The record-union., 1897-08-11

OH my DeQ With InOuSnlS ItiAcu up
with Felsie and the coming race, l
finally fell asleep. 1t was a lovely day.
and with Felsie by my side / drove TO
the track a. happy mortal. She never
looked more beautiful, with her pretty
summer gown Of organdie, her big leg
horn hat covered with nodding plumes;
she was a picture, the embodiment OF
all grace and Eoveliness. The thought
that this sweet girl might be taken
away from me by another was truly
maddening. We reached the grand
stand, and having taken Felsie up to
a box and leaving her with some
friends, I went to the stable to look
over Ginhig, his wagon and fittings,
and to give him couple of slow warm
ing UP heats preparatory to his race.
1t was to be his first start against
the "crackerjacks'' Of the club, and
though few in numbers, they were of
exceptionally good quality. Neverthe-
less, 1 could not help but feel pretty
confident that my horse could beat
them, and I was also very anxious TO
beat the club record and secure the
handsome silver cup offered for the
member accomplishing that feat. HaV-
ing warmed up my horse properly, l
returned to the stand and was sitting
with Felsie when the summons came
for the free -to-all and I went down
with a look of real solicitation from
her Incompatible eyes quickening my
pulses. We mounted into our wagons
and assembled in front Of the judges
stand to get our positions. Soon the
announcement came: Intrigue has the
pole, Economy second, Pathos third,
Ginhig outside All ready to score,
gentlemen" We scored three times,
coming up very fast, and each time
one of the others broke but my horse
seemed to me never so good and true.
The fourth time we came to the wire
in line, each horse on his stride, anc
"go!" rang out sharply.
At the word I took a sharp hold on
my horse, for that word to his sensitive
ear was like the sting of the lash. To
the turn we rushed, and having taken
my horse back l cut in behind the 9TH
ers, trailing Intrigue, who had kept
her place at the pole. They were set
ting a merry pace and Pathos soon
dropped back to me. Down the back
stretch we swept and the pace set by
the leaders was terrific, still each horse
keeping his feet and each driver his
nerve. We reached the upper turn in
relatively the same positions except
Pathos had dropped back some, when
Eoncomy. began to. falter while the fly
ing Intrigue at the pole even increased
her pace AS we reached the three
quarter pole Economy had dropped
back so as to leave a small opening;
here was a chance, for l could feel and
hear that Pathos was coming very fast
around the outside Of Economy and
his rapid footballs and the encourag-
ing words of his driver gave me warn
ing of trouble to come. I settled my
self in my seat, pulled my horse out,
and headed for the opening left by the
firing Economy. Ginhig responded no
bly,, and just as he reached Intrigue
the driver of that mare flashed his
whip" and I thought unnecessarily
close to my horses face; he faltered,
threw up his head, and for an instant
I thought he would break, but
STEADY, boy" and gentle pull on the
lines steadied him. To take no more
such chances 1 gradually reined him
away from Intrigue, over to the out
side. By the time we had straight
ened out in the stretch Intrigue had
gained little, and Pathos coming up
between US was out-trotting both of
US. But now my horse having a clear
path before him began to shaw the rush
of speed he always seemed to keep in
reserve for the finish.
We could hear the noise and shouts
Of the excited audience. Pathos no
longer gains, and my horse no longer
hangs TO his wheel while we are over
taking Intrigue; slowly I gain on Pa
thoS as he does on the mare until at the
seven eighths pole I have reached his
flank, while he has drawn even with the
mare. Now the race begins in earnest !;
the drivers of both the other horses are
using their whips; we fly past the draw
gates, and noise and shouts from the
excited thousands roll down upon US.
Pathos wins Pathos wins! Pathos!
Pathos! Then there comes over me
that wonderful feeling that close fin
ish will always produce, and cannot be
described. become in an instant deaf;
1 hear nothing; see nothing but my
horses ears and straining neck.
sitting and riding on air; every vein is
filed to bursting; every nerve tingling;
every muscle strained. There seems to
be a galyanic battery in my body and
current running through my arms to
the reins; my horse seems to respond
to every thrill of enthusiasm and ex-
citement that pervades my whole being
and l seem as if 1 were a part of him.
| There is unison of purpose and deter
mination that cannot be described, and
while not seeing the others with any
degree of distinctness, 1 feel that my
horse is outtrotting and beating them
| 1t is over in an instant, though the time
unmeasured has seemed long, and there
is a sudden relaxation on both our
parts, and now I hear again the noise
that the excited audience is making.
"Ginhigi Ginhigi" they cry with cheers
and shouts, and indeed it is a sponta-
| neous and soul-stirring ovation to the
game and true effort of a noble horse.
| Before we turned to go back and re-
port to the judges, appreciated that it
had been very fast heat, but was not
prepared for the announcement that
soon followed: "Ginhig wins the heat.
| IPathos second; Intrigue third; Economy
/ fourth; time 2:09," and Ladies and
| gentlemen, it is a great pleasure for me
/ to announce to you that this is the fast
| est mile ever trotted by a horse to a
| wagon" This was followed by another
! outburst of applause, and as I ap-
preached the box where sat the dearest
woman on earth to me, the look on her
face and the cordiality of her greeting
were such as made my heart glad within
me. 1t would be unfair to deny that /
felt a little nervous before The raxt hoa I