New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1903-11-04
RUNNING 4. q A
MUDLARk
BY Curran
Richard GreenleY
Copyright, 1903, by T. G. Mcclure.
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Copyright, 1903, by T.. G. Mcclure.
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.Mudlark" Jim resented the derisive
title and was filed with a longing to
fall upon and rend the line of grinning
stable boys who yelled and hooted as
Joe led Bareshanks out for his exer-
else. The shabby blanket tapped
around the gaunt legs, and the bald Ro-
man nose was stretched to it's far
thest as Bareshanks shifted at the wet
morning. Out in the east rim of sick
~ yellow barred the sky. Jim scram-
bled up, and they went slowly out on
the track to the accompaniment of
"Hayrack!'' "Ki-yi! Get on to de
moonshine tru his ribs!'' '"Three legged
skater and a chorus of seaans.
Jim's thin little arms went around
the bony neck, while tear trickled
white line down the CRIME on his
cheek. The keen wind cut through the
lads Jacket, and the little hands that
gripped the bride were blue with cold.
Underneath the track was already
sticky. AS Jim turned into the field,
where later the little red flag would
mark the course from one ugly ditch to
another, Bareshanks laid down to his
work. The slippery turf slid away
from under his great hoofs in green
glimmer as they rose from hurdle to
hurdle.
Over and over the course went Bare
shanks and Jim, while at the stables,
in the doorway OF Mayer Bros quar-
tiers, man stood peering through field
glasses at the brown blur that swept
around the field. "a
Jim slipped to the ground, the sweat
pouring from horse and boy alike. Joe,
his sulky face hid under the peak of
his cap, gave him sly glance as he
blanketed the horse and led him in
side. Jim turned with question in
his eyes to the man who stood pulling
his gray mustache and looking away
into space. Jim twitched his sleeve,
and he looked down Unto the small,
pinched face, its very eagerness rem
dering it thinner and more pathetic,
and answered the unspoken query.
eyes; he'll do. In for penny, in for
a pound; but il he fails I'll see that
you get back to the old farm, all right"
And HIM Jim pointed to where
the bony nose showed through the open
door.
The man laughed shortly. "A bullet
through his ugly head" The boy shrank
back and slipped through the door. I'm
perceived, he curled down in the straw
almost at the feet Of Bareshanks, who
munched contentedly at his provender.
Other eyes had watched that morning
gallop. Joe, the groom, had finished
the rubbing down when, with an eye
on the silent figure outside the door, he
snatched from it's nail the bride that
Bareshanks must wear in the coming
race, drew bottle Of colorless liquid
from his pocket and poured a few drops
over the bit. Bright eyes watched
from the shadow of the feed box, and
when Joe, his work done, disappeared
Jim jerked the bride down and smell
ed 1t. There was not the slightest
scent. He hung the bride back again
and resumed his place between the
horses legs, look of owlish gravity
on the queer, puckered, old young face
The hours wore on. Over on the
track, where a drizzling rain fell stead
lily, men went up and down in mackin-
toshes. Women in short skirts gathered
in knots upon the grand stand, their
eyes fever bright with excitement. The
crowd grew steadily. Out there, where
the little red flags, like points Of fame,
marked the zigzag Of the hurdles, the
old wagon drawn by the gray work
horse stood loaded with the net, and a
scurry Of boys blew hither and thither
in the wake of the different owners.
There had been wild work when Joe
essayed to lead Bareshanks out. An
old rope halter hung where the bride
should have been. Joe turned ashy.
Jim stuck like bur to Bareshanks
and trailed at his heels In his patched
and stained jacket, mere apology for
owners colors. Neither horse, owner
nor Jockey was a favorite on the
Downs. True to the primeval instinct,
the rout was hostile to the shabby en-
tourage. Nevertheless there was no
open afrront. Landon evidently pos
sessed some kind of pull with Mayer
Bros; hence his occupancy of one of
their stalls and the grudging attend
ance of Joe. -
Jim was ready to mount Bareshanks
when the bell tapped, but as he passed
the grand stand, still clinging to the
old rope halter, the crowd yelled and
rose as man. -@r~
Off with the saddle and the weighing
done, they were mounted again and
fled before the grand stand, Bare
shanks' ugly head reared above his
fellows. Then as they would have pass
ed into the field voice from the
judges stand halted them: What's
the matter with that boy on No. 5?
That's no bridle Where'd he get that
halter?"