The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1893-07-21
SKIMPSEY.

some popular melody as he sat perohed on
wooden fence, with hispeaked cap turned
backward and thrust OH the back of his
head, and his miserable thin legs In theii
dirty white breeches, all doubled up, sat
Skimpsey From undera plentiful crop Of
bright red hair shone his blue eyes--eyes
that had n merry twinkle In them in spite
OF the fact that this was big race day and
astake day at Monmouth park. and us yet
Skimpsey had no hope Of a mount.
For Skimpsey was u jockey and made bis
living on the race track, lie had been 0
stable boy from the time he was old enough
to lend horse, and now he was eighteen
and full iedged jockey. Tom Ferrars
was his name once and Ferrars was The
name run up on the track when he rode.
but among the jockeys ind stable boys and
the Thousand and one loiterers about the
track, he was Skimpsey. They had called
him Skimpsey, In their own expressive
fashion, ever since his father died and Tom
had taken to saving money This Is very
unusual In boys about the race track, and
when Tom suddenly ceased betting and
treating hiH friends TO cigarettes and other
varlons designations In which he had pre-.
yiously indulged, they regarded him with
distrnst, II not with absolute dislike,
But II his 'unpoprlarity ever troubled
Skimpsey, he never allowed himself to
show 1t. Always cheerful and good
natured among the boys and willing and
respectful TO his superiors, he soon won
for himself II reputation as conscientious
and capable lightweight Jockey. Conse-
quently, his services were often In demand,
and once or twice week Skimpsey made
his way to the city and laid in the lap OF
his mother, who lived In the humblest OF
flats in the poor part Of the city, very
respectable sum OF money 1t was hard
enough TO resist the many temptations ut
the track, TO bear the jokes and taunts Of
the other boys, but when ut lust he would
place the money In his mothers hand he
would feel fully recompensed
Skimpsey'a mother was seamstregs,
and, aa her wan face aud bent form at
teRted industrionsly strove TO do her part
with Skimpsey In the brave struggle. OF
Skimpsey's father, perhaps the least said
the better He had been a trainer Of race
horses, and finally attained an official posi-.
tion on the race track Dying suddenly, 1t
was discovered that he had robbed the club
Of over $1,000; and 1t was to make up this
deficiency, To restore honor to his dead
father's name and to his own, that Skimp-
sey, with his mothers assistance, was
working so industriously The sum at
first seemed, TO these two poor people,
enormous, but the earnings Of good
jockey are surprisingly large, and now, the
amount almost completed, the money lay
In a savings bank on Broadway
And so 1t was that Skimpsey whistled
cheerlly as he sat all by himself on the
board fence, He thought Of his mother,
and how glad she would be when the debt
was paid. She need not work any longer
he thought, for no could earn money
enough TO support them both easily He
would find her plensanter home than
that miserable fiat, and he would buy her
green velvet coat, like Mrs. Hinton, the
trainers wife, wore Then when he could
save up some money he would buy him
self new suit Of clothes, and, joy OF joysl
silver watch chain with big silver
horse hanging from it, and perhaps some
day big beaver hat like Dan McCarthy's.
With all these bright visions chasing
each other through his brain. it is not sur.
prising that Skimpsey did not hear the
saddling bell for the first race He did not
even heed the trumpet calling the horses
out, and later The roar Of The vast crowd as
tho cry went up, They're Off They're
offP until suddenly he heard voice say.
ing, Here he Isl" and Skimpsey jumped
down from the fence as two men ap.
preached him,
"Ferrars," said Mr.. Hinton, the trainer,
"here's Mr.. Melville, rs wants you To ride
Maid Marian In the Seaside stakes"
What mep cried Skimpsey in delight
full surprise, for he had never ridden In
such an important race.
eyes; what's the matteri Don't you
want the mount"
Skimpsey tried to say something, but
failed dismally, and his freckled face
turned redder than ever in his delight.
"It's $50 to ride, and $3.50 If you win,n
said Hinton, and Sklmpsey's mind revert
ed to tho money inthe savings bank. now
only short $500 Of the $1,000.
"Mind, Ferrars," said Mr.. Melville, Maid
Marian's owner, you're to ride to win.
Get we'll of and stay near the front till the
last turn, and then let her out for all she
is worth"
"Now's the time Skimpsey," added
Hinton, ito make q reputation for your
self. The mare's well in 1t at ninety-eighb
pounds and ought to win. There are no
other lightweights free; that's how you
got che mount"
Skimpsey didn't care how it came about.
He only knew that he was to ride Maid
Marian for the Seaside, to make fifty dol
lars anyway, and perhaps two hundred
and fifty. His blue eyes fairly danct for
Joy at the prospect. How his mtsher
would bless him II ii could only put the
large sum into her handl
The Seaside was third on the pro
gramme, and there was still another
race to be run or before ii. Skimpsey
strolled over to where three or four stable
boys lay on the grass discussing the yari-