The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-08-17

burst Of music from the band As two
race horses started around the course.
And Buie Annajohn turned in."
Around the course went Buie Anna
john. while the spectators, those who
understood that it was feature not
on the program and those who did not,
cheered alike.
Buie Annajohn Numbered on. He
easily distanced one of the two horses
that had had minute and half the
start of him. The crowd chered him
wildly. Another moment, and he was
fairly abreast of the leading horse.
That's Climax, and he has won
every race he has run for the last
three months!" cried mans voice
within MaIvina's hearing. "And that
old horse is ahead of him!"
Actually ahead-by the length OF q
nose-was Buie Annajohn. The air
was rent with cheering and the ex-
element was growing to an uproar
upon the grand-stand. But the old
horses pace slackened, and then he
suddenly stood still. shivering as from
a sudden chill.
Alpheus was seen to lean forward
and stroke his nose.
"The old horse is almost dead. and
that fellow is trying to urge him on!
He ought to be arrested! cried wo-
mans angry voice.
AS his rider slipped from his back,
Buie Annajohn fell down In a heap
upon the track. A chorus of indignant
EXPLANATIONS came to Malvina's ears.
There was confusion and uproar on
the racecourse.
! Mr. Merritt" she cried, suddenly
catching sight of an old cattle-dealer
whom she had seen at her uncle's-
''oh, Mr.. Merritt, how dare they treat
Mr.. Hutchins SO? You tell them who
he is, and that it was all mistake
an accident-and make them let me
get through to my poor old Aorse!"
why, for the lands sake! You
don't say it's the supply?" cried the
old drover, with amazement. "And II
l want jest sayin' to myself that if 1t
want blasphemious should say that
! jockey looked jest like q minister,
And thought, too, that that horse
looked consid'able like the old rack o.
bones / see out in your uncles pas
ture. But, my land! want he the all
firedest old cre'tur' to go, And if he
hain't got the minister into a scrape!
for they're goin' to have him arrest
ed for breakin' up the race. and the
s'ciety is goin' to have him arrested
for cruelty to animals. Well, expect
he heard how they want goin' to give
him call, anyhow, and calculated he
might as well have good time!"
What do you mean about the call.
Mr.. Merritt" she asked.
Il amt meetin' man myself, but
my wife, she b'longs, so was KNOWN
to the church meetin' they called, kind
of private, yesterday. They voted not
to give the supply a call. They
| 'peared to like his preachin' first-rate,
but they complained that they
couldn't get nearness to him or feel
q sympathy with him, he was SO kind
of distant"
They had reached the stable by this
time, the crowd giving way before the
drover's vigorous demands, and the re-
port spreading from mouth to mouth
that that was the girl who came with
the fellow that rode the old horse.
The stable door was open and Malvina
caught sight Of Alpheus again; she
saw him take bank bill from his
loan and wol1-uorv, r,urco ord houS -
to man who was evidently veterin-
airy surgeon.
you will see that he has the best
of care" Malvina heard him say.
Two days later Mrs. Colonel Fitch,
who had been Alpheus' hostess at
Jericho Corner, and who was the great |
lady of the place. drove out to the
farm to call on Malvina She had
come, she said, to express her deep
sympathy with Malvina and Mr.. |
Hutchins in their unfortunate difficul- |
ty, and to assure Malvina that the |
church and, in effect, all Jericho Cor
ner, was aroused to effort in his be- |
half. His arrest was a high-handed |
outrage; SO everyone said. And 1t was
just like those Coventry and Junction /
people. who thought they could do |
anything to Jericho Corner! Her hus-
band, who was lawyer, was going to
show them! OF course Mr. Hutchins |
was the same as one of themselves,
because II had been voted at church |
meeting, the day before-a special /
meeting called in haste-Mrs Fitch at |
this point showed trace of embar-
rassment-to give him call to the
pastorate. A unanimous call; there
was not dissenting vote!
Possibly Mrs. Fitch read amaze
ment in Malvina's untutored counte-
nance, for she added that she must