The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-05
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~ Australia IL the early '9ss. ard hard
lines for irnpecunious younger sons Ike
myself. shifted OF for neither trade.
craft nor commercial knowledge. I think
was born with 6eep-rooted averzsur ~
anything that resenblsd work I had
hsalth and strength. and a iszfs heart.
ana rubbed along for years but never
did myself any good, untll enc day I took
a girl 10 wooden church and married
her. She Is my wife today. thank God. On
that suspicious morning I touched the
very mint itself. was poorer than a
pauper, for 7 had nothing. neither had
she, nor her fsther-thougn he put on all
tns style OF a millionaire lowering MS
daughter and son-In-law with fortune.
jim LayFnan." he said you've married
untold wealth today. You've Eos nv Car
re away from me. ths srsarta~s girl Of
nay bunch. She's worth her weight In gold
ingots. She'll pull you through. Shell
make man Of you. she will"
He was right Carries father was r91bt
sne wasn't -. but she had the head for
business OF q chancellor Of the exchequer
and perseverance and Self-conHdence
mat was just amazing. In less than no
time Ne had saloon that developed into
general store q good trade and money
In hand. ] could lean against the door
post, smoke cigar and feel big. while car
re Dossed the lot. We were up Doctors
pTeferrlng 10 rely on Carrie who sold
whisky. yellow soap and shirts at a start
Ing pronf. There never was such an am
bilious gsri as Carrie She was Australian
born. and Il made me laugh 10 hear 49,
way she talked about the visit we were To
pay 10 Europe. and what a dash we would
cut In London when we had secured our
pile.
Selling groceries wasn't quick enaug@,
for her. She began casting around Tor
sp@euiations. ! never ventured 70 crfticssa
her schemes. She was always rlght and
what was good enough for her was al
ways good enough for me The boys OF
Doctors creek were just then mad about
racing. and Carrie began to study book
making and the odds
One day a roughish sort OF fellow
turned UP at our saloon asking for accom-
mediation. Re had with him 4 thorough
bred chestnut horse. hooded and muzzied
and a ragged black boy as groom and
Jockey. The horse was a. fine a type OF
the highest class racer az ever stepped on
Newmarket heath and how old Charlie
Cover got hold OF him is a mystery to
this day. NtghtJar-that was his name
Was the most savage brute ! ever saw or
heard OF. He wog,d strike with his fore
legs like pugilisi and he could manipu-
late his heels with such precision mat ne
WAS credited with the feat o. kicking the
"A a
stranger open mouthed. like a wild beast
He was dangerous man-satsr. and Cover
owned UP to his having killed AT least TWO
men.
Cover had tried Nightjar at several
meetings. where has temper and hts saw
agery had always left him az the post. He
was on the point Of shooting the rogue
i'm despair and disgust. when be picked up
Martin Thomas as horse tender. who had
Irsinuated himself into NighJar's afIec-
lions with such remarkable results. Could
the animal be induced 10 behave temper
ately, Cover had reasonable hope OF SCI
curing a valuable race WIKI him. for ne
certainly was a Mailing good morse WIN
a tremendous turn of speed. was never
sick or sorry. as tough as piano wire and
could stay as long as a womsn at
diapers shop.
Covers idea in visiting Doctors creek
was 10 utilize our spacious turf hats "a
training ground. with view 10 capturing
the Tonkoobooia cup--two miles. value
80 o00-she greatest ra -ng event In our
district.
Nightjar was IN at eight stone, nine
mounds and he became the Idol or DOC
tors creek We had some bits OF blood
an ong W. that had the gift 81 going
and they were jumped Ia one after the
ether. TO persuade the mighty Nisth-
sar 10 gallop his best over our TWO
miles. with Martin Thomas In the saddle
he was docIle and always did his hest bet
would allow no other man or woman 10
touch him az the peril of their lives car
ne OF co rise managed every thing doNcf
had AZ once fallen under her spell she
rnteht have been his mother. ard be the
trusting babe She was the real trainer
r.rsonailv superinten Ted every trial. and
sgon arsnotic with Martin Thomas, VINO
xyhan not engaged with hts charge, fol-
lowed her about like black poodle dog.
We talk 4 Nlghtfar morning. noon ana
r yhf The whole community Of bnctcF e
creek became frenxied on the subject
Not n man OF us but considered the race
al over. bar the shouts Of triumph that
would surely herald the victory or our
equine wonder A share-and-s hars'- aliS =
au.ropfa public fund vas organized. AMI
! commission executed - support Night
scr which brought him AZ once from Oh
security - a place among the = To 1 ~
,sfsfon The bows rot up a huge sweep.
H~st rrize e .oo0 and Il aid net surprise
me In the least that Carrie drew NiEfh
3sr
As the cvcnttul daw approached The per
Irritation became psiHfui IN Sc INTENSITY,
srH ne swetlerr or Doctors creek See
etsea 10 suspend their operations entirely
over the racc week.
Our own nersonai venture was desper-
eta ore We stood 20 win g 90 n betting
and another Etea on the sweep had
clea IN my pocket. representing at our
res av.-bg,hlna us was the saloon and rs
stock. balanced against liabilities 20 he
merchants.
what er,sileless children ~ the desert W.
were' Ne SCORER had our party arrived
a. The scene ef action than some of one
.sho,s'' began hurting about the bars.
e,oa~tinz that Doctors creek had TIE win-
nar an its sleeve There were many ast0te
racing men about interested in ore of
ether ~ the twenty-elght probable start
ers. Thev mast have carefully aseer-
.strsf that Nfghtfar WAS q ofe~eoY horse,
er,,4 fhat ~ extgugusshlne Martin Thousss
thew also extinwtslshea any danger threat
ened BY his mount
n wms only TIVE hours before the race
,Bst Martin Thomas Developed airmtnE
symptoms 81 collie or lead poisoning 10
a,ir seouszed inquiries 81 tso tatttsfs' ASA
he Jockey. We learned that he had Deem
oravailsa upon 20 take "only enc htue
.t,ss ~ havnparne with some swell gent@
m the town.
.rhr hey grew rapidly verse ard Tas
sai,s an a bed IN state * helpless col
tnose Cover and ourselves occupied ore
shanty. with Night5Sr an q sid 81 ~"
rear, .-...... -~
Yeu can imagine ear Consideration ns
Ne. nrea looked at each other ASA tes4-
- re sffssafion old Cover broSe do~ %
80 shed pitiftl tears IL Eage 2nd despair
A. nay feeble suggestion of fetChlaE "a
g,,s.t.,v carrie Sew 80 sns door A@la oois sea
!, ,.nces any enc know sac pAnfea-
..that Martha Thomas is poisoned As
nobbledr -
NE satisfied her that no ore could know
axc,ef TIE Infamous FSscafs VIC us1
,sr,,rssss tue zine, Eyen Martha FheE'aAS.
Ia fho throes 81 violent retchiuk ssees s7'
- - sewer sad nothing % nokss1y