The Opelousas courier., 1900-07-14

than sell his pet he knew that she
was not for sale.
Mr.. Dexter, after d few moments OF
deep thought, made a proposition .tc
the farmer, the result Of which found
the three men and t 4. mare at q half.
mile track In a iowa near by on the
afternoon Of the following day. A
sulky was procured by Mfr. Dexter
and the mare was given three full
miles under the watch in time that
caused a smile to settle over the West.
erner's face, but he kept whatever
pleased him to himself.
In q few days q nice bicycle sulky
and handsome pair of feather-weight
quarter boots with a splendid racing
harness arrived from Boston, and un
der Mr.. Dexter's experienced eye the
mare was daily trained the next week.
1t was the day of the great NJ. and
NJ. stake race in a large city in the
west, where the winner would receive
about six thousand dollars. There
were over thirty entries in this the
greatest trotting rae of the year, and
every horse but one was from the
stables of well-known men.
The jockeys and rubbers, as well as
the owners, were asking themselves
who Josh Middleton was and his mare
Molly. 1t was found that a nomlna-
ton had been purchased from a party
whose entry was unfit to start, but
there the information ended.
Mr.. Dexter had faith enough in the
mare to purchase a nomination for her
in the great race, as well as to pay
the expenses Of John and the mare on
the trip.
= Thousands upon thousands of people
filled the great Enclosure upon the day
of the race. Pools were sold up into
the thousands, with the unknown mare
in the field for a song, as two horses
Of worldwide reputation were hot
selling favorites.
Mr.. Dexter had secured q well-known
driver to pilot the mare, but two heats
with Molly just inside the flag changed
his mind. Dexter had bought the field
heavily, as he was sure of the game
ness Of the mare, but he saw that a
new driver had made her nervous, and
she was not acting like herself. Civ
ing John careful instructions about
track rules, he saw him get on the
sulky with some trepidation, fearing
the boys inexperience would count
against him.
The two favorites We're leading at
the half-mile pole, we'll clear of the
bunch, when q dark streak was seen to
creep out Of the mass and join the
leaders, who had gone the half in
1.04 IL. A blanket might have COW
cred the three as they swung into the
homestretch, coming with the speed of
the wind.
John had taken the outside position,
and moving like a piece of machinery,
Molly swept under the wire a good
winner by q neck.
Dexter and his friends, whom he let
into the secret, carried John bodily to
the stable In their arms, and with
coats off worked on the mare until she
vas thoroughly cooled out and rested.
The betting public were all at sea, but
while some of them placed their money
on the unknown horse the next heat,
the most of them stuck by their IA
vorites.
After John Middleton had told Dex-
ter and his friends privately after that
heat that he had not driven Molly out
to her utmost, they placed every dol
lar on Middleton's pet.
The fourth heat saw the mare take
the pole, and with all the jockeying
tricks known played against her kept
it to the finish In the fast time Of
200 IA.
Molly was now an even favorite In
the pools, and many were hedging on
the mare to retrieve their lost fortunes.
John was wild with delight and
Rugged and kissed the mare as though
she understood it all, and to the by
ISLANDERS she appeared to.
Dexter, not liking the tricks played
against the mare, told John to drive
the mare out on the next heat and
shut out every n he possibly could
to pay them for their This
instruction was followed to the letter.
A quarter In 0.30. half in 1.02 10
disposed Of most of them, and when
the handsome unknown bay mare from
the east swept under the wire with
only one other horse inside the dis
lance flag in 2.O6 fat, a mighty shout
went up from the multitude, and q
costly blanket of beautiful flowers was
placed on Molly as she was led away
by Dexter and his friends, while John
so delighted he could scarcely
contain himself.
When Mr.. Dexter handed John a GER
titled check for $4,000, being his earn
ings and contributions from admiring
friends, tears Of joy fell upon the kind
Westerner's hand, and Mr.. Dexter kiss
edh Molly a fond farewell as she start
ed On her homeward trip from her
nd only race, as nothing would
prevail upon the farmer to either sell
or race Esr again.-Washington Post.