Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1901-10-26
The Tinker Of Bedford.
BY Henry NJ. Wiltsc.

Miceo Morgan was tile Swittcst run
-ner of all the Cherokces. race noted
for neetness of foot and strength of limb
albeit the son Of a white man. His father
had married full blood Indian wo.
man.
The fame Of the tall 1.-the. handsome
young fellow had spread far and wide,
and one day young Nrginian who fair.
" rivalled him in physical grace and
manly beauty appeared at his cabin door,
and asked il that was the home Of Niece
Morgan. the fleet of foot.
Eyes. and | am the man." Morgan
replied.
81 have come to challenge you to a
race said the visitor. you have never
been defeated, am told. and want to
show you that the spirit of speed can
dwell with the white man as we'll as
with the Indian"
an me it dwells with both races re-
piled Morgan; but for what stake do
you wish to rum
The question was a natural one, for
the Indian is born gambler.
81 will race you for five hundred dol
lars answered Philip Fairburn.
1t is a pity that you have come at this
time said Niece. "for I am just recov-
ering from a fever which has made me
as heavy of foot as wounded buffalo.
But il you will come tomorrow I will
arrange a match with you for five hun
bred dollars and woman shall put your
lprctensions to shame"
DO you mean that" eagerly inquired
Philip.
II mean Il. most assurcdly." said Nor
gan. witt, some impotence. 1--WE Cher
okccs are no; greatly given to the folly
of jest"
There was one person who could out
strip Niece Morgan in the race. but this
was known 10 none save him and his
sister. Cynthiana. a girl of eighteen,
who combined the graccs OF the wood
nymph with the sincwy activity Of the
tiger.
Cynthiana and her brother were we'll
educated. She was dcvoutly religious
and it was with difficulty that Niece per-
suaded her to enter the race. and not
without some Misrepresentation con-
corning the terms and conditions.
Young Fairburn was punctual in meet
ing his engagement the next day, but
greatly to his disappointment he was
given no opportunity TO see the woman
who was to be matched against him.
All OF the details were arranged, and
the next Saturday was fixed as the day
of the contest The ground selected was
a narrow strip OF cleared, level land
near the Morgan cabin. which stood on
the banks of the Watauga, in one OF
the fairest and nose fertile valleys of
East Tennessee. The distance to be
covered by the races was half mile.
The news OF the coming event spread
rapidly through the Cherokee settle
rnents, and when Saturday came there
were several hundred sport loving peo-
pie, including few pale faces, to wit.
ness the novel match.
Not until the very minute appointed
for the start did Farburn Sc, eyes upon
his antagonist. Then she emerged from
the cabin, suitably dressed for the oc.
,casion, with many little suggestion oil
feminine weakness in her attire; coy
tawny, slight and beautiful, the very
sight OF her gave Fairburn's susceptible
heart Autter that did not augur we'll
for his coming effort. The girl wore a
rich scarlet cloak, which she deity threw
aside when the signal for starting was
given, and away went the contestants.
The onlookers were as tense with cx.
ciiement as were the champions OF fav-
orltes at horse race or regatta, but there
were no noisy demonstrations.
The start was made from the end OF
the course iarthest from the cabin. Til,
goal was only four feet from the pol,
fence, FIVE feet in height which enclosed
the cabin and the little patch OF maiz,
which grew around it.
1t was at first no very uneven match
and from the start each racer knew tina
the other was master OF the art as wei
as the possessor OF the natural advan
tagcs which make winners in all OF TN
contests OF lie
Fairburn ran as il all that he had OF
hoped for was at stake. Five hundre,
dollars was not so much TO him, bu
he had somehow conceived the fame,
that he was running for better stalk
than money; that the girl herself, he
heart, her future, his iuture-werc sid
stakes.
But he soon discovered that the train
ing of an athlete Just out OF college wa
no safe reliance in a contest with thi
wood spirit Of motion--;his tawny Cam
lila of the forest.
After the first fifty yards the gin
gained steadily, steadily drew farthe
away from him, speedily, as light, a
true, as direct, toward the goal as tn
arrows OF her fathers had for ccnture
sped to their mark. and when che reach
ed the end OF the course she was nearl
sixty yards ahead of him. Feeling n
exhaustion but with increased buoyanc
of spirits she bounded over the fenc
touching II with neither hand nor foo
and then, turning, she gracefully wave
her hand at her competitor, saluted III
onlookers, and coyly vanished into III
cabin.
Fairburn paid his bet, and it was nc
difficult for him to persuade Niece tha
he was entitled TO visit the cabin thu
night 10 smoke pipe with him and pre-
sent his fluctuations to the fair WHINE
of the race.
That this visit was not disagreeabl
70 either of the late rivals was eyider
by the small hour at which it terminated
That Fairburn was not displeased wit
the Cherokees was proved by the lon
osa, v,yL;nb H.. made IL, .he pe;ohho rhno,