Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-19

And the run for the Hunt Cup was over three
Tho h miles With with mudws and jump studded
| thered never been better nor Drawer
But now once again he must carry the sikh
needing the help of Crusader.
asked. as einched up the saddle grit tight
| He snuggled my hand as gathered the rein, and
1 laughed when they talked of defeat.
To the call of the bugle swung to his back-like
| rock was the strength of his quarters
At sight of the people he arched his lean neck and
| they cheered for my King of all Hunters.
Ten horses would strive for the prize-a big field,
and the pace would be killing.
| From the West Sweet Silver Gray, gallant
| and fearless in jumping.
been sent for the Cup from Kentucky;
On Bay Little Jack. who was fast they had put
but hundred and thirty,
But i knew that North Star. big Brown--even
the Black gamer
| with pull of ten pounds In the weight. was
We made brave troop. long-striding and strong.
As we filed past the stand in stately parade, with
its thousands Of eager admirers,
Ana down TO the turn on the lower far side, where
| red nag was ficking the sunlight;
For TWICE We must circle the green swarded field,
and finish close under the paddock.
| Co.. hoarse-votced the starter;
And the thunder of hoofs. and the clankng Of bits.
| made music to me on Crusader.
| Quick to the front. like deer. sped
| chestnut-making the running;
But steamed mount ana TOOK MIN 1ar DacK-
| with his weight he would need all my nursing.
They took the first hedge like sheep in a bunch bit
| TO bit and stirrups a-jingle;
And past the stand to the broad water jump,
nere three h h went d1 t% s n tansie ,+
| sader beginning to falter,
And few the wide ditch with the swoop Of a bird,
aDS on s Pnens mad where
Sweet Silver fell fighting for lead,
And his rider lay crushed whitefaced to the sky,
and to miss him Crusader jumped wide.
At the bank something struck, and cloud of white
Pr, dust hid the wall as though % shrOgdsd
| As rounded the turn 1 could Little Jack go
| up to the mare that was leading;
| Then let out rap and quickened my pace to
| work clear of those that were firing
Once again past the stand drove at the ditch
| that some would never get over;
And cheer shook the air as the Bay landed safe,
| with the mare on her back in the water.
| Then went North Star-though he pecked and
| nearly emptied his saddle.
| AS lifted the Black at his heels he frothed the
Browns flank with his nozzle
Then down the back stretch. Ger hedge and Ger
| bank. three were racing together;
ill at the nest rail the Bay jGstled the Brown
| So We rounded the turn, and into the straight
North Stars lean flank tapping
But shot to the front when l gave the Black
| 49, head. and saw that the other stopping,
| We raced as one horse at the very last hedge
\ just nose in front Crusader;
| felt the big Brown bump twice at my side, and
| knew he was ready to blunder.
With stirrups fling empty -sadded the Bay stride
| for stride galloped and foundered.
Just missing his swerve, l called the Black
| and drew out as he bravely responded.
Just the last jump! and Crusader took off twenty
feet from the Undiscovered timber
| Then the Bay jumped-too short for his stride
and fell. with his head my wither
| down. down almost to earth-brought to his knees
The Black lost length the Brown forged ahead,
How and sat Was do, half f., ont Of the saddle
str3ve; And the Brown rolling tired in his
On, gallant Black, on. my brave pet, We were
| m almost under the paddock
chen we messed the Browns flank then we reached
As We FILA flashed he'd past the post had by head
| no" they cheered, Bravo, Crusader!''
| But Crusader stopped short gave a si,b ,,a tu
| 4, dead; stood all alone in the Winning,
| Anu a hush came over the clamorous mob; like a
| babe on his neck l sobbng.
| lie had won his last race: game to the end his
| brave heart broke in the striving
The girls voice fluttered and died awav to
| OF Crusader.
! For full minute there was noise1ass
hush. The full pathos of the gallant horses
| STRIVING had crept into the hearts that were
nesn and blood, and, carried away by their
| Feelings, the people had forgotten ali about
| their tortured convictions of the sinfuIness
| OF making horse go faster than a sharn
| trot- Gradually into their awakening senses
| store a conviction that somehow they We're
| countenancing the sin of racing
| Before the complete horror of the situ,
| tlon had obtained a strong pair of hands
| far back in the church, came together with
| an explosive clap Like the rat-tat-tat of a
| qulck-hring gun was the apprecatiye yoIley
| OF recognition from the solitary appIauder
! II went rolling and cracking through the
| church, defiantly, derisivey, appreciat iyely
| nan way up the isle softer pair of hands
nod hn rot 10 -
| faint echo; then there was sudden silence
| The entire audience turned and looked de-
! spairingly, discouragingly at the man who
| had nguratlvely risen as champion of that
scandalous recitation.
| Resentment had taken mold of the good
/ Christians.
That Crusader had enlisted their sympa-
| thies for few minutes showed the dan
| ness
| The rest of the program might lust as
| well have been eliminated; the concert as a
! concert, would be discussed for all time to
| come as having projected the Death of
| Crusader.
The people flowed from the church full of
| an expressive contentiousness seeking by
| eXuberant condemna ton of the sacrilege to
| square somehow themselves with their CON
| sciences for the brief backsliding.
Where the church path turned into the
| road group of men had attached together
drawn by magnet of discussion. They
I
| everything but their outraged feelings.
| Like a great dark blotch in the night the
group stood; and presently two slight gray
| shadows slipping up the path coming to
the human barricade, stopped, wavered and
| circled out on the grass to pass. The shad-
ows were Allis Porter and her brother
| Alan.
One of the men, overflled with his ex-
| ceeding wrath. seeing the girl gave express
sion to a most unchristian opinion of her
| modesty- The sharp ears of the boy heard
the words of the man of harsh instinct, and
| his face flushed hot with resentment He
half turned, bitter reproach rising to his
! lips How could men be so british? How
could they be so base? To speak i'll of his
sister Allis, who was Just the purest, sweet
est little woman that ever lived-too brave
and true to be anything else but good!
AS he turned he saw something that
checked his futile anger. A tall shadow
that had come up the path behind them
stretched out an arm, and ne heard the
viilifyers words gurgle and die away, as
one OF the strong hands that had beat the
tattoo u appreciation clutched him by the
throat. The boy would have rushed to the
assistance of this executive friend IL the
I girl had not claSped his arm in dafapt;nn