Willmar tribune., 1904-08-03

horse.
"You must excuse this long pre-
amb1e, old fellow; but must admit
that am apt to grow bit garru-
1ous whenever get talking about him.
However, here's the yarn:
"You remember the story I told you
about Mediator's last race and the
stable boy Jake, don't you? Yes!
Well, it was five years ago this fall
at Garfield Park, when this same Me-
diator was a three-year-old and run
ming the legs of from everything that
came up against him, regardless Of
weights or any other handicap the
Judges saw fit to impose, but it wasn't
the least bit Of use; you could not
stop him with anything short Of a
bullet or a dose of poison, when he
got going, and reckon the owners of
other horses came to the same conclu-
sion-at least two Of them did, as
subsequently ascertained; but I'm get
ting ahead Of my story, so We'll call it
false start, and go back.
"The next race in which Mediator
was entered promised to be most
exciting one; not because Of the size
of the purse (Which was big one),
but on account of the entry of two new
horses, Corrinthus and 1nvercand, OF
whom much had been heard and much
was expected.
''1n view of these new entries and
the natural uncertainty as to the out
come, I was in hopes that Mediator
would be held at little longer odds
than usual, and as I had the utmost
confidence in his ability to win out,
I was prepared to make good clean
up.
"The afternoon before the race
was on the track, when it occurred
to me that I had forgotten to give
some important instructions to my
stable man, which required irnmedi-
ate attention, so took out my note
book, scribbled few lines to him,
and then looked about for bearer I
noticed ragged looking black boy
peering through the pickets of the
fence I asked him If he knew where
the Morrigan paddock was. He said
he did, and noticed that as he did
so he raised his hand up to his brim-
less old straw hat.
''Take this note up to Mike, the
stableman, then, and here! here's a
dollar for you.
II have never been able to figure
out to this day what possessed me to
give that boy a dollar, and shall
never give away another dollar or any
amount of dollars with half the satis-
faction felt on hearing the little fel-
lows profuse thanks.
"That evening I took a stroll among
the downtown poolrooms to see how
things were going and incidentally to
drop into Boyd's for a steak and a
chat. Well, while I was prepared to
find Mediator at somewhat longer
odds, hardly understood why the two
new horses should be hot favorites,
while my horse seemed to be considered
a stake at three to one. This afforded
me plenty of food for reflection; and
the subsequent scraps of conversation
which overheard while eating my
steak, which, by the way, seemed far
below It's usual standard Of excellence,
sent me home to restless bed.
"The next morning again visited
the poolrooms, and by George! the
bottom seemed to have dropped plumb
out of Mediator odds. However, I'd
be hanged if was going to crawash,
with what considered the best end
Of it all through; so I took $4,000
worth of him at five to one.
II was making my way out of the
crowd when felt something pulling
at my sleeve; looked down, and rec
ognized Immediately the boy who had
been my messenger the day before.
He was all out of breath, and his eyes
were as big as salt cellars as he half
whispered:
"'Ah's bin lookin' fer yer all mawn-
ing, sab! Abs got suthin' mighty
'ticular ter tell yer, sah.'
"'Well, what is it, I answered.
HE looked cautiously around and
answered in low tone: 'Ah KANT
tell yer here, sab; don't yer know
some place WHARF All kin tell yer on
de quiet, sah?'
II took him around to a private
room near by. I wish I could tell you
the story he told me, in the exact
darkey dialect he used; with the ges-
lures and grimaces and intonation of
voice, but I can't-no white man could
so I'll tell it briefly in my own
way.
1T seems that the boy was wait.
and had drifted up to Chicago from
Memphis, and had been hanging about
Garfield park in the hope of getting
living in the meanwhile
by picking up penny here and there
running errands. He had discovered
q hole in the ground under the wall
Of my paddock, which some dog had
scraped, probably, in pursuit of a rat,
and by enlarging it little he had been
able to crawl through and sleep in the
hay, concealing the hole with a piece
Of board when he came out in the
1T is perfectly marvellous how
wise these boys, that hang about
a race track, get to be, and there is
little in the way of trick or a job
that they are not on to.
so, when he was awakened during
the night by some one fumbling at
The paddock Of the stable door, he
knew instantly that something
wrong was going on, and ran softly
to the door and listened. He heard