Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-10-04

way and gathered himself for the
sport. Before he could get into full
swing, however, the roam had shot past
with a snort Of challenge which could
not be misunderstood.
ssOho! You win, eh?. thought Skip
per. well, now, Wen see about thatw
All, free rein-that is, almost free
and touch of the spursl No need for
that, Reddy. How the carriages scat
ter! Skipper caught hasty glimpses OF
smart hackneys drawn up trembling
by the roadside, of women who tum-
bled from bicycles into the bushes and
Of men who ran and shouted and
waved their hats.
Gust as though that little roam wasn't
scared enough alreadyg' thought Skip
per.
But she did run well. Skipper had to
admit that. She had lead Of fifty
yards before he could strike his best
gait. Then for a few moments he
could not seem to gain an inch. But
the mare was blowing herself, and
Skipper was taking it coolly. He was
putting the pent up energy OF weeks
into his strides. Once he saw he was
overhauling her he steadied to the
work.
Just as Skipper was about to forge
ahead Reddy did queer thing. With
his right hand he grabbed the roam
with a nose pinch grip, and with the
left he pulled in on the reins. 1t was
a great disappointment to Skipper, for
he had counted on showing the roam
his heels Skipper knew after two or
three experiences of this kind that this
was the usual thing.
Those were glorious runs, though.
Skipper wished they would come more
often. Sometimes there would be two
and even three in a day, then fort
night or SO would pass without sin
gle runaway on Shippers beat. But
duty is duty.
During the early morning hours,
when there were few people in the
park, Shippers education progressed.
He learned to pace around in circle,
lifting each forefoot with sway Of
the body and a paving movement
which was quite rhythmical. He learn
ed to box with his nose. He learned to
walk sedately behind Reddy and to
pick up a glove dropped apparently by
accident. There was always sugar
plum or sweet cracker in the glove,
which he got when Reddy stopped and
Skipper. poking his nose over his
shoulder, let the glove fall into his
hands.
As he became more accomplished he
noticed that Reddy took more pains
with his toilet. Every morning Skip
per's coat was curried and brushed
and rubbed with chamois until it shone
almost as If it had been vanished.
His fetlocks were carefully trimmed, a
ribbon braided into his forelock and
his hoofs polished as brightly as Red
dy's boots. Then there were apples
and carrots and other delicacies which
Reddy brought him.
So it happened that one morning
Skipper heard the sergeant tell Reddy
that he had been detailed for the horse
show squad. Reddy had saluted and
said nothing at the time, but when
they were once out on post he told
Skipper all about it.
'.Sure an it's app'arin' before all the
swells in town you'll be, me by. Plat
do ye think of that, eh? An mebbe
yen be gettin' blue ribbon, Skipper,
me lad; an mebbe Mr.. Patrick Martin
will have a roundsman's berth an
cheyrons on his sleeves afore the years
OUT
The horse show was all that Reddy
had promised and more. The light al
most dazzled Skipper. The sounds and
the smells confused him. But he felt
Reddy on his back, heard him chirrup
softly and soon felt at ease on the tan
bark.
Then there was great crash Of noise
and Skipper, with some fifty of his
friends on the force, began to move