Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-03-30
CHATTER II


There is q roar from the vast crowd
on the course as the starter stands ready
to drop his hag Strong men are trem-
bling with excitement and breathing
heavily, as time after time the horses
return to the starting post, amid cries
of They're off,
But the flag falls at last, and they arc
really running the race. Round they
come, flashing by like great patch of
moving variegated colors. amid shouts of
Rob Roy" Acorn" Rob Roy" and
for moment there is. comparatively
speaking, silence in the vast throng. for
the race is reduced to a match between
Rob Roy and Phosphorus dark"
horse, scarcely heard of in the betting,
let in with feather weight and hidden
by stable boy.
The experienced jockey TO whom the
mount of Rob Roy has been entrusted is
evidently puzzled and a vague feeling of
anxiety takes possession of him, as he
tries hard 10 shake off his antagonist
But lie is not to be stalled off, and they
rush past the judges chair SO close to-
gether that there are laundering shouts
of Dead heatr' from the spectators.
But presently the telegraph board shows
number and the fielders in the ring
below with delight. till they are hoarse
and inaudible: and then they shake hands
with each other, and perform wild an
ties Of triumph.
1t is a rare turn up for them; Rob
Roy has lost by neck; the Acorn fly
bad third. Phosphorus, the dark out
slider, has woa the race to the consterna-
ton of the hackers, and the huge delight
of the bookmaking fraternity.
There is one young man who is stand
ing apart, and gazing vacantly around.
seeming as il he were trying to take in
some truth which was very hard to learn.
with an awful despair in his looks. ever
and again trying to moisten his lips with
his parched tongue.
Presently low, cunning looking man,
whose coarse features are radiant with
triumph. approaches and patting him
upon the shoulder Familiarity. says,
well. Mr.. Temple. slant have to part
TO you this time. at all events, t was
near thing, though
Poor George smiles family. He wan
ders idly to the rifle gallery and takes
up the loaded weapon, and lays it down
again with a bitter. sneering laugh, 10
the great establishment and alarm of the
rough proprietor. He wanders off, as he
says TO himself, to get n breath Of fresh
air, and with his hands behind him.
strolls up a quiet lane. He looks OYER
the ratings Of a park. and meditates
deeply as he catches a glimpse of the
reeds surrounding the lake. and again
laughs that bitter. haunting. defiant
laugh.
Returning home, he leans 10 fevered
brow against the window in the railway
carriage. which he has opened. much 10
the disgust OF his fellow passengers, and
tries TO think.
They are q good-natured iot OF passen-
gers. and they respect. in their rough
fashion. the trouble in which the young
man seems plunged. One old gentleman
says pityingly, Poor fellow hard hit.
l am afraid" and there is a general
growl Of sympathy all round, and they
let him alone accordingly.
He is trying to think, IS he leans
against the cool window frame of his
youth, Of bis budding ranhood. of that
most delicious OF all delicious times, his
courtship. Then be is far away. any
where-anywhere frem his present po-
anywhere from the vague, awful