Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1906-04-13

shoes. and that they would bet every
cent they had on their ponies. and as
they had just been paid their annui.
ties by the government, they had
money In bales, and We could get II all,
II we had horses that were any good,
and money to back them. His idea
was to give out that owing to some &C.
cident we could not give an afternoon
performance, and just get out the
horses, and bet the Indians to a stand.
still. and win all their money, and
give q free evening show. as a sort Of
consolation to the Indians.
Well. 1t looked good to pa, and he
talked to the other managers, and the
result was when we got to Guthrie
we had made up our minds that as
money was what we were after. the
easiest way was to get 1t by racing our
horses.
So when we got settled in Guth.
rie.. and got the tent up. we an.
a wreck down the road in Arkansas,
and We should have to abandon the
afternoon performance, but in the
meantime there would be a little horse
racing on the side. If anybody in
Oklahoma had any horses they thought
could run some.
Well, I thought there were Indians
and ponies and squaws enough before
the announcement was made, but in
less than two hours more than a thou.
sand ponies were being brought in,
and we got our chariot racers, and
our bareback hippodrome horses, AMI
they were being led around and ad.
mired, and we all laughed at the little
runts OF Indian ponies. and the In.
dams got mad and backed their
ponies.
Pretty soon the races began in the
| vacant lot just outside the town. The
old Snowman we had brought up from
Memphis was made master OF cere.
monies, cause he could talk Choctaw,
and C~omanche, and other Indian jar.
gon, and things got busy. The In.
dams wouldn't run their ponies more
than an eighth of a mile, or a quar-.
ter, and we consented, because the poor
little things didn't, look as though
they could run a block, they were so
thin, and sleepy. Pa was afraid the
humane society would have us ar.
rested for cruelty to animals. All our
fellows were provided with money,
and they flashed rolls of bills in tho
faces Of the Indians. and finally Mr..
Indian would reach down under his
clothes and pull out a roll, and wet
his thumb and peel of big bills. and
before we knew 1t we were investing
a fortune in the racing game. Then
the racing began, and the horses were
sent off at the drop Of a hat, or the
firing OF a pistol.
was given some money to bet with
the little Indians. cause pa said we
wanted to get every dollar in the
tribe. for IL we didn't get it the In.
dians would spend 1t for fire water,
The first race was between one Of our
best runners and a sleepy little spot.
ted pony. and when the hat was
dropped the pony made a few Jumps
and was of like a rabbit, and our
horse couldn't see him for the dust.
and our horse was distanced. The
next race resulted the same, and all
day long we never won a race, and the
Indians tool our money and put 1t
in their pants and never smiled. The
old Snowman we had befriended.
seemed crushed.
When our money was nearly all
gone to the COMPOUNDED Indians. and
the sun was going down. he went up
to pa and said; Uncle. what does
this all mean. thought your horses
could rum"
Pa said: "Damfno, | never was no
horse racer, nohow.'
When our money was all gone. and
our horses were nearly dead from ia.
tigue, the managers all got together
in the big tent for a consultation on
finances, and 1t was the saddest sight
ever saw. Pa tried to be cheerful.
and he said: well, we will give the
evening performance. and when the
Indians are all in the tent, we can
turn out the lights and urn the boys
loose on them, and maybe they will
find some Of the .oney in their breech
clouts."
you don't mean to rob them, do
you?" said the boss canvassman, and
pa said. mo, ne; far from It. We
will borrow it OF them. II Is no harm
b borrow from an Indian"
Just then the treasurer came in with
an empty tin box he had carried the
money out in, and he said there would
be no use OF having an evening per.
..,. ,la U-It-.. I.l it,