Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-11-07
How He Lost the Race.

Mortality has swung out, and is
following close behind, third from
the pole. The wire is terribly near
Whoever wins will win by a short
lead.
Suddenly something happens. A
nurse girl with her escort down close
| by the fence has become too deeply
interested, and her little charge has
toddled out upon the track and stands
piteously helpless tight in the path
of the flying racers. Billy sees it
all in an instant-the Mortified eX-
preston on the nurse girls face, and
the dazed look of the little toddler
on the track ahead. He can guide
Seltzer around her, he thinks, but
nothing can save the baby from the
rushing " field" behind.
What can he do? A single false
move, and the race is lost. 1t won't
be his fault if the child is crushed,
anyway, and to win the race means
so much. But someway, something
in the appealing face of the baby
makes him think of the little sister
asleep in the tiny English church.
pard so far away over the waters,
and-he can't help it, he must do
something. But what?
Like flash he remembers a pic
ture he once saw of a brave hussar
who snatched little child from i'm
front of flying regiment Of horses.
After the Wild West show was on
the other side, all the lads about the
stables had practiced for weeks pick
n ~
dropping over the horses side, and
he had been the best of them all {;
but this was 80 vastly different. He
knew he would fall; but he must
try. With one hard pull on the reins
he drops them, and with q cry to
Seltzer he slips his left foot through
the stirrup and draws the slender
iron up to his knee, kicks his other
foot clear and throws himself wild
to the right, straight down over the
horses side. There he hangs by
one knee, head down, his arms out
stretched and his little body swing
ing wildly against the racers side at
every bound.
Seltzer falters in her pace and
drops back. With a wild sweep of
mis- arms Billy clasps the little form
close and lifts the baby clear of the
ground as the flying horses hurl
madly by. The strain is a terrible
one, and he can only drag himself
up little way. His leg is almost
broken by the sharp stirrup. He
can only bend himself up as far
as possible, close his eyes and
hold tight. He hears the wild shouts
from the crowds as David sweeps
by, a winner. On they go, for it
seems a mile, but in reality only a
dozen rods. Seltzer slackens and
stops. A dozen stable boys are
springing at her head. Some one
snatches the baby from his arms,
and Billy drops down and steals hur-
riedly away to a quiet corner of the
stables. SeltZer has lost. His
dreams of making a name for him
self are gone entirely. Mr.. Burnett
will never allow him to ride again.
His head is whirling yet. He feels
deathly sick. Everything looks
black and he wishes he were dead.
Sinking down on the straw, he
buries his face and sobs as though
his faithful little heart would break
"Well, young man? ?"
1t Is Mr.. Burnett.
Billy does not look up. "I'm
sorry lost the race, SIR" he sobs.
81 couldn't 'elp it, you know, sir
She'd "a been killed, sir-the baby"
"Well should say she would
And how in heavens name it hap.
pened that you wern't beats me-"
Pm sorry, sir, didn't win"
Eh? What ?-didn't win? Why
boy, I'D rather have my boy to do
that thing than have my horses win
dozen races--yes, hundred" adds
young Mr.. Bnrnett, after computing
the matter more carefully.
But the money, sir, wot's been
lost ?"
" Not cent, except the purse
All bets on Seltzer declared Off
Come along up in the stand, now
they are all bowling for YOU"
And Billy went.