Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-05-12

the miners team and that from the
woods for the citizens team, though
made up Of speedy horses had not
been driven much together and knew
neither their driver nor one another.
In the miners team were four bays,
very powerful. a trif1e heavy perhaps,
but well matched. perfectly trained and
perfectly handled bytheir driver. Sandy
had his long, rangy roans and for lead
ers a pair of half broken pinto bron-
chOs. The pintoS, caught the summer
before upon the Alberta prairies, were
feet as deer, but wicked and uncertain.
They were Baptiste's special care and
pride. If they would only run straight,
there was little doubt that they would
carry the rOans and themselves to glO-
| ry, but one could not tell the moment
they might bolt or kick things to
| pieces.
| Being the only nonpartisan in the
! crowd, l was asked to referee. The
race was about half mile and return,
| the first and last quarters being upon
| ice. The course after leaving the ice
led up from the river by long, easy
slope to the level above and at the
farther end curved somewhat sharply
round the old fort. The only condi-
ton attaching to the race was that the
teams should start from the scratch,
make the turn of the fort and finish at
the scratch. There were no veXing
regulations as to fouls. The man max
ing the foul would find it necessary
to reckon with the crowd, which was
considered sufficient guarantee for
fair and square race. Owing to the
hazards Of the course, the result would
depend upon the skill of the drivers
quite as much as upon the speed of
the teams. The points of hazard were
at the turn round the old fort and at a
little ravine which led down to the
river, over which the road passed by
means OF long log bridge or cause
way.
From a point upon the high bank of
the river the whole course lay in open
view. 1t was a scene full of life and
wildly picturesque. There were min
ers in dark clothes and peak caps, citi-
zens in ordinary garb, ranchmen in
wide cowboy hats and buckskin shirts
and leggings, some with cartridge belts
and pistols; a few half breeds and In
dams in half native, half civilized
dress and, scattering through the
crowd, the lumbermen with gay scarlet
and blue blanket coats and some with
knitted toques of the same colors. A
very good natured but extremely I'M
certain crowd it was. At the head Of
| oh, I,1f Iln
pintos' heads Baptiste stood alone. try
ing to hold down the off leader, thrown
into a frenzy of fear by the yelling of
the crowd.
Gradually all became quiet till, in the
midst Of absolute stiffness, came the
words. Are you ready?" then the pis-
tol shot, and the great race began.
Above the roar of the crowd came the
shrill cry of Baptiste as he struck his
broncho with the palm of his hand an6
swung himself into the sleigh beside
Sandy as it shot past.
Like a flash the bronchos sprang tt
the front two lengths before the Other
teams; but, terrified by the yelling
crowd, instead of bending to the lief
bank, UP which the road wound, they
wheeled to the right and were almos
: across the river before Sandy could
: swing them back into the course.
Baptiste'S cries, a curious mixture o.
French and English, continued t.
strike through all other sounds till the.
+ gained the top of the slope, to find tn
y others almost hundred yards in front
!. the citizens team leading, with th
miners following close The momen
the pintos caught sight of the team
. before them they set off at terrifi
l. pace and steadily devoured the inter
{ vening space. Nearer and nearer tn
!. turn came, the eight horses in from
running straight and well within thei
speed. After them flew the pintos, run
ming savagely, with ears set back, lead
ing well the big roans, laundering alOn
and gaining at every bound. And nov
u the citizens team had almost reache
d the fort, running hard and DRAWN
q away from the bays. But Nixon kneN
It what he was about and was simpl
steadying his team for the turn.
The event proved his wisdom, for i
E. the turn the leading team left th
track, lost a moment or two in th
"a deep snow, and before they could rt
gain the road the bays had swept ST
perbly past, leaving their rivals to TO
low in the rear. On came the pinto
swiftly nearing the fort. Surely q
that pace they cannot make the turf
v, But Sandy knows his leaders. The
have their eyes upon the teams in frOf
&c and need no touch of rein. Withor
the slightest change in speed the min
he BILE footed bronchos round the turf
Id hauling the big roans after them, an
fall in behind the citizens team, whic
er is regaining steadily the ground lost
In the turn.
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