The morning times., 1896-01-26

17 he band was playing merrily, not
noisily-it was too far away for
that-high up where the great bows
oflights stretched over the Madison
Square garden arena The music was al
most inaudible at times in the master sound
OF the crowd as 1t tramped. a circle within
circle, around and around and around the
wood-paved promenade between the boxes
and the high-barred rail.
1t was happy crowd, pleased with IT.
self, trifle vain, perhaps. glad it was so
well dressed, so good looking, so much
to be admired; and it laughed and chatted
In great attempt at unconcern.
Now and then over its dainty bon
nets and shiny top hats could be seen a
resisting, naughty head, with fiattened
ears, flashing eyes, wide nostrils. and
white-flecked, bitted mouth-then an
other-and another-and stin another,
accompa MED by the quick, nervous
beat Of hoofs and the sharp cries of
grooms-a minute or two later the clap
ping Of hands, the flashing past OF a
horse, with a bit OF blue ribbon flutter-
ing at his bridie-and then a busle call
somewhere echoing back from the light
studded girders overhead
The crowd noted all this in a half
interested sort of way-some of its COM
ponent parts noted little else, but the
majority continued its laughter and
chatting.
There was much doffing of hats and
dear, pretty smiles OF greeting galore,
There was shaking OF hands-a little of
IL and very highland everybody was
SO glad everybody else was there, and was
1t quite as jolly as last year, and would
they be there tomorrow to see my, your,
his, her, their, our hackney, cob, pony,
high stopper win the blue ribbon?
Over this moving throng presided the
box holders, who divided their time be-
tween the stream below and the incidents
OF the tan bark oval. Here sat a matron
with great puff sleeves, looking like a coat
of-arms, with two. slender daughters as
supporters; there one pretty, bewitchingly
pretty, creation talked to three men beside
her and two who stood at the front rail
or her box; beyond, a bored pair, husband
and wife, doubtless, seeing no one, hearing
no sound, doing uothing. 1t was happier
In the promenade. And as one stood at
the edge OF the moving circle ones ears
caught words, phrases, clauses, sentences.
so awfully jolly to find you here this
AFTERNOON see you have-a wonderfully
clean, quick action In the forefeet and a
cluster OF dark roses and an aigrette at the
back-of your sister, who is-such a fine
cross-country beast-to be eternally tax
Ing off ones hat-and mixing it with an
equal amount OF chopped feed-wbich makes
the dearest sort OF a jacket for-exercise
In taking five-barred gates-and, although
poor as church mouse, she is-fuIly fifteen
hands highland father says we are going
TO Europe-in new tangled box stall with
that awful man we saw at Nara raransett-
with dark blue body and yellow running
year-two cocktails, a gin fizz, a whisky
sour-and park policeman who rode up
IN the nick OF time-by putting three fIouncps
1f lace down the side-where the rouge is
20 painfully apparent that-her brother, |
our little dinner last night, and the roses |
you wore were-cart horses compared with |
the dark-haired girl whose unit hunts her |
all The time-in light harness and q road |
wagon with mustaches waxed like French I
once paid 5000 for that |
little mare-and everyone thought he would |
surely marry her-but such is-what is called !
flea bitten gray, not pretty color, but |
Dig item when one has-gOne lame in |
lind leg from poor shoeing-while he was 4
alking to you just now"
But up among the boxes talking was
much more of apcssibility and one could see |
he horses SO much better.
Look, there is Jack Richards hone |
he comes to our box"
That's always the way. You know 1 [
tn no al0un MI
moment The others win be back. Why
10 you"
"Yes, here ne comes. /
How do you do, Jack?'
Hello. Jolly good crowd here, eh?"
"Yes lots OF people I kDow-but you
now Mr. Marsden, Jack, don't your
"Ah, Marsden; didn't recognize you for !
he minute"
.How do?"
"Jack, you bad, bad boy; you have been
o see me but once this week Have you
gotten all our dear little condolences, our
Jack? Have you gone over
ntIrely to-tO-shall I spare you, Jack?
You know the one 1 mean?
mo. Don't spare me; spare her. She
ocsn't care one bit for poor me. Indeed,
he doesn't"
"Tut, tut, Jack; I'm Jealous"
sNo-are you? You need not be. It's
II over-but, joking aside, is your brother
lere7 Yes? We'll. must run away. We
ave dinner on for tomorrow. Goodbye.