The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1902-05-15


Sandy a. II shot past. ~
Like . dash the bronchos sprang to
the front tive lengths before the other
teams: but. terrified by the yelling
: crowd, instead OF bending to the left
bank. up which the road wound, they
wheeled to the right and were almost
across the river before Sandy could
swing them back into the course.
Baptiste's cries, a curious mixture Of
French and English, continued to
strike through all other sounds till they
gained the top Of the slope. to find the
others almost a hundred yards In front,
the citizens team leading, with the
miners following close. The moment
the pintos caught sight of the teams
before them they set on at terrific
pace and steadily devoured the inter-
vening space. Nearer and nearer the
turn came, the eight horses in front
running straight and well within their
speed. After them few the pintos, run
ming savagely. with ears set back, lead
Ing well the big roans. laundering along
and gaining at every bound. And now
the citizens team had almost reached
the fort, running hard and drawing
away from the bays. But Nixon knew
what he was about and was simply
steadying his team for the turn.
The event proved his wisdom, for in
the turn the leading team left the
track, lost moment or two In the
deep snow, and before they could re-
gain the road the bays had swept su-
perbly past, leaving their rivals to fol-
low in the rear. On came the pintos,
swiftly nearing the fort. Surely at
that pace they cannot make the turn.
But Sandy knows his leaders They
have their eyes upon the teams in front
and need no touch Of rein. Without
the slightest change in speed the nim-
bic footed bronchos round the turn,
hauling the big roans after them, and
fall In behind the citizens team, which
is regaining steadily the ground lost in
the turn.
And now the struggle is for the
bridge over the ravine The bays in
front, running with mouths wide open,
are evidently doing their best. Behind
them and every moment nearing them,
but Mt tie limit Of their speed. too,
Come the lighter and neeter citizens
team, while opposite their driver are
the pintos, pulling hard, eager and
fresh. Their temper Is too uncertain
to send them to the front. They run
well following, but when leading can
not be trusted, and. besides, broncho
hates bridge, 80 Sandy holds them
where they are. waiting and hoping for
his chance after the bridge is crossed.
Foot by foot the citizens team creep
up upon the flank Of the bays, with the
pintos in turn hugging them closely, till
1t seems as II the three, II none slack
ems, must strike the bridge together,
and this will mean destruction to one
at least. This danger Sandy perceives,
but he dare not check his leaders. Sud-
denly within few yards Of the bridge
Baptiste throws himself upon the lines,
wrenches them out Of Sandy's hands
and, with quick swing, faces the pin
tos down the steep side Of the ravine,
which Is almost sheer ice with thin
coat Of snow. It il daring course to
take, for the ravine, though not deep,
is full Of underground and Is partially
closed up by brush heap at the far
ther end. But, with a yell, Baptiste
hurls his four horses down the slope
and into the underground. "Allons.
mes enfants! Couragel vite! vite!"
cries their driver, and nobly do the pin
tos respond.
Regardless of bushes and brush
heaps, they tear theit way through.
but as they emerge the high bob sleigh
catches a root, and, with crash, the
sleigh 10 hurled in the air. Baptiste's
cries ring out high and shrill 40 ever,
encouraging his team. and never cease
till. with plunge and . scramble. they
clear the brush heap lying at the
mouth Of the ravine and are out on the
ice on the river. with Baptiste standing
on the front bob, the box trailing be-
hind and Sandy nowhere to Be- seen.
Three hundred yards Of the course re-
main. The bays, perfectly handled.
have gained at the bridge and In the
descent to the ice and are leading the
citizsns. team BY half . dozen lengths.
Behind both comes DN0dstA It's now
Of never Tor the plnteS. The rattle Of
the trailing boz. tstdeAss' WITH TIE
Wild yelling Of tAti crowd snahing
down the bank sxdtss ~, hronehes
70 madness, aAd, 6kins tie bits In .
their teeth, they Do their frst free run
ming that day.c .Past ~ at1aesS team
nike . iHh<lytsd thsys daAh flear, the
iAtsrvsning spice and gain the 1ahks
e the bGys. ca TIE bays keid theth1
Over them lsans thels driver. plying
for the Art time TIE hissing lash.
Only hfty yards more. The miners be-
gin to yen. But Baptists. waving his
hnes high IN one hand, seizes Ais toque
With the other. whirls II about his head
and lngs It With Q aercer yell than
ever at the bronchos. lake the burst.
ing Of hurricane the pintos leap for
ward and with Q splendid rush cross
the scratch. winners by their own