The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-06-19
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Rv MARTHA ~CcCULLOCH-WILLIAMs


| form; a creature Of whim and tricky i'm
pulse. Of whom her owner and trainer
both said they could say nothing except
that the worse her trial showed her the
better her race was apt to prove her.
So there was rejoicing, keen and sin
cere, when in her 4-year-old form. Saf-
saparilla proved a consistent loser. It ap-
peared she could not win, at any weights,
nor in any company. The wise men scorn-
| ed Jewett for keeping her in training. 1t
was an insult alike 10 the turf, and the
E-vnyard stable, they said. The sayings
each and several, were precious in Hea-
tons sight. He collected them reilglouSly
they were said in print, you understand
and fired them at JeWett in season and
out. Jewett only smiled. Somehow he had
more faith in EXtry than in all the wise
men. And Extry said: \ sire. faint
muffin de matter, 'ceptin' dat de ole
CONAN don want ter try-not er little
bit. She sayin' hersef fer somp'n. No,
sir, / dunno Whut hit is. But she
know. Bet yo' last dollar on dat. An
when de time come, she gWine stretch
out her neck, and take her foots under
'er-an' make all de rest whar'S a-run-
min look like er postage stamp side er
hundred dollar bill"
Jewett walked around the mare,
stroked her glossy sinewy neck, felt her
clean legs, free of stain or blcmiSh,
listened to the firm, equal beating O. her
heart. and the easy deep breathing after
a bruising gallop and agreed with ms
Jockey. To all Heaton's circumstances,
he had one answer.
She has earned her oats already.
You can surely make those other beg
CARS earn her entrance money along with
their own"
Partly through sentiment, but more
through vhim. Jewett refused to turn
her out. or retire her next season. lie
entered her literally in whatever events
were open to aged animals. To the dis
credit of the turf be il said they are
none too plenty. although the scant
number includes prizes We'll worth win
ming. The chiefest OF them within jew
ett's racing purview was the gold chai-
lenge cup. a pretty bit Of plate, which
came to its winner trimming with
gold coin.
1t was 4 long raco-21E miles-over q
course TO try to the uttermost breath
and speed and stay. No marc had ever
won it. in all the so years since first it
was offered. 1t was one Of the mighty few
fixtures remaining from the palmy days
before the war, when gentlemen of the
South thought nothing OF matching their
checks for SO. geo a side. nor Of laying
twice that sum outside, upon the pride
of their stables.
The Wynyard stable had won the cup
twice-Once in its first year and again in
its last under the old Hugh Jewett. Nat
urally Randall JeWett. the nephew, who
had. in course of five years. found out
something OF the sports fascination. was
eager to win it q third time. He named
three for it-Eimself, a slashing black
Himyar, coming ( years old; Tenderfoot,
a long-striding bay. remotely descended
from Lady Beel, and ~SarsaparilIa, the de-
spised. Iieaton scoffed grirnly over the
last nomination. Reckon you know the
forfeit's an even 800 in this here circus
he said. It's yer own money l amt
got mare word TO say agin the waste on
it-but l DO say it's 'nOugh ter make old
man Hugh rise UP and turn over in his
cCfiin-the idee Of that contrary ~critter
that wont beat a COW eXceptin' ies as she
takes the notion. runnin' in his colors. |
tell you when he lived everybody knowed
him as they Enowed old John Harper
when they seen his packet on top O er
boss, they bnowed it meant er boss race
frum eend ter eend."
Even EXtry's faith seemed to falter a
little. DE old CONAN, she DIES IS lihely
as er cricket" he said. 'But-she lettin'
herself git sorter fat. Whut you make
outen dat, Marse Jewett? Seem like