The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1903-04-13
STOPPING RUNAwAYS
HOW rHE NEW YoRk PARK POLICE
HORSE ENJOYS THE WORK

The story Of a GIerioss Rsa That
was oaIy an Tncideut In tks Life
Of skfpper-A Race That Eaaed In
the C.pture Of the RuaassY Roan-
How TIE horses q the New YORK
PARK mounted policemen enjoy catch
inz runaWays. whlct - the most excit.
lng part 0f their work. is tod hy SeTeil
Ford In -H0rses Nine" Tie author
says Of his equine hero.
For half an hour al q time be would
stand just on the edge of the roadway
and az an exact angle with Il motion
less as The horse ridden b. the bronze
soldier ID near the mall. Reddy
would sit e. sfill IN the saddle too IL
was hard FOR skipper 20 stand there
and see those mincing cobs 20 By. their
pad housings all a-glitfer. crests on their
biinders. jingiing their pole chains and
switching their absurd little stubs Of
tails. But 81 was still more tantalizing
70 watch the saddle horses canter past
IN the soft bride path on the other side
Of the roadway. But. then. when you
are on the force you must do your
duty.
one afternoon az skipper was stand.
Ing post ike this he caught a new note
that rose above the hum Of the park
trafic II was the quick. nervous beat
of koofs which rang sharply on the
hard uacadam- There were screa ms
toe. IL was q runaway. skipper knew
this even before be saw the bell-like
nostrils. the straining eyes and the
foam necked lips OF the horse or the
scared man in the carriage behind. II
was a case OF broken rein.
How the sight made Slippers blood
tiAgie. Wouldn't be Just Ike TO show
that srazy roam what real running was
But what was Reddy going TO dof He
felt him gather Up the rins. He felt
bis knees tighten. What Ies, II must
be 50. Reddy was actually going to try
q brush with the runaway. What funl
Skipper prcaeed ont into the road
way and gathered himself for the
sport Before be could get into full
swing. however, the roam bad shot past
with q snort Of challenge which could
not be misunderstood.
"Oho. You will. ehf" thought skip
per. well now. we'll see about that"
All. a free rein, That is-slmost free.
And a touch Of the spursl No need for
that. Reddy. How the carriages scat.
ter. Skipper caught hasty glimpses OF
smart hackneys drawn up trembling
by the roadside. Of women who tum
bled from bicycles into the bushes and
OF men who ran and shouted and
waved their hats.
"Just as though that little roar
wasn't scared enough already" though
Skipper.
But she did run well. Skipper had q
admit that. She had lead Of fftl
yards bef -e lC could strike his bes
gait. Then few moments b.
could not seem 20 gain an inch. Blu
the mare was blowing herself. AM
Skipper was taking il eoolly. He wa
putting the pent up energy OF week
into his strides. Once he saw he wa
overhauling her he steadied TO IN
work.
Just as skipper was about TO forg
huehu henuy Nia NueeA tHahs' " ~
bis right hand he grabbed the roa
with : nose pinch grip. and with th
: left he pulled in on the reins. IL was
! great disappointment TO skipper 10
he had counted on showing the roa
his heels. Skipper knew after two Q
three experiences OF this kind that thl
was the usual thing.
Those were glorious runs, thougl
D Skipper wished they would come NOR
|. often. Sometimes there would be tw
I ard even three in a day. Then for
night or DO would pass without a sing
runaway on Shippers beat. But dut
10 duty.