The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1895-12-19


fine swinging stride, ridden by a famous
jockey in the Charlmount colors-apple
green and black sleeves. After q few
false starts the flag fell. Soon the
heavy thud of hoofs reached Goodeve's
ear, and the shouts and applause of the
public, who lined the course, were borne
nearer and nearer. He grew really ex-
cited. His heart beat fast. His breath
came in grasps. The horses were close
up to him at the finish. Some five or six
seemed to flash by in mass with u
mighty laundering of hoofs. The
Jockeys arms and whips worked like
the sails of windmills. There - ahi
there was the apple green and black
sleeves--to the front of the ruck. Peo-
pies voices rose in a storm of shouts,
curses, cheers. Goodeve's voice nvol-
unfairly mingled with them. The
perspiration stood upon his forehead.
He felt half suffocated.
Prince Charming's number was hois-
ted first.
He was soon aroused from his alb
sorbed condition by the grnff voice of
man speaking at his elbow.
"The curse of the Charlmounts has
gone wrong at last"
"Eh? I beg your pardon" observed
Goodeve, turning toward the speaker,
| short, redfaced man, who, from his
| appearance and dress, might probably
have been cattle dealer.
81 wasn't speaking to you, mister"
| retorted the other, rather rudely.
"No, l know" said Goodeve, too much
;,t hxy bo l1nc;o, 4, ho
| Charlmounts to take offense at his
words, but you said something about
| the curse of the Charlmounts,' and not
| understanding what you meant L"
"Not understand what meant by the
| curse of the Charlmounts? interrupt
ted the man, regarding Goodeve with
contemptuous surprise. Ever been at
Noomarket before mister?"
"Never, until to-day"
"Ah, that accounts for it, then. Well,
| p'raps you don't know that never till
this blessed day has hoss owned by
the Charlmount family won a race on
| the heath for so years"
| "No, l was not aware of that" re-
piled Goodeve, growing very interested.
| "And 'tain't becos they've not had
] gOOu uOSSeS, COH tuc tltdleT, ILL
pressively. "They had some of the very
best. It's becos the fam'ly's been un-
der curse as regards his heath
"Under a curse? How is that?"
| "Well, you must know, old Tom
Charlmount, grandfather of the present
man, played friend of his dirty trick
about a Cambridgeshire so years ago. 1
don't know all about the ins and outs,
but it was something like this: Tom
Charlmount had his friends hoss got
at the night before the race, and the
| hoss-which was considered cert-got
beat in Conscience. The friend had
planked all he was worth on the colt
and his defeat simply broke the poor
beggar. He blew his brains out the
same night, but not till he's sought out
old Tom Charlmount and solemnly
cursed him. And the result of that
curse has been that no Charlmount has
won a race on Noomarket heath ever
since"
Henry Goodeve was now deeply inter-
ested. The true explanation of Philip
Charlmount's inexplicable conduct was
beginning to dawn on him.
But was this generally known?" he
exclaimed. "And did the public be-
lieve it? Because, if that was the case,
I should not have expected Prince
Charming to be made favorite."
'Bless. you, mister" was the half
contemptuous reply, "Prince Charming
was so well in-about seven pounds be-
low his proper weight-that if it hadn't
been for the curse of the Charmounts
his price would have been less than half
what it was"
"Did-er-do you happen to know
whether Mr.. Charlmount himself be-
lieves in the curse?" asked Goodeve,
eagerly.
I'm sure he does. Couldn't do other
wise, after the sinful ill-luck he's had at
Newmarket. Besides land I've heard
this from a reliable source), he has re-
sorted to all kinds of subterfuges to
avoid it at different times-such as
nominally transferring his colts to his
friends and such like lodges. But they
were never no use, bless you, and
weren't likely to be. Providence amt
to be circumvented so easy as that
When Charlmount came next day-in
great jubilation - to effect Prince
Charming's purchase, lie gave substan-
TALLY the same explanation as Goodeve
had picked up on the Newmarket heath,
adding at the end:
81 had before tried to avoid the opera
tion of the curse by a collusive transfer
of my horses to some of my friends.
But no good came of it. 1t then oc-
CURED to me that a bona-fide sale of
Prince Charming to one who knew
nothing about the curse, and bought
thescolt without intending to evade it,
might perhaps work the necessary
charm. The result you know"
'Humph," said Goodeve. "Then you
believe that our little deal actually cir
cumvented Providence?"
"Can you doubt it?" cried Charl-
mount, emphatically, as he handed the
solicitor his check.-London Truth.
COpper-Plating Vessel Hulis.