Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1904-03-24
RUNNING Of A
MUDLARk
By CurrGn
Richard CreenIey
Cop right 1903, by 7. c. Mcclure.

fall upon ana fenu lne line OF SfLhuluS
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 its far
thest as Bareshanks shifted at the wet
morning Out in the east 4 rim of sick
ly yellow barred the sky. Jim scram-
bled up, and they went slowly out on
the track 10 the accompaniment Of
"Hayrackr' "Ki-yi. Get on to de
moonshine tru his ribs Three legged
skate" and a chorus Of groans.
Jim's thin little arms went around
the bony neck, while a tear trickied a
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 lis great hoofs in a green
glimmer as tlpy 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-
tcrs. Il rlan Stood peering through field
glasses at TIE brown blur that swept
GROUND the field.
JI.l slipped 10 the ground, the sweat
yOu.ing from horse and boy alike. Joe,
his sulky face hid under the peak Of
his cap, gave him a sly glance as he
blanketcd the horse and led him in
side. jim turned with question in
his eyes to tie man who stood pulling
his gray mu>tache and looking away
into space. Jim twitched his sleeve.
and he looked down into the small.
pinched face its very eaEerness rem
derlng il thinner and more pathetic,
and answered the unspoken query.
Yes; he'll do. In for q penny, in for
pound: but if he fails I'll see that
sou get haci; 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. Tn
perceived. he curled down in the straw
almost at the feet of BareShanks, who
munched contentcdly at his provender.
Other eyes had watched that morning
gallop. Joe, the groom, had finished
on the silent figure outside the door, lie
matched from its nail the bride that
Bareshanks must wear IN the coming
race, drew a 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 It, There was not the slightest
scent lie hung the bride back again
and resumed his place between tha
horses legs, a look of owlSh gravity
on the queer, puckered, old young face.
The hours wore on. over on the
track, where a drizzling rain fell stead
fly, 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 flame,
marked the zigzag of the hurdles, the
old wagon drawn by the gray work
horse stood loaded with the net, and
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 ike a bur TO Bareshanks
and trailed at mis- heels In his patched
and stained jacket, mere apology for
owners colors. Neither horse owner
nor jockey was favorite on the
Downs. True to the primeval instinct,
the rout was hostile to the shabby en-
tourage. Nevertheless there was no
open afTront Landon evidently pos
sessed some kind Of n pull with Mayer
Bros; hence his occupancy Of one OF
their stalls and the grudging attend
ance of Joe.
Jim was ready to noun! Bareshanlls
when the bell tapped, but as he passed
the grand stand, still clinging to the
old rope halter, the crowd yelled and
rose as a man.
or with the saddle and the weighing
done, they were mounted again and
filed before the grand stand, Bare
shanks' ugly head reared above his
fellows. Then as they would have pass
ed into the field Il voice from the
judges stand halted them: What's
the matter with that boy on No. 8?
That's no bride Whered he get that
halter"
All eyes turned on jim, who wheeled
Bareshanks and rode to the front OF
the Judges stand while up In the front
row n man shook his fist al him and
cursed savagely. The small figure
Strengthened in the saddle and, with
an appealing glance Mt the wall Of
faces, pulled a bride, bit and all. from
the breast OF his jacket An intense
silence fell as the childish treble rang
out: Boss here's the bride right
enough but I'd ride him with nothin'
but rope halter to Jericho before I'd
let It 90 in his mouth You can't smell
.nothin', en- you can't see nothin' But
was settin down in the corner en-
:a-sayin' nothin' when that black devil
poured somethin' out Of a bottle AL
over II, en- when he was gone | just
up en- swiped it, en- | hain't let 20 Of
II since. You can see for yourself"
And with sure aim he punched the
bride and flung it to the judge.
At the lads first word there had
been commoton down there among
the crowd Of grooms in the paddock.
"A 1.-THE. black form darted across the
course and made for The outer gate.
A dozen men seized him ut once and
then held their breath for the next
move in the play.
Old Colonel Cantwell. the judge,
stoou up ana waved Tor silence.
.Bring linn another bride I'll take