Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-07-18

cdlled WlluOut lTcHoT, hANe lie
orange Blossoms" sixteen to two,
orange Blossoms" the ''robber' cried;
ten cents commission, please" and
the last cent had ON earth was up on
Orange Blossoms" | was now a
dead game sport.
AN | sed to de blokey wat wus
talkin', 'dats the winner, see?' and he
looked at me- AS "Cul" said this to
his mate, my eye rested on the legend
ON the wall: Beware OF Touts and
Rats, and | moved to reat in the
rear.
The rain still beat tattoo on the
roof The hum OF voices, the heat and
fumes Of the place sent me nodding
| could just hear the operator call The
first race, They're Off ''Outcast in
the lead" Poverty second" the third
horse may have been sleeper" for
all know. from that moment was
one myself.
dreamed / was boy ana at home
again, in the land where the honey
suckle and the laurel grew, where the
pines sway to their own music and the
air Is harmony. In land where
mems hearts are warm and their
owners proud; where, ii there is little
progress, there Is much happiness;
where mere wealth is not always
worth and the genial sun and air con-
spire to make a kindly people. Down
the silent river, with the tide, ! could
hear and see the darkies as they
rowed, the movement Of the oars beat
ing measure to their songs. Under
the great oaks that mark the avenue
to my fathers house / passed,
thought. From their giants arms the
green moss hung; the festooned para
site swept the carriage tops and dared
the sun to rob solitude--not the soli-
tude that's found in crowds and built
in selfishness. No frowning faces
made it, The impudence of vsgar
wealth the Ounce, the cad, would
kill it
know now this was peace; as boy
never realized it. The realities Of
war aud exile had not fixed a stand
ard, nor had the torch been kindled
nor the conquerors yet laid waste the
fields or camped where the cotton
grew.
wandered on in the careless man
ner Of boy. At the turn of the road
! could see the great white columns Of
my home. The place seemed made for
welcome, hospitality built it, fellow
feeling filled it,
In the doorway stood the figure OF
a man. l called him father" HEST
tated-and in an instant the whole
scene changed | had eaten of the
fruit of knowledge | was driven
from the gates of Eden.
Some one shook me as he passed and
said: Its a hard game, Pop"
turned instinctiyely TO Uhe board, and
half dazed with sleep, and ratified with
hope, | looked for that which should
make or break me The race had been
run; | could see that by the movement
Of the people. a group OF cigarettes"
stood near, and | asked, with a quaver
in my voice. ''who won the race,
boys?" Misery" one said; "and
Orange Blossoms:" | asked half
ashamed. 'iOrange Blossoms be d."
the whole group cried, 'she can't run
in the mud" l had forgotten that.
AS the gang moved out, they be-
gan their horse play. One said, as he
slapped me ON the back: play
Muclage tomorrow. Pop, il the track
is sticky" and another; Back Com
mon Sense IL you're foolish" Alas!
was, | am. With such shallow-pated
wit we passed into the street
1t was nearly dark and the people
We're hurrying TO their homes. The
lights of the city came out, one by one,
and heavy mist was falling. PENN
less, / stood for shelter in a doorway,
as group of girls from a neighboring
shop came by: as they passed, 1t
seemed without care on their minds,
one said: why, Tessie, forgot to-
tell you. Katie Deillys sister was
married In st. Mary's today'-and
that was my ''Orange Blossoms"
Purposeless, in mean attire. shift
less, with all ambitions dead and
buried in me, | drifted out. thought
of the woman's handsome face and no
longer cursed my luck. of her youth,
and forgot my age. I would have
drank her happiness, but the ''rohber"
in the room took the price" but
stood with my old head barred to the
winters rain and wished her luck.
She had the rail, she looked like
winner, may she always, God bless
her, win her brackets in her husbands
York Advertiser.