News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-08-30

who will hardly let an owner look at
his own horse, far less let him know
what the horse can do, but a pleasant
| looking, fresh complexioned man of
about 80, as honest as Purkiss, but a
| deal shrewder. Taking Natty and me
aside, he told us that he proposed to try
both the horses with one he had there
Of a fair class, which had lately won a
good handicap and which he considered
to be a very reliable runner.
Not one of your in and ont custom
ers, )" he said, but horse as always
runs up to his form.
He further told us that if either of
mine could beat Pedometer-for such
was the name of the trial horse-or run
we'll up to him it would be good
enough to enter for any handicap or
weight-for-age stake.
Then the horses were brought out.
PedOmeter was a plain looking, bust
nesslike brown horse, wearing band
age on his near foreleg and looking I'M
dersized, though not really so when you
came to stand beside him. Not at all
! the sort of horse to look at that a duffer
| would have risked sovereign on at 20
| to /, but, as Natty as well as his train
er assured me, "a very useful sort. -
| Brilliant quite took the shine out of him
when he came forth, arching his neck
and stepping proudly with Haunting
flag and sleek coat cleaning in the sun
like FURNISHED mirror. An exclama-
ton of delight burst from the lips of
the two girls, while Mrs. Fitz Travers
declared she had never seen so beauti-
full a creature. Once more visions of
Ascot, with Ella in dark blue and gold,
floated in my foolish brain, till Natty
gave me dig in the ribs and asked me
what l thought of the mare now.
Well, must own | should not have
known her. She looked twice the size,
to begin with. Then she moved with
free, corky action, quite unlike her
former sulky gait, while her bay coat
was much brighter than before, and
though l could still count every rib
which Natty assured me was inevitable
in a horse prepared for racing-yet her
skin felt more supple and not strained
so tightly over her osseous framework
as it used to be.
Il am sure, Captain Martindale, "
said Mrs. Fitz Travers politely, that
both your horses will easily beat that
shabby looking one which went ON in
front. Indeed l don't see the least use
in trying them"
However, as this was the business
which had brought us out, we thought
we might as we'll go through with it.
So Pearce pointed out to us hillock
at a little distance from which we could
best see the trial, and then mounting
his white pony cantered after the horses.
The trial was quickly over. The
course was mile and Il half, and Pc
dometer brought them along at merry
pace. must own the result surprised
us all, except Natty. Brilliant, for all
his good looks and grand airs which
had so captivated the ladies, was out
paced from tho start, and the other two
came ON neck and neck. The last half
milo they fairly seemed to fly, but Pc
dometer had always a trifle the best of
it, and knowing his business well made
his effort at the right moment and beat
the mare by half his own length. My
fair companions were somewhat discon-
certed, Ella in particular looking in
clined to cry, but Natty was jubilant.
what was he giving herr" he in
CURED as the trainer rode up.
Nothing. They were all at even
weights. "
THAT will do, :" said Nat.
Il congratulate you, SIR" Pearce
said to me- You have a good mare.
Then we looked over the stables, the
ladies being charmed with the neatness
of the saddle room and brightness of
the steel. And the trainers wife gave
us tea, with beautiful cream, in her cot
tage, after which the wagonette picked
us up, and we drove hOmeward in good
time, the Benedick and Beatrice bust
ness gong on all the way, which | OBJ
served with inward satisfaction, for.
had l been allowed to choose my own
brother-in-law, there was no man |
would have preferred to my old friend
Natty Forwood.
We ran tho mare once or twice in
minor races at the back end of the sea-
son, but though she ran fairly we'll she
did not win anything, and my prospects
were not bright. She was generally
fractions at the post, owing to her nerv-
GUS disposition, though running game
ly enough when once away. l was in
clined to be respondent at my want of
success, but Natty cheered me by as
serting she would improve a lot yet.
One piece of luck had. Brilliant, who
was a good tempered and obliging kind
Of animal, was complacent enough to
take to jumping, so when he had quail
flied we put him in hunters fiat race,
for which he ran second, carrying 12
stone, which so pleased st. Quentin of
ours, man with a lot of money, that
he gave me $500 for him, a sum which
would see me through another year with
the mare.
CHAPTER ".
On the anniversary of dear Uncle