The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-09-06

oval belt or solid, yet SprlnSy art one
mile in circumference, lying close with
in the hollow of a high board fence
that bounds one end and both sides.
See where the brown circles it is mot
tied in spots by the shadows OF inquisi-
tive tree tops that bend in a fresh
breeze TO peer over the high barrier.
High at one end of the easy ellipse, build
up in the minds eye a handsome club
house. broad verandas, bright awnings
and roomy reaches of wing and attic
Let the spacious club house bloom with
the varied costumes of happy women,
people the sweeping green sward
about with the private vehicles loaded
with more beautiful women and more
or less handsome men, see near by
monster grand stand. with its weather.
beaten back to the afternoon sun, fill
it with bank of expectant faces, in
fuse into your lungs a crispy atmos-
phere Of stereoscopic cIearness, push
back your BONNET Cnan or wOman), and
feel the touch of the autumn sunshine
just growing wistful OF its waning
power. behold within the smooth and
notified oval Of dirt track a field Of
greenness. with here and there sullen
rock thrusting up its brown head to
see what it is all about-see all these
things. do them. feel them. and you
have the situation as it existed at the
old Fleetwood trotting course on the
outskirts of this town this afternoon.
Come to See Nancy.
And what was it all about? Why
the people, the hum of whose jollity
floated out to tempt the ear Of the
curious rocks in the center f1eld-and
what saw the curious trees that nodded
and watched over the high fence-see-
ing all without having paid an entrance
fee? They saw the glory Of old Fleet
wood revived. They saw a phoenix
They saw, not a race Of running, which
any nag can do better or worse. but
contest of repressed energy Of trained
movement, of skilled and intense action.
They saw clean. straightaway and level
trotting at great speed, which not every
nag can do. Had it not gone forth that
the homespun. bat noble Nancy-she
whose surname is Hanks-would tread
the oval dirt belt to exceed, If possible,
the greatest speed of all the have
beens on that memorable track within
the shadows Of suburban woods?
Aye. So? So had gone forth the word
and the conditions were pronounced
good by the men with plaid ---~'st-
rather than among the throngs Of gaily
caparisoned women. BY noon the club
house and piaZZaS were filled and the
grand stand had a substantial nucleus
of stockholders and their friends, who
have the enviable right TO sit under its
shadow An hour later the trains
empted themselves like coal chutes
and the dusty lanes of AeIrose were
alive with men and women with but
one idea-to get there. The accommo-
dations at Fleetwood are none too
great for such a crowd Not only We're
the boards quickly occupied, but all
the grassy banks. which are a feature
of the park, were covered AS soon as
the park was reached there was gen.
eral rush for Nancy Hanks stall. But
not so. The famous lady was mot to
feed the hungry stare Of a crowd" She
was having her dainty metal slippers
attended to by a grimy valet at
neighboring forge
Greeting to the Mare.
But finally the glossily attired lady
strobe forth for her effort to entertain
throng of metropolitan visitors. Every
one of the thousands present arose and
greeted her with voice and hands. As
the crowds pushed TO the front II was
apparent to all that Fleetwood park
had never before, not for many years at
least. held such a large and fashionable
gathering. Handsome and strikingly
attired women mingled everywhere with
wealthy patrons of the turf and prosper
Gus club men from New York and other
neighboring cities. The inclosure was
lined with drass and vehicles of every
description. and all these were occupied
by fashions devotees. Doble drove up
TO the Judges stand, where he stopped
a moment and then walked the Queen of
the Turf slowly up to the starting post.
Kane rang the gong, and as soon as
quiet had been secured arose and said:
Gentlemen. Mr.. Walker wishes me to
Introduce Nancy Hanks to you, who
Will try to beat the track record Of
2:09Z )" The track was then put into
shape, while Nancy exercised.
Baron Salvi of Italy. deputized by his
government to investigate the trOtting
In the United States was an eager spec
tator in the judges stand. The tree
shadows had heightened until they lay
across the inner field, when the great
mare iaunted down the track to get
start for her mile dash against the
tracks best previous record Of 2:09%.
At the Start.
Suddenly down by the distance pole
she wheeled about, and thrusting forth
her nose. she began picking up her feet
and putting them down again with in
creasing speed. She was not on parade
any more. She had business TO attend
to and she went about 1t without any
nonsense She heightened and squatted
hand or two from her usual hight.
She was getting speed. Up the stretch
she came with rushing TAFT OF her iron
slippers upon the moist dirt, and at a
minute after O'Clock she plunged un-
der the wire in front Of the judges.
Lettering on the outer rim Of the track
at the upper turn horse had been wait
ing TO run after Nancy and make her
think she must hustle fast or be over
taken But she shot past him as If he
had been tied to a post. She sped around
the turn at a ferocious pace and the
thousands yelled. Through the quarter
she sped. lowering her pace but a trihe
Toward the end of the three-quarters
the running horse ran upon her and
spurred her on into the stretch. At the
beginning Of the stretch Doble lay back
in his seat and let the great mare out
10 her full speed. She swept into the
straight for home with a pace that was
titanic Her movement was "A poem In
great action. Fore-shortened by the dis