Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1901-11-21
PEDRO's LAST RUN.


No. l.
k4ong Rtfore, it had been decided by the
dAbartm1at that on this occasion at the
latest Pedro should be honorably retired
from thtaservice; although Watson, his vet
errm driver, had pleaded in vain with the
chief thgt Pedro be left to die in the har'
ness He argued that old Cossart, as TIE
Methuseah Of the stall was affectiOnately
eellee, = ould fret and grieve himself 70
death if,semoyed from his long accustomed
place, All that in case of fire he would
,dcabtlasl kill himself in frenzy il not per
United ~ dash out under the harness, before
tie eIgi"e.
Butiasl entreaty had failed, and Pedro
was nav in an adjoining paddock and half
bIokeB g, 1T in bis stall.
"Psbat, Gafferl" kindly replied the chief,
Addressing Watson by familiar nickname,
You're 20 your dotage, man, and think old
Pedro Is only little less than human"
"'Uman or no." responded Watson, I've
not took care of him fer all these 20 years
AID not sfound out that he's sight more
kaowin' than most NV men; and, too,
mighty sight more faithful.
i'Twenty years ago this very mornin',
etntinued Watson, now pacing distract
eSly up and down the engine-room before
tie chie5 who sat bewreathed in clouds Of
siaoke N5aile carelessly listening TO Cafes
oft-tOld tale, 'jist 20 years ago this very
hour / lgd old Pedro into that 'er stall; and
A them great brown eyes of his n-big and
ktOwin' looked out through that grated
door at Y9ll these fire fxin's, he seemed to
understand at once what it all meant-al-
though red never tasted bit ner felt a har-
nIss
chalk, Blt then-jist comm four-he was
Gapple az a leopard. a prettier picture ne'er
was seer. than him; fer no artists brush kin
put tie gloss upon the neck, ner put the
slverln the name and tail that natur put
il. bissn..
IAN clp'nl you should ha' seen him when
] got EiH broke! First time l druv him out
on dress parade both him an me was proud
ef than all Lucifer. I'd logged myself in
bran ney4 uniform and put him in spankin'
s,vel-mk unted harness and he'd the engin'
c'bbed So shinin' like all gold.
f"Lords! when we turned into the street
Your shoeld ha' seen. the people look Old
men, stcSfed short an wiped their specs;
women stuck their heads clean out o win
ders; the clerks come out tn stores IN
dFoNes, and the boys-by jimineel-they
blocked the very street and made bedlum
wild their yellin'.
"Yes sap'n, that was 20 years ago-when
I'D jist come off the sea, where afore the
mast Ia stood until my hair begun to turn
an my heart to harden; and bein' here on
land an lonesome like, an havin' neither
sSith neF kin, 1 somehow took to Pedro an
PEDRO took TO me, an ever since we've been
tas brothers-ne;ther out NV tother's sight,
might er day; him with his nose poked out
sAL in ar
1ne; me a-nappin' on that cot, a-smoking in
;that char, er stanin' there a-tellin' him NV
things I'd merry tell man on earth, and
ihim a-nGddin'-yes' an mo-
"Ayl amt we in these 20 years made
many a run together-as wild an fierce as
FIVE, anCFmany a fight as if for life?
but how you've turned him out to die
from nsught to do and from pinin' fer his
stal ans from longin' fer his harness an a
run wids me.
'"WhaF that you're sayin', cap'n?--
Can't eat his oats?-His feet all sore? Well,
Itaen, vigil feed him mixed up meal an put
a rubhetipackin' next his hoofs.
n "Waat's thatl Gone half blind or more?
-4-BraiIlgS's mill burned down because he
couldh't make decent run?
Don say it, eap'n; but then, Wen some
bow sgiSen up his load, and I'll be eyes fer
Hm.
Wong do at all, you say?-Well, cap'n,
| suppcse that kin stan it if l must fer
the few Years that's left to me; but Pedroll
never l5ge a month if he's turned out fer
good,
"Evera' time within these weeks that we've
been pr4ctiein' with that colt you've lately
got. hes gone stark mad with jealousy; and
wouldn't cat ner drink fer full long days to-
|, gether- ner no more could l.
HE knows the tricks you're up to, cap'n,
/ aud pve7not told him, either. Jist hear him
neighn an a-pawin' out there now"
ClangS Clang! Clangl went the alarm.
BOX No o." shouted the chief. But his
further orders were lost in the crash and
chatter Of flying boards and bars, as Pedro
broke from the paddock and with human
iciousress-biting and kicking in the Wild
est raes-rushed the raw colt through his
stall. f$ing past the engine and into the
very street. Then Pedro coolly but quickly
took hS old place under the harness; mean
while Eiaint,vely neighing and with glow
ing ey6s searching for Watson.
Here.i whil9 a pool of fresh, warm blood
was sotning at his feet, he waited impa-
tient.yr for a full, long minute before Wat
son-{w,o had been knocked insensible upon
The fio5h, rose and with accustomed haste
whispering something in Pedros listening
ear, an4 touching his cheek to Pedro's
thrust clat nose-elasped together the names,
snappeS in the lines, and mounted the seat
Of the siriver.
Go! Pedro, gol" said Watson. "Once
gaore, old Cossart, Wen make a run ar a
Sood'nP
! Dows. down the street they few like the
wind. However, both horse and driver were
reelingf and just as they reached the scene
OF actfoA and had made the usual tRrn,
Pedro fyl with a thud as If bullet had
trashea through bis brain.
Instantly Watson leaped from his seat;
and. kaeeling upon the ground close to
PedHok head, bowed low over the glazing
leyes'os his only friend and companion. Here
ne mosned, in tones of sorrow most pititul:
'"Cossart, brave Cossart, you've made yeur
last ran. but good
LONG and alone, silent and still, the fire
men left Watson bowed in his grief; but
finally. the flames having been extinguished,
,they emily touched him, saying: Come,
Cater. let's return"
But sVatson, too, had made his last run
Rad.otd Review.
Why He Didn't Mind 1t.
h A gentleman took country friend to the
loperas ,Ee night to hear the ''Melsterslnger