The herald., 1895-09-15

through, nose, neck and shoulders to the
front.
While the dense thousands have been
Jumping and hopping up and down in
the agony of nervous excitement, it is
doubtful if the Jockeys heart throbbed a
ot faster as he held up his hand for
permission to dismount; and yet five
years ago Griffins thoughts, hopes and
fears we're those OF a ohilu.
1t is a passing strange thing that
admiration has not spoiled him. Ask
him his opinion of a horse, and he will
answer you quietly and respectfully. This
very quiet would appear unhealthy to
most men. were it not for the fact that
he loves to play craps with the other
jockeys occasionally.
Harry Griffin was born in New York
eighteen years ago. He IS the eldest of
four children. He has brother who is
two years his junior, and two young sis
ters. The Griffins were poor people, but
sturdy, honest and respectable. While
Henry was yet too young to feel grief his
father died. The condition was h ard
one, but Mrs. Griffin abored nobly to
look after her little flock. At this early
age Henry became sort OF guardian of
the other children, and took care of them
during their mothers absence. Even
here his good judgment was manifest, for
with string in his mouth for bride,
he showed himself to be the most tracta-
BILE horse ever driven by a Inercil,ss little
girl. At other times an old broom would
serve him as a fiery steed, and many is
the time that the two little Griffin boys
went romping and champing up and
down the street astride their untamed
household utensils, to the great admir-
ton OF the other children. Every body is
happy in his days of broomstick steeds
ana tin trumpets. and the Griffin chill
dren were not exceptions. But, just as
things had settled into groove of con-
tentment and peace, Mrs. Griffin took
sick and died.
= OF course the neIghbor came in and
cried and sympathized, and wondered
what would become OF the tour mother
less little BARNS that clustered in mute
and sorrowful speculation about the coffin.
1t was a blow that the children could
not fully understand. They only knew
that they were alone, and when the
funeral was over and they came back to
the lonely little rooms, the full measure
of their loneliness fell upon them. A
neigh Dor dropped in and remained with
them during the nights, and when. in
few days, good priest came and told
them that he had found them home.
they gathered up their little effects and
followed him without word.
NSo it came about that Henry Griffin and
his brother found "a refuge in the Cath olic
protectory, that quaint old yellow build
ing that stands on the hill, over beyond
One Hundred and Tenth street. And
whatever may come to pass, Henry
Griffin will never forget the wide, shaded
yaru, the quiet hours of study, the clang-
nj ct
the nighly prayers.
LII certain sense the outer world be-
came dream to him. There was the
barrier of the protectory walls, which he
never dreamed of crossing. He was q
good boy and was treated we'll. He Join
ed in ali the boyish sports with great
zest, and in spite of his slender physique
more than managed to hold his own with
his companions. Many of those COM
panions are still in the protectory. and
they read of Henry Gritiin's doings as
one reads a fairy story. They are still
batting the ball ABOUT the play, ground
and wrestling and studying and saying
their prayers, as good boys should
All the boys at the Catholic protectory
have good times. Everybody remembers
how the little uniformed chaps occasion
ally go up to the polo grounds to watch
the Giants play ball. Henry Griffin was
among them in 1889. but nobody looking
at the quiet, we'll behaved squad, sitting
in the grand stand. would have dreamed
that it contained the emil bryo of America S
greatest lightweight Jockey. BY the same
token it may have contained the future
president OF the United States. That,
however, is for the future to decide.
Young Griffin was quick in his studies
and sharp in competition of any kind
There was nothing mean or dishonest
about him. AT the same time there was
nothing that would indicate unusual
ability in any direction. His ambitions
we're those of boys of his age-to excel in
baseball, running, jumping or playing
tag. He had never given the horses a
thought and racing was something ut
terly beyond his comprehension. So time
passed away until Henry was past twelve
years of age, and on several occasions one