The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1900-08-14

racers walked or cantered or galloped
along it, some swathed in blankets and
bandages, some stripped as II at the
bugle call. Every trainer stood, time
piece in hand, watching with intense
eyes his own paI ticular charges. Now
and again one sent d long hail at a boy
who rode too fast or too slow. Now
and again also a be ckOning hand stopped
a string short. waved them away to
quarters, a rub down and the test Of the
thermometer. There was something
upcanny IN the space, the silence, the
movement, above all in the files Of
sheeted figures, each with a s~emi-human
lump crouching upon It's back. 1t was
| amazing to recall that some of the
Jumps were Jockeys, won Id-famous, with
incomes a prince might envy, imperious
to all the world outside, yet here almost
abject before the slow, silent men, with
| nard-lined faces, who spoke shortly when
they spoke at all, and directed affairs
in q sort OF grotescue pantomime.
As more and more racers came out
from the rundown, stripped, and shin
ing like satin, the spectacle frightened.
Among the satin coats there were blacks
a-plenty, the merest sprinkles Of grays,
too many dull washy sorrels, and bays
and dark c%hestnuts in platoons. Near half
the sorrels and chestnuts wore white
| stockings all round. The bays were as
largely white-starred and shipped, with
even an occasional ~skewbald. Against
their mass as against an in~distinguisha-
bic background, two unique racers were
thrown into high relief.
One was p~igeon-blue, with white name
and tail, the other that rarest Of all
things, a perfect golden chestnut. Both
were stations, 3 years old, and magnifi-
Gently bred. Suleimar, the ~pigeOn-blue
was grandson to BeLd'or, if he did throw
back in color to some remote Barb an
cestor. He stood is hands full. a big,
slashing, long-striding beast, up-headed,
and full or fire, yet playful IS a kitten.
The Braves coat was no such puzzle Of
heredity-it came straight from his sire,
St. BIaise, and was further 1egitimiZed
by his dams pedigree-on both sides she
was inbred to Lexington. AS tall as Sulef-
man, in action he appeared half a hand
lower. Suleiman ran all above ground.
The Brave had a fashion of lying very
close to it when he burnt wind down the
home stretch.
So far the vagaries Of a peculiar rae
ing season had kept the pair apart. Sulei-
man had moved down the west, just as
The Brave had conquered the east. Both
were unbeaten, and in the minds Of their
following unbeatable. In the books out
side and at home, Bascom had won on
Suleiman a few hundred dollars more
than he had lost on The Brave. They
were to meet in the Searchlight, Loris
Parks richest stake. 1t would be run
upon the very last day Of the ~protracted
summer meeting. SO that set it full
three weeks a~head-much too far for any
thought CT final preparation. Still the
trainers Of both cracks kept them going
cleverIy. Both had raced hard since
spring. neither could afford a letup, and
both, it was certain, would be the bet
ter for a space Of semi-retirement
1t was the hope Of seeing them that
had brought at least half the crowd. Be
fore 'Driese the lad came back it had
sWelled to near d hundred. 'Driese
threaded it s~hrinkingly, edging round
the burly figures which crowded thick
est at Bascom's elbows. AS the lad
moved a whisper ran behind the backs
Of hands: That's Vaux-Andriese Vaux
-Baacom's confidential clerk, you
know When mods had answered the
whisper another ran back: wonder if
he couldn't give a mighty straight tip
for the Searchiight?'
One man, gray and pursy, and apple
checked, went so far as to pluck ~at
DfIeSe 5 arm ana say, IN d carefully I'M
concerned voice:
whats the good thing today, Vaux?
We always know there's something in
the wind when we see you and your boss
up with the lark
Bascom turned, froWning heavily as
ne caught the words: 'Driese, l want
you, At once!" he said, reaching to
clutch the lads shoulder, and draw him
IN front Of himself next the rail. There
he thrust a cronolneter into his hand,
with a muttered order, only half audi
ble to the rest. Still it sufficed to set
Ep in them d sharp pricking expectance.
Where q horse or his preparation was
concerned, they believed supremacy i'll
Bascom. He had been for half an hour
watching the course, and especially the