The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1895-06-25

any intense excitement might carry me
off like the crack Of gun Those were
his words. But that doesn't matter,
Jack, . he added. Brace yourself for a
great shock, one which will try even
your strong nerves Jack, my poor boy,
your words went through me like a
knife Just now. Mine is dreadful err
rand up here to see you today. Jack, /
have come to tell you that we are utter
" ruined. Fool-villain that ! am,
have, urged with the desire to leaveyo
vast wealth, speculated largely and
lost +"
At first Jack thought that his father
had taken leave of his senses. The shock
was tremendous, but varsity strokes
are the material of which the leaders of
forlorn hopes are made. His strict train
ing and strong nerves soon came to his
aid, and he tried to cheer up his father
by the usual commonplace of hoping
that it wasn't so bad as his father dread
ed 1t to be. And then the thought of the
great event in which he was to take
such prominent part ON the morrow
rushed across his mind, and he couldn t
help saying;
"But if you love me, as you say you
do, how could you bring me such ghast-
~ news at such a time as this, when
the fact Of my knowing it one day soon
er or later could make no earthly differ
ence to our circumstances? 1t was wick
eddy cruel not to keep the news till after
the race.
"Stop, jack" his father replied.
"You mustn't blame me unjustly You
have sufficient reason to blame, yes,
hate, me without that. Listen told
you I loved you, and / do. 1t was for
you that l have acted as have done.
AS just said, am doomed man. At
the outside, I am only given one year to
live. And time being SO short, and my
affairs SO shaky, what was / to do?
Draw closer to me, closer, Jack A
whisper heard would be fatal"
Jack bent down his head, and his face
became as white as his fathers. And
this is what he heard:
"Jack, / have put every halfpenny I
possess, and more-e50, 000-on Oxford
for tomorrow's race. /"
For moment Jack looked at his fa-
Their. He was fairly staggered. Then,
without word, he took up his hat and
left the hotel, haunted by his fathers
pale, entreating face, and made his way
to the training quarters.
The day Of the race broke bright and
fair, and London turned out her thou
sands of holiday makers, as only London
can. The race was finely contested
throughout, and it was only in the last
quarter Of a mile that the light blue
flag forged slowly ahead, and after the
most exciting struggle ever Witnessed
If we except the memorable dead heat
Cambridge won.
Ruth Meynell, who was staying with
some friends in town to witness the race,
had no doubt been one of the most in
terested and excited of the spectators.
At the point where she had seen the
crews pass, Oxford happened to be lead
ing So her delight was proportionately
great when the news of the light blue
victory reached her.
Surely girl was never SO happily
situated Loving and beloved, and her
weetheart-who had promised to spend
the evening with her friends-the hero
(for the moment) of the whole civilized
world
We left Jack ON his way to the hotel
where the Cantabs were staying, 1t is
impossible to describe his feelings, the
shock had been so great He had loved
and reverenced his father so much, and
always thought of him as the soul of
honor.
And now there was only one course
open for him, either to do or die, though
to help to win the race was to help his
own utter ruin. And then Ruth? What
of her? Oh, he mustn't even think of
that. The race and winning-it must be
his only aim and object. Small wonder,
then, that it was remarked at the start
that Davenant looked off color. "
We have seen, however, that he had
literally pulled the race out of the fire.
Strong man though he was, the severe
mental and physical strain told on him,
and he had to be lifted out of the boat
at the finish. But he was strong as iron
and quickly recovered. How he wished
he might not For what had he to live
for now? The shouts and cheers seemed
bitter mockery. He recalled his fathers
whisper and saw again the imploring
look. Jack knew that he was beggar
Making his recent indisposition an
excuse for not dining with the crews
that night, and refusing the many kind
offers of companionship, he drove to the
Great Northern hotel, where the fame
Of the victory had preceded him, and
made inquiries as to his fathers move
ments. His father had ordered dinner at
and was going northward with the
mail that night. Jack decided to wait
for him, and having had light refresh
ment sat down to smoke and reflect ON
the events of the last two days.
Presently the waiter brought him an
evening paper, and on running his eye
over the news he saw a paragraph head
ed, death From Excitement at the
Boat Race News just to hand that at
the conclusion of the race, the finish of
which was extremely exciting, an elder
ly gentleman in full sight of the finish
was seen to stagger and fall Medical
attendance was speedily obtained, but
life was pronounced to be extinct. The
remains were removed to the mortuary
awaiting the inquest. From letters and