The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1903-01-07

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 Mt
the scratch. There were no veXiDg
regulations as to fouls. The man MAXI
ing the foul would find it necessary
to reckon with the crowd, which was
considered sufficient guarantee for q
fair and square race. Owing to the
hazards of the course, the result would
depend upon the skill OF the drivers
quite as much as upon the speed OF
the teams. The points of hazard were
at the turn round the old fort and at n
little raviDe which led down to the
river, over which the road passed by
means of a long log bridge or cause
way.
From a point upon the high bank of
the river the whole course lay in open
view. 1t was q scene full of life and
wildly picturesque. There were min
ers in dark clothes and peak caps, citi-
zcns In ordinary garD. ~ranchnlen in
wide cowboy hats and buckskin shirts
and lcggings, some with cartridge belts
ind pistols; q few half breeds and In
dams in half native, half civilized
dress and, scattering through the
crowd, the lumDermen with gay scarlet
and blue blanket coats and some with
knitted toques of the same colors. A
very good natured but extremely un.
certain crowd 1t was. AT the head Of
each horse stood a man, bu at the
pintos' heads Baptiste stood alone, try
ing to hold down the off leader, thrown
into II frenzy Of fear by the yelling of
the crowd.
Gradually all became quiet till, in the
midst of absolute stiffness, came the
words, Are you ready?" then the pis-
tol SHOT, and the great race began.
Above the roar of the crowd came the
shrill cry of Baptiste as lie struck his
broncho with the palm of his hand and
swung himself into the sleigh beside
Sandy rs it shot past.
Like q lash the bronchos sprang to
the front two lengths before the other
teams; but, terrified by the yelling
crowd, instead of bending to the left
bank, vi 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, n 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 q hundred yards in front,
the citizens team leading, with tile
miners following close. The moment
the pintos caught sight of the teams
before them they set Off 1T q terrific
pace and steadily dcvoured the inter
vening space. Nearer and nearer the
turn came, the eight horses in front
running straight and well within their
speed. After them flew the pintos, run
ming S%avagcly, with ears set back. lead
ing well the big roans, laundering along
and gaining Mt every bound. And now
the citizcns' 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 n moment OF two in the
deep snow, and before they could re-
gain the road the bays had swept SUI.
pcrbly 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 MIN.
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 TURF ~
And now the struggle is for the
bridge over the ravinc. The bays in
front, running with mouths wide open,
are evidently doing their best. Behind
them and every moment nearing them,
but at the limit of their speed, too,
come the lighter and neetcr 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
we'll following, but when leading can
not be trusted, and, besides, n broncho
hates a bridge, so 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 IL the three, if 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 n few yards of the bridge
Baptistc throws himself upon the lines,
wrenches them out Of Sandy's hands
and, with n quick swing, faces the pin
tos down the steep side of the ravine,
which is almost sheer ice with n thin
coat of snow. 1t Is a daring course to
take, for the ravine, though not deep,
Is full of underground and is partially
closed up by n brush heap at the far
Their end. But, with a yell, Baptiste
hurls his four horses down the slope
and into the underground. GALLONS,
mes %enfants! Courage! Yite! Vite!"
cries their driver, and nobly DO the pin.
tos respond.
Regardless Of bushes and brush
heaps, they tear. their way through,
but as they emerge the high bob sleigh
catches q root, and. with n crash, the
sleigh is hurled in the air. Baptiste's
cries ring out high and shrill as ever,
encouraging his team, and never cease
till, with a plunge and n scramble, they
clear the brush heap lying at the
| mouth Of the rayinc and are out on the