Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-10-19
The Tinker of Bedford.
BY Henry N. Wiltse.


Morgan was the swiftest run
NV, ~ If the Cherokees, a race noted
as..ne,s Of foot and strength ct limb
rs tte son of a white man. His father
married full blood Indian "o-
f.. fame Of the tall, 1.-THE, handsome
nv fellow had spread far and wide,
10 @oe dav 4 young Virginian who fair
walled; S him in physical grace and
NV beauty appeared at his cabin door,
asked il that was the home OF Niece
Srgan, the fleet Of foot.
H. and | am the man." Morgan
h have come to challenge you to a
said the visitor; you have never
defeated. am told, and want to
Il Won that the spirit of speed can
III with the white man as we'll as
the Indian
In me it dwcIls with both races" re-
a Morgan; but for what stake do
wish to run:
he question was a natural one, for
Indian is a born gambler.
will race you for five hundred dol
-" answered Philip Fairburn.
Ut is pity that you have come at this
:" said Niece, for | am just recov-
10 from a fever which has made me
heavy of foot as a wounded buffalo.
if YOU will come tomorrow I will
ange a match with you for five hun
ID dollars and a woman shall put your
Extensions to shame.
do you mean that" eagerly inquired
Flip.
p mean it, most assuredly," said Nor
"a, with some impotence. eve Cher
aRes are not greatly given to the folly
jest"
There was one person who could out
liz Niece Morgan in the race, but this
us known to none save him and his
Il tier, Cynthiana, a girl of eighteen
b DO combined the graces of the wood
Nmph with the sInewy activity of the
'llger
Cynthjona and her brother were we'll
sAucated. She was devoutly religious,
"a it was with difficulty that Niece per-
sRded her to enter the race, and not
swthout some misrepresentation con-
ming the terms and conditions.
Young FarDurn was punctual in meet
~ his engagement the next day, but
Neatly to his disappointment he was
kgen no opportunity to see the woman
~ was to be matched against him.
All of the details were arranged, and
~ next Saturday was fixed as the day
the contest The ground selected was
narrow strip of cleared, level land
ssF the Morgan cabin, which stood on
lae banks Of the Watauga, in one of
II iairest and NOSE fertile valleys of
kP& tennessee. The distance to be
sEeTed by the races was half a mile.
ne news OF the coming event spread
ssliuIy through the Cherokee settle
AFfitS' and when Saturday came there
'e several hundred sport loving peo-
u including a few pale faces, to wit
~ the novel match.
Not until the very minute appointed
Fl the start did Fairburn set eyes upon
q antagonist. Then she emerged from
s cabin, suitably dressed for the oc-
sSlon' with many little suggestion of
'''''Ne weakness in her attire; coy,
#""H' Slight and beautiful, the very
III Oh her gave Fairburn's susceptible
- d Hutter that did not augur we'll
MS coming effort. The girl wore a
i = scarlet cloak, which she deity threw
IL When the signal for starting was
3d. and away went the contestants.
a. me on1ookers were as tense with ex-
1. '','l' as were the champions of fav-
rs d. horse race or regatta, but there
E., no noisy demonstrations.
nc start was made from the end OF
l'0sSe tarthest from the cabin The
u was only four feet from the pole
D's' 0He teet in height, which enclosed
S8oin and the little patch of maize
~" grew around it.
was at first no very uneven match
"'m the start each racer knew tina;
~. I''S' was master of the art as well
,'s PoS>aSSor Of the natural advan,
f. winch make winners in all of the
RnieS,s Of LIE.
r., -. '..Sn ran as if all that he had OF
hs4 LOT was at stake. Five hundred
a. Was not SO much to him. but
/, "1- somehow conceived the fancy
4, re was running for better stake
T.. money; that the girl herself he,
H.. ''ST future, his future-were side
i pun ne soon discovered that the train.
/ VI an athlete just out of college wa.
(, sale reliance in a contest with th;.
u spirit OF motion-this tawnv Cam.
+ OF The forest. lam
.; niSST the first fifty yards the Dir.
mSo steadily steadily drew fart6e,
from HIM, speedily, as light, a.
@s direct, toward the goal as the
f. - OF her fathers had for centuries
II ~ tIle'F mark, and when she reach
II HE end ~ At oA~ AN~~A'