The Meeker herald., 1904-12-24
Jockey w. Davis
Disc to Fame
,, FRANK J. BRYAN.

not run away In st. Louis just a year
ago, scattering bread. buns and pies over
the iandseaps lad who nov 9cl Is rateG a.
lea has ever had probably never would
have been known to fame.
named Davis. When he found the horse
had got beyond his control he showed
PLUCK By s bs s.s to the ssns gu, i IN
| the wagon he still held to the lines. and
after being. dragged a long distance he
a doctor had dressed the many cuts and
| bruises that he had. the boy turned to
the crowd of byst and and said said, r,o
pay is not worth the trouble"
| x few weeks later the lad drifted to
Crescent city race track looking for a
place as rubber. He found berth and
signed papers a. as, an H. nppr enl It did
cover that the boy was willing worker.
Fortunes favors were not drifting the
a berth. and after his task of rubbing
was done he was put up to Eailoping
some OF the horses in the string He
| he was rated as clever exercise boy.
| With this Improvement came desire to
be Jockey A n,n weeks later o ne er mad
horse NAMED Tom Collins. and when the
rider came to the scales Secretary Clark.
reaii1ing that the boy was newcomer
DO you know wha. sort of horse
are FeinF do to r and # !, only because
the others realize what he Is that l get
a chance" was the reply. The boy was
asked his name and the answer was wv
The hard luck OF his employer con-
tinued. and pay days were few. Davis
he did not do some hustling, so he went
on a tour of the stables. looking for
| lift that would guarantee his getting out
| town. q n
the stable of Ed Trotter and took a liking
to young son of Trotter; This young
| proud owner OF goat. and. with Davis.
he could be seen every afternoon be
much to the delight OF the crowd on the
Trotter had all the help he needed. and
trick dogs was his pet diversion. and
AS the dogs seemed fond of him the boy
rest Of the help. When Harris horses
were loaded on the car. for st. Louis Da-
ed to s.9 90 along With the Outfit to see hat
the dogs were not hurt. His excuse car.
ried him through. and after his arrival
himself useful about the stable. Harris
found the boy so promising that he re.
ID bsen by the soy
The possessor of the contract was at
first inclined to hold out for couple Of
|
failure to pay the boy had nbrogated the
contract he agreed to and did sell 1t for
twenty dollar bill For this :. same ,s,, pa
an offer of $4,000. for it calls for the
services Of w. Davis. the most organising
tract covers Davis services until he is
little more than two years.
brought him TO second place on the list
OF aons ,op IN his
When Charley Rowe decided to come
East with First Mission. Colonial Girl
Stiefei, he induced Harris to accompany
Davis should do all the riding and that
At the recent meeting at sheepshead
| Bay the boy had his chance. and from
the very Introduction he made good, IN
the most popular boy now riding, In one
day he rode four consecutive winners.
From ali sides comes demand for his
services. and at least half a dozen owners
have been asking the price for his ap.
premiership papers. but Harris VIII rot
that a good rider is better property than
n good horse. Davis is particularly val.
liable as jockey, for ne can an,, Tias AZ az
the FIVE pound apprenticeship allowance.
Tod sloan was one of the first to ap.
preciate the skill OF this boy. He watched
him ride couple of races and then pub
iiciy stated that he believed Davis was
the coming star, prediction tnat DC.
| velopments since would certainly snow
TO be correct. Sloane must be put down
as a capable judge. for in his day non.
of the craft outrated him. m talking OF
| Davis. Sloane says:
lie has n seat that is perfection; has
a head that means a lot to rider seems
| feature OF Il Jockeys work-and rides a
cool. brainv race that brings him 10 the
final struggle with a horse comparatively
| hash nf nj
| tired and ready to quit
Sloane is not the only clever Judge who
ow ssn Viii, ms good thinEs to come. make
his services a part OF their calculations.
The book that carries his ensagements is
| ducements are freely offered to obtain him.
With all this success in a period OF less
mSn'h H The is boy to nss mt
| he is in demand but takes the adiilntion
| that comes his way without the evidence
| 10 spend his nights and idle hours with
the family of his employer and In study
amount to a princely sum. are each week
| forwarded to his mother. as his one de-
| sire financially seems to be to make her
Another and a good feature of the boys
| character Is that he has no disposition to
| pick mounts. He is willing to ride auy
mans horse The other day he had 4
mount that looked y torlorn hope, and
| was advised to break the enEaEcrn"ht 10
| take another that seemed to assure "A VIC
| tory. This he could have done without
| any violation of the rules. for the Nrst
| acceptance conditional orc. He
declined to make the change. saying
| THAT poor fellow needs race. and per-
| haps ] can help him to win one. When
| was In hard luck looked for u helping
| hand and am not going to turn down q
| chap in the position that know so we'll
In this and in other ways he has shown
| himself to be an exception to the rule Of
| successful riders. given as they are 10
lordly airs and exalted opinions OF their
| own Importance. II he sticks TO the lines
| he has laid down and follows 30 well now
| he will not alone be one of the kings of
his craft. but one OF the most popular
riders We have ever had to deal with
New York Press.
| Largest Flower in the World.
The Rafiicsia is n strange plant. n
grows in Sumntra and derives Its name
| from Sir Stamford Rallies. governor Of
| Sumatra at time. and his friend DR..