Oxford Democrat., 1906-11-13

Then as a rein was pulled he felt
hundred sharp points pricking the SEN
sitive skin around his mouth. With q
bound he leaped into the ring.
1t was very pretty sight presented
to the horse experts lining the rail and
to persons in boxes and tier seats.
They saw blockily built strawberry
roam, his chiseled neck arched In a
perfect crest, his rigid thigh muscles
rippling under Il shiny coat as he
swung his hooks, his slim forelegs
sweeping up and out, and every curve
of his rounded body from the tip Of
his absurd whisk broom tail to the
white snip on the end Of his tossing
nose expressing that exuberance Of
spirits, that jaunty abandon Of mo-
tion which is the very apex Of hackney
style. Behind him short legged
groom bounced through the air at the
end Of the relns. keeping his feet only
by means Of most amazing strides.
1t was a woman in one Of the prone
made boxes, u young woman wearing
stunning gown and preposterous pic
ture hat, who started the applause.
Her hand clapping was echoed all
around tile rail, was taken up in the
boxes and finally woke rattling
chorus from the crowded tiers above.
The three judges, men with whips and
long tailed coats, looked earnestly at
the strawberry roam.
And when it was all over. after the
judges had grouped and regrouped the
entries, compared figures and whisper
ed In the ring center. out Of sheer de-
fiance to the preference Of the specta-
tors they gave the blue to chestnut
filly with black points, at which the
tier seats Kissed mighty. and tied
red ribbon to Bonfire's bride. There
upon the strawberry roam pranced
daintily out Of the arena.
Hardly had Bonfire's docked tail dis
appeared before the woman in the
stunning gown turned eagerly to
man beside her and asked: Cant
have him. Jerry? He'll be such per-
feet cross mate for TOpsy. Please.
n0w."
To be sure Jerry grumbled some, but
inside Of a quarter Of nm hour he had
found Hawkins and paid the price.
price worthy of Sir Bardolph and
quite In keeping with Lochlynne reck-
Onings.
"'E's been car sick an show SICK"
said Hawkins warningly, IAN it'll be
good two weeks afore 'e's In proper
condition, sir. But you'll find i'm as
neat bit of 'ossfesh as you hever
owned, sir"
Nor was Hawkins wrong. When the
burs were taken off and the effect OF
the doses from the long necked bottle
had died out Bonfire looked anything
but a ribbon getter. Luckily Mr.. Jerry
had coachman who knew his busi-
ness. Dan was his name, County An
trim his birthplace. He fed Bonfire
hot mixtures, he rubbed, he nursed.
until he had coaxed the cold out and
had quieted the tangled nerves. Then
one crisp December morning Bonfire,
once more in the pink Of condition, was
hooked up with Topsy to the pole Of a
shining, rubber tired brougham and
taken around to make the acquaintance
of Mrs. Jerry.
"Oh, isn't he beauty, DAMP" squeal-
ed Mrs. Jerry delightedly as Bonfire
danced up to the curb. isn't heT
For three years Bonfire had been In
leather, and he had found the life fur
different from the dull routine Of cod
ding that he had known at the Loch-
lynne farm. There was little mon0t-
ony about 1t, for the Jerrys were no
stay at homes. OF his oak finished sta
BILE, with its sanded floors and plated
straw stall mats, Bonfire saw almost
as little as did Mrs. Jerry Of her white
rul gold rooms on the avenue.
In the morning 1t would be q trip
downtown, where Topsy and Bonfire
would wait before the big stores,
watching the traffic and people, until
Mrs. Jerry rcappeared. After lunch
con they generally took her through
the park or up and down the avenue to
teas and receptions. In the evening
they were often harnessed again to
take Mr.. and Mrs. Jerry to dinner,
theater or ball. Late ut night they
might be turned out to fetch them
home.
What long, cold waits they had,
standing In line sometimes for hours,
stamping their hoofs and shivering un'
der heavy blankets, for stylish hack
ney. you know. must be kept closely
clipped, no matter what the weather.
Why, even Dan, muffied in his big coat
md bearskin shoulder cape, was half
frozen, But Dan could leave the foot
man on the box and go to warm him.
self In the glittering corner saloons,
and when he came back 1t would be
the footnan's turn. For Topsy and
Bonfire there was no such RELIEF.
Chilled, tired and hungry. they must
stamp and wait until ut last, far down
the street, could be heard the shouting