The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-08

zzzzED
ming on anything, back in the old sinful
days. That Is to say. I am human, and
a man. A man must continue, until
this mortal shall have pub on immortal
ity.'--"
Say. parson?" Lawson broke in irrele-
vanity: rs 1t true, what I've been hear
ing?-that If Blue Bonnet wins the Fourth
Of July stake you intend to build new
church with the purse?"
quite truei Why do you ask?" the
parson said: You must know that all
win, goes to help spread the Gospel"
Because 1 want to give you chance
of doing something more for your faith"
Lawson said: I'VE both know that TO win,
you've got to beat my mare, Roxane. It's
! the same as a match--none of the other
three really count. Now, since owners.
or owners friends must ride, why should
not we two ride against each other, and
| IL I win, you agree to give me Peggy,
! without conditions; If you, I agree TO do
my very best to get religion?"
! 'Impossiblel Impossible! Who ever
| heard of such a thing?" the parson said
! but Lawson saw his eye sparkle and
| quick flush leap into his cheek. The par
| son was essentially a Christian militant.
| Back in the old days he might have led a
| rapturous crusade. Lawson pressed I'M
dismeyed.
why is fl impossible? Unusual grant
but so it is unusual to see a minister's
colors on the track. and race-track money
on the missionary plate. 1 thought you
ministers held nothing too hard, IL It
| meant saving a soul from death"
81 do not" the parson said, quickly.
| Lawson ran out.
| 1T won't be exactly easy for me.
Everybody knows me for an unbeliever
as my father was before me. Every
body will be sure to say I am a rank
| hypocrte-pretending to care for find
ing and saving my soul only that I may
| get Peggy
DO you mean-would you make the
conditions public?" the parson cried.
Lawson nodded.
"They would have TO be-" he said
Neither of us can afford to play except
with cards above the table Excuse the
phrase, parson-but you understand
it"
Eyes, understand" the parson said,
smilingly, then with keen look: You
d, must love my girl, Lawson. I cannot
let you say you love her better than 1
love my God. You shall ride for a sweet
heart, for a soul. I may be misjudged
by my fellowship searcher of all hearts
will know that seek only his glory"
4-year-o lds and upward, four miles and
repeat. The repeat generally eliminated
everything not aged, even in that good
time when horses were bred not mere
ly to run, but TO stay. The grass coun-
try was full of blue blood. Sons and
grandsons of Sir Archy, of Diomed, of
the great Eclipse, had come early over
the mountains, had thriven on lush
blue grass and running limestone water,
left behind a 1uSfrV nrORenV.
On top of that, there had been direct
English importations, of more than one
prepotent Derby-winning strain. Then q
good few of the pioneers who had the
luck to be friends with Mr.. Jefferson
and Mr.. Madison, through the good Of
fees of those gentlemen, when they came
to be Presidents, had brought In a sprin-
kle of pure-bred Barb and Arab mares.
The elder Cooke, Lawson's father, had
been among the bringers-in. Lawson s
pride, Roxane, was great granddaughter
to one of the Arab mares, and like her
ancestress, of pure cream white, with
silver-white name and tail, and ivory
hoofs She stood barely an inch over ftf-
teen hands at the withers, had deep,
roorny chest, tremendous barrel and
short. close-sinewed back dropping into
comparatively light quarters. They were
but masses of muscle, clean and firm,
overlapping small bones as hard and COM
pact as flint. The ivory hoofs were alive
looking. and of a faint spread from coro-
net to toe.
All her claim to beauty lay in head and
neck The neck, neither long nor short,
carried the line of the withers in the fin
est Imaginable taper. out to a head that
in spite of it's broad basin face, had a
muzzle slender enough to drink from a
quart pot Nostrls, pink as a drawn
| cloud, and very fully opened, gave prom
Use of breath and stay, to match the fire
of the eyes. They were somewhat deep
" sunken, yet held in their dark depths
all the deserts mystery and savage
| strength.
Blue Bonnet was taller and something
stouter, a very dark silver roam. fully
sixteen hands at the crest. A sghtlier
brute never trod four good hoofs. The
most hypercritica could pick no flaw In
her-she had shoulders so perfect, quar-
tiers so powerful, legs so fiat so firm, SO
clean Of hair. Her neck arched deli
cately, and she stepped with a proud
mincing gait, as though she disdained
the earth she trod. II has been said
she was creature OF moods Occasion
ally, but only occasionally. they were
angelic
She was in one of her worst tempers
when she came out to run for the stake.
Perhaps the excitement of the course
was contagious. Certainly no assem-
bage there had ever before been
wrought to such edged interest as this
present throng. Everybody knew the
side wager. and gasped or CAPPED over
its conditions. A few choice spirits
chuckIed in sardonic appreciation OF the
situation. The most part charitably set
It down that both Dawson Cooke and
Parson Gentry were madden than March
hares.
They were somewhat equally matched
in spite of the years between. The par
son was just rising 40; he had married
early, and Peggy was not yet 49, He
was spare and wiry. too. riding at $50 in
boots and breeches and his own we'll
known red shirt Lawson, was five
pounds the heavier, but had Waived con-
siderauon of the overweight Both were
horsemen born. with deal of making
added. and well able TO get out OF q
mount everything that was in It.
Peggy had stayed at home. She had