Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-11-27

| ture.
Revised version said Graeme
gravely, while Craig looked a little
| abashed.
"What is assigned me, Mr.. Craig?
For | know that this man is simply
your agent"
| repudiated the idea, while Mr.. Craig
said nothing.
whats my part?" demanded
Graeme.
"Well," said Mr.. Craig hesitatingly,
"of course would do nothing till 1
had consulted you, but l want a man
referee"
"That's all right" said Graeme, with
an air of relief. 81 expected something
hard"
"And then l thought you would not
mind presiding at the dinner. l want it
to go off well.'
"Did you notice that?" said Graeme
to me. Not a bad touch, eh?" y
That's nothing to the way he touch
ed me. Wait and learn" l answered,
while Craig looked quite distressed.
Hell do it. Mr.. Craig, never fear"
said land any other little duty"
"Now, that's too bad of YOU That is
all want, honor bright" he replied,
adding as he turned away: "You are
just in time for a cup of coffee Mr..
Greene. Now must see Mrs. Mavor."
"Who is Mrs. Mavor?" l demanded
of Graeme.
"Mrs. Mavor? The miners guardian
angel"
We put up the horses and set off for
Graeme caught sight of the Punch and
Judy show. stood still in amazement
and exclaimed:
Can the dead live?"
punch and Judy never die" l re.
piled soIemnly.
"But the old manipulation is dead
enough, poor old beggar!''
But he left his mantle, as you see"
He looked at me moment.
what? Do you mean YOU
Eyes; that is what do mean"
"He is a great man, that Craig fellow
truly great man."
And then he leaned up against tree
and laughed till the tears came.
81 say, old boy, don't mind me-" he
gasped, ''but do you remember the old
varsity show?'
eyes, you villain, and l remember
your part in it. l wonder how you can
even at this remote date laugh at it,
For had vivid recollection of how,
after "chaste and highly artistic per-
Torrance of this medieval play" had
been given before a distinguished To-
ronto audience, the trapdoor by which
l had entered my box was fastened and
l was left to swelter in my cage and
forced to listen to the suffocated laugh
ter from the wings and the stage whis-
pers Of Hello, Mr.. Punch, where's the
baby?" And for many a day after /
was subjected to anxious inquiries as
to the locality and health of 1.-THE baby"
and whether it was able to be out.
ooh, the dear old daysv' he kept say
ing over and over in a tone so full of
sadness that my heart grew sore for
him and forgave him, as many time
before
The sports passed off in typical west
ern style In addition to the usual
running and leaping contests, there
was rife and pistol shooting, in both
of which old Nelson stood first, with
Shaw, foreman Of the mines, second.
The great event of the day, however.
was to be the four horse race, for
which three teams were entered-one
from the mines, driven by Nixon,
Craig's friend; citizens team and
Sandy's. The race was really between
the miners team and that from the
woods, for the citizens team, though
made up CT speedy horses, had not
been driven much together and knew
neither their driver nor one another.
In the miners team We're four bays,
very powerful, trifle heavy perhaps,
but well matched, perfectly trained and
perfectly handled by their driver. Sandy
had his long, rangy roans and for lead
ers pair of half broken pinto bron-
chos. The pintos. caught the summer
before upon the Alberta prairies, We're
fleet 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, 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 vexiny
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 a
fair and square race. Owing to the
hazards of the course, the result would