The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-12-07
THE NAN FROM KENTUCKY.


ment of Soledad having suggested
the turf to the agile mind of Mr.. Milo
Bush, he Immediately launched into
the following story, which, from the
impressive manner of its delivery, he
seemed to think, possessed of edifying
and perhaps of educational qualities.
you've heard of Ajax, the cele-
brated Kentucky runner, of course, !"
he said. "I once owned son of his.
called him Bjax. Fastest hoss ever
brought to the Territory. Too fast.
1t would "a been money in my pocket
ifhe'd d had only had three elegs. Where
l made my mistake was in not keeping
a ball and chain fastened to one foot.
Ought to "a kept him hobbled.
1 bought that boss Bjax with my
hard earnings, he continued, looking
off sadly, oblivious of the notorious
fact that he had never done a days
work in his life. Bought him with
money which 1 had saved. Money
which had laid up again the time
when 1 should be old and unable to
work. But it all went, and it has
staid went, and the hour when l
should rest is come, but there is no
rest for me. Sometimes, when I'm
alone I say to myself, firm, just like
this: Keep still, sad heart 7
"Well, I bought this Bjax just to
show the boys They thought they
had hosses that could run, but want
ed to show them that their hosses was
really stationary bosses, rooted down
to the spot. I says to 'em, I am
sending for a movable hoss-a self
propelling hoss-a boss that goes alone
NOT animal that has to be warped
along with housemoving windlass,
and men putting their shoulders to
him and pushing behind 1t took
all my savings-the savings of forty
years of toil-but got the boss.
'It was a proud day for me when
that boss come. I took him right
over to the track, and 1 showed 'em
that was right. Bjax was fast. He
beat every boss in town. A great
igee struck me-to take him around
on the fall racing circuit, and make
some money and get back my savings.
l knew there was nothing in the Ter
ritory could keep up with him. My
heart beat gayly. Says 1, old man,
Fortune is at your door, taking off
her gum shoes and preparing to stay
IT had just said this, and also,
Tell me not in mournful slumbers,
life is but an empty dream, when up
steps well-dressed young man, and
says he, Sab, says he, just like that
-'sah, may 1 have the privilege of
admiring your hossl' Wade in,
stranger says L. He looks over
Biax, his eyes getting soft and tender,
and then I'll be snaked if he didn't
bust right out crying. Then he wipes
his eyes, and says he: Sab, do not
laugh at these tears. Them tears
come from the heart. lam touched
| and he begins to snifae again. I
know how it is, says L, swallering a
great lump in my throat Manly
tears like those are all O. K. You
are touched. Lay right down on the
ground, young man, and have it out
mo, no, says he +; it is past. The
storm is over. My heart was full,
and she overhowed-that was all.
Sab, am Kentuckian 7 I'm sor-
ry it is so small, says 1, pulling
out my pint flask, but you're well
come. Finish it up, and I'll send
for some more No, no, says he;
not at present. My emotions even
now threaten to overmaster me. Let
me simply admire your hoss-your
Kentucky boss. An exile from home,
cut off from ancestral halls, this is
the first Kentucky boss I've seen for
FIVE years. Sab, / am touched
"Well, told him to go ahead and
admire till he thought he'd got
enough, and he thanked me, and
kept walking round Bjax, and feeling
of him, and patting him, and all the
| time a-saying he was touched. Then
he says: Sab would you mind if 1
mounted your boss for one turn
around the track? Riding was for
merly my delight. Fox hunting was
my favorite sport. Will them happy
days ever come again !? Sab, have
not been so touched since crool,
mistaken fater druv me from his
door, Hop saysI. Hop fright
on And he done so, and pranced
round me once or twice, and then
galloped off, easy like, down the track;
and when he got to the first quarter,
he turned round in the saddle, grace
fol. and waived his hand and thew me
kiss, at the same time lifting the
boss right over the fence, and starting
off across the prairie like bloc streak,
and me yelling bloody murder for
help. Well, every man that had a
boss started after him, with me follow
ing along on foot, still yelling in a
general way; but they might as well
as chased zigzag of chain lightning
going end over end. They lost sight
of the fellow and Bjax in twenty min
utes. Then they came back. 1 was
laying on my back on the prairie, my
Jaws still moving family, but little er
no yell coming forth. odd man,
says somebody, 'wot's the matter!'
4 am touched says I."-Hayden
| Ca,,uth in Ha,be,'s S Magazine.