crazy.
".Ghosts. l Ell aculated in establishment.
Ghosts? Why?'
because I've just seen one, not ghost
like you or me, the ghost of filly.'
IF an electric shock had struck me at
that moment it could not have startled me
more than his last words did. staggered
back against the wall and looked at him in
silence, unable to speak or move.
eyes he went on, his teeth chattering,
it's true, just at the finish of the race, and
l was in front, when there before me,
right in the middle of the track, just as
though she had risen from the ground,
stood a FLY with blood all down her sides.
You may believe me or not. as you like,
but the horse saw her too, when he SHE'D
and nearly rolled back ON me. She was
gone again in an instant, but / tell you,
l saw her as plainly as l see you
Il think was as white as him when I
asked, What was the filly's color?'
bay answered Tommy at once, bay,
with white-blaze forehead
1.-THE words had hardly been spoken
when there was the report of a shot out
d IOuu cry, Win rush tOWdrQ the
paddock. | ran to the door of our room
and looked out. Rowland lying on the
ground, with pistol in his hand and
stream of blood downing from his mouth.
when they took him to the hospital it
was found that he was not dead, and he
did not die. After four months confine-
ment he rose from his bed, perfectly re-
covered, but dumb for the rest of his days.
The bullet, entering the mouth. had shot
away greater portion of the tongue; and
passed out at the back of the head 1t
seems that the action of the shot had de-
stroyed certain highly sensitive cerebral
nerves, with the result that. in addition to
being deprived of speech, the whole of one
side of his face would be paralyZed.
THAT was the end of John Rowland.
Ruined in pocket, in mind and in health,
he sank from one degree of wretchedness
to another until he became what you have
seen. / believe he once tried to get en-
ployment in stable, he had started life as
a stable lad but there was no animal that,
though quiet as a sheep at other times. did
not become perfect fiend when he drew
nigh, not one that would let him lay fin
ger on it.
''You said that the blood of that defense
less creature would follow him to his
grave" unused, after a pause. Twill that
prophesy be fulfilled, | wonderP"
Thus speaking, strobe to the window
ing objects in the brilliantly lighted street
below. From saloon across the road
fiaringly Illuminated with colored gas jets
could be heard the scraping of a violin
coupled with the shutting of feet on the
sandy floor inside. When the sounds were
at their loudest, the half-closed door of the
saloon was violently pulled open. and the
little, bent, shambling form that knew
so we'll, stumbled out on the sidewalk
'"QuIck,' called TO Bowman, who was
still seated in his chair. Quick Look
here Bowman rose, and, coming up to
where was. stood with his hand upon my
shoulder grimly looking down upon the
figure of the old card seller. Rowland
stood stock still upon the pavement look
ing irresolutely up and down the street as
if undecided which way TO turn Then,
drawing himself together with an effort.
he started across the road. At the same
moment a wild frightened shouting rose
on the air, and two horses drawing an
empty carriage, tore madly down the
street, swaylng from side TO side of the
road The reins behind them trailed over
their backs and on the ground. The coach
man, seemingly deprived of all power of
movement, Law back on the seat, convul-
sively clutching at the cushion rail, but
deaf TO the cries of those who saw him, the
little figure kept steadily on its course I'M
til il reached the middle OF the roadway,
and then stopped, with Its face turned to-
wards the maddened brutes now tearing
right down on it. We heard the shrek of
horror from the crowd; we saw the horses
in full galiop stop as If they had been shot.
swerve and rear up on their hind legs: we
saw the wIthered right arm wave as though
in knocking menace to the gathering crowd.
then they have jumped over on the BODY
now writhing on the ground, down among