The Worthington advance., 1900-09-28
The Turtle Handicap
BY E. ]. Webster.

~ farm" said Deacon Todgers,
reminiscently, "time hung pretty heavy
on his hands, and he got into the habit
of coming down to the tavern and bet
ting with the boys.
1.-The moral element of the commun-
ity being against cards and dice, the
good old man had to stir up the sport
ing blood of the boys by getting them
to bet on races of various kinds, horses,
fast dogs, and finally matches between
donkeys.
"Eben could generally hold his own
in the betting game, but Squire Rogers.
who was a pretty smooth old codger
himself, ran in ringer donkey in race
that Eben thought he had all fixed.
The result was the transfer of a wad
of bills to the squire, and bunch of
experience to Eben. Eben felt sore at
this.
"'For an elder of the church to run
in trick circus animal in race sup
posed to be limited to nonprofessional
Pike county donkeys is enough to
curdle the milk of human Kindness
observed Eben sadly. I'm good man
and a pious, but I'll get even with the
squire if develop paresis trying to
think up some plan
"Eben always had been given to fuss
ing with electricity, and magnets, and
scientific foolishness, so when he didn't
show up at the tavern for spell every
one thought he was busy with what he
called his 'inventions.' But one Satur-
day afternoon he came to the tavern
carrying a big overgrown land turtle.
"It's only a poor, homeless turtle
pickle up and tried to make comfort
able he said in answer to the boys
questions. No candidate for first prize
at beauty show, but an animal with
good points, despite his unassertive ap-
pearance.'
"'And beyond his good looks what
might be the particularly prepossess-
ing qualities of that new pet of yours?'
inquired Squire Rogers.
Hes "a turtle, an honest, open.
faced turtle, and no galloping Bucepha.
lds disguised as Donkey answered
Eben, sort of tart like. But while he
don't look like ;sprinter, will back
that turtle in race against any turtle
in Pike county
"Eben's turtle looked too fat and too
heavy to carry of any honors in the
racing line, and the. turtle match being
a new game, all the boys took to it.
Eben". made few small bets.
thought he had things fixed and was
looking to see his pet win, but when
Eben set the turtle down it blinked
it's eyes and acted more as if it want ed
to 60 to sleep than engage in turtle
running match. Eben seemed heart.
broken.
"'How much sharper than a ser.
pent's tooth is an ungrateful land tur.
tle,' he groaned. Raw meat and af
lection and good advice have always
been that turtles portion, and now he
settles down and sleeps as calmly as il
his owners good money hain't been
wagercd on his recreant legs and lazy
disposition
''Eben took the turtle up, turned him
upside down and seemed to be giving
him:a most powerful shaking.
1.-THE boys felt it was just like finding
money to bet against that fat turtle
This time Eben held. the turtle in hi.
hands until everything was ready TO,
the start. Then he placed the turtle
on the ground and gave him a ittl.
poke.
".Talk about racing turtlesl The ia,
turtle simply galloped over the course
He didn't stop at the end, either, bu1
kept on at an increasing speed unit
Eben ran and picked him up. Ebe1
collected his bets, this time takin,
about all the money in the crowd.
"'That turtle isn't ringer donkey,
he said to Squire Rogers, and he's n.
express train, but viewed as turtl'
he's very fair on the gallop.'
esquire. Rogers was c.ean puzzled.
don't mind losing my bet,' he re
marked TO me,in perplexed way. Blu
what gets: me is the; actions Of tina.
turtle: Man and boy; I've known Pix
county turtles for years, but this is th'
first time I ever saw one gallop.'
THAT evening Eben called at tn
home and began to gloat over the vic
tory of his turtle.
"'That's turtle in q Million b.
stated, emphatically. The only gallop
ing%I1Ard. turtle in the country. Youl
Uncle Eben's name will be laundering
dswp ne ages u the trainer and fos