The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-27

! i cot. Tor inc oesarewitch. The sport
| ing world could hardly believe its cars
when it learne' the astounding intelli
yencc. How could horse for whom n
Derby or Il Leger course was half n mile
too long to he expected to negotiate the
longer and more Furnishing Cesarewitch?
The Canon should have been scratched
Il year ago. 1t was ridiculous, idiotic. to
leave him ill., Any Rookie would br clad
TO lay 200.to l against the colt, and think
he had favorable terms. Certainly he
was saddled by the handicapped with u
mere nominal weight. But what of thatY
If he only had to carry grasshopper,
The Canon could never finish the Cesare-
witch course. One explanation alone was
feasible: Sir John must be going
''dotty." No sane man could have acted
with such incoIceivable idiocy.
AS matter OF fact Sir John was not
in the least "dotty." though his mad be.
havior seemed to favor the contention.
1t was superstition, not insanity, which
was guiding him in this matter Some of
his friends who demonstrated with him
even more strongly than usual managed
TO elicit that much from the taciturn
baronet. He was acting on IL PRESENT..
mcnt, fostercd by some absurd dream. in
which he had (visionally) seen his colt win
over the long course at the Newmarket.
This dream had clearly taken tremend.
Gus hold on him, despite it's defiance of all
physical possibilities; and neither reason
nor ridicnle could deter him from his fatu.
Gus folly in the starting colt.
But, my dear John" said an intimate
friend one day, speaking with excusable
vehemence, this presentiment of yours
IS all transparent bosh. y hedgehog could
beat The Canon over the Cesarewitch
course
You may have your opinion, but
have mine, said Sir John, obstinately.
1t isn't only my opinion; it's the opin
ion of every man on the turf You'll see
that no single sou will dream of invest
ing a half penny on the Canon's Chance
There's one soul who wili-mvsclf
| shall back him for all am worth
'Pshawi This is stark, staring mad
ness. 1t is counting a smashr'
III pretty nearly smashed already"
answered Sir John, smiling with provok
ing calmness. And my one chance is
TO 90 to nap. You may think me an
idiot. Possibly am; but believe in
dreams and presentiments, and am con.
WINGED that shall land the odds. Come,
you are an old pal, and should like to
put you ON to Il good thing. Will YOU
stand in with me?''
NO, thank you-not y said his friend,
hastily And he argued no more with Sir
John. 1t was simply a waste OF breath.
he saw, to urge reason upon man in his
state-one who simply was inviting ruin
to descend and overwhelm him.
The baronet had, for some years, given
up his professional trainer; the fees and
expenses being heavier than he was able
To meet. And now he set himself with
the aid of his experienced groom, to train
the Canon for his Newmarket engage
ment That he would turn out his colt
in capital condition, nobody doubted. For
Sir John understood this branch of the
business rs well as Porter or Dawson
themselves. But no amount OF condition
can put Stamina in Il non. strayer. and the
unanimous opinion of the whole RAJ ir-
world was that the owner of The Canon
was simply wasting his time and skill on
hopeless horse.
In due course the day OF the Cesarewitch
arrived. Sir Johns action had naturally
excited widespread remark, and when the
candidates for the big handicap turaed out
in the preliminary canter The Canon was
watched by the crowd with considerable
interest. He was beautiful colt, pure
light chestnut, and mis- glossy coat and
general air of fitness showed him to be
in the pink of condition. His action
also was magnilcent-th perfec-
ton of ease and grace. But that every
one knew already, and what was the good
of 1t to IL non-Strayer in such race:
There was no doubt how ii would he He
would travel splendidly for six T. seven
furlongs and then his bolt would be
shot. Why, IL common hunter would
stand Il better chance in the Ccsarewitch
than this snowy, short distanced animal
Such WAS the universal critisim But
tn1, L. IL.
perstition, never lost confidence to the
last. His friends who were standing
near him remarked the keen, excited
look the air of eager anticipation with
which his face glowcd as the flag fell to
fair start and the Canon got well away.
Many OF them felt quite sorry for him,
though he was far from popular with his
frends-whcn they thought of the inevi.
table disappointment in store for the
eager, excited old man 1t was only
matter OF furlcngs--a question of half
minutes-bcfore the Canon would be out
of it. All, there; He Tad already reach
ed his distance, and that was mile and
half from the finish. But no, he was
still gowng. strong; no signs of tagging
yet. Extraordinary, ineXplicable, The
mile was passed and the Canon was still
in the race. But surely he must crack
up i'm few seconds No! On and on
The devil y mile and Il half had been
covered. The Canon still galloped rs
strong - any of them. Sir johns face
was Tow stiff and tense rs that of
statue; but his eyes burned like Goals in
their hollow sockets. There was II dead
silence along the whole course Every
eye was fixed upon the light chestnut
who now held third place and seemed full
OF running. Was Sir John Il wizard.
Had he bewitched his colt; Had Satan u
finger in it? The distance! The Canon
took second place.
Then II low murmur--a murmur of
amazemeni-passedf from lip to lip The