The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-08-17

New York.-Thirty thousand eyes
are focused upon platform built at
some elevation from the ground and
supported by posts that are painted
white A solitary man stands upon
the floor of the structure He strides
back and forth and gestlculates vio-
lently. Sometimes he seems to appeal
In sdpplication. AT others his ges.
lures are those of determined com
mand. His lips are seen to move, but
the sounds Of his voice are drowned
In the din of the throng.
Below him is a field Of high-splrited,
sensitive, nervous and ffactious thor
oughbred horses. Mounted on them
are mere wisps of boys. who Jerk en-
ergetically at the bride reins, kick
with their heels and express their
thoughts vehemently into the ears Of
the animals they are riding
With snap and a strummlng sound,
like the vibration of string of a
double bass, the barrier is suddenly
released by the man on the platform,
and dozen eager colts plant their
hoofs firmly into the soft soil of the
track, scrambling with the instinct OF
their natures, which education long
and patient has developed to reach
place In front, while the monkeylike
boys on their backs, their sharp faces
pushed forward eagerly into the wind,
peer on both sides Of them to discern
an opening where they may get through
and improve their chances to finish
first in the race.
Thirty thousand eyes, scanning In.
tently the turn of the track, follow
closely the running OF the field. and
$4,000 voices begin to croak. and
scream, and babble. Some are the
hysterical notes of a nervous woma.
who has wagered half her weeks pia
money upon the race Some are the
cultural roars of the "touts, the stable
followers and the hoarse criers of
wares and edibles. Some are the
cackle of superheated storekeepers
and possibly their clerks.
Cry for the Favorite.
Through It all, and above It all, is
the note OF personality, the cry for the
popular jockey of the day. II is a
queer phenomenon of a mighty sport,
1t is the slogan of the American for
the individual who does things. The
horses are racing The horses are the
motive for the struggle, the backbone
of pastime that was inaugurated cen
turtles ago, but the majority OF the
vast mass congested within iron rail.
ings are shouting for the jockey.
Afar down the course at the field
Millerl" The exhortation increases in
volume, and all the field stand appears
TO be shouting. "Come on, you Miller!"
The thousands upon the lawn take up
the refrain the bookmakers and their
clerks join in, II Miller victory means
a victory for them, and at last there Is
a Me garali.e thunder Of appeal.
Come on, you MillerH an anxious
moment or two, then Wild screech of
triumph and the "Millerites" rush
away to obtain their gains, II Miller
happens to have wonv
There is barely day that II Is pos.
sible to miss this queer chain of incl
dent at the race course, for the race
goers rusn wit enthusiastic favor to
the support Of soWe jockey who, by
his skill and his knowledge of men
and animals, beats his fellow Jockeys
In the daily tumut of track sport.
Names Live Long in Memory.
Time passes and boys grow old and
heavy The idol OF the present day
will be only the memory of the past.
Yet the names OF the great riders live
with racegoers even longer than the
names of statesmen who were contem-
poraneous with them. The senator
from New York OF decade ago may
be forgotten by another decade, but
the name of Tod Sloan Will live for
a century, and maybe longer The
riding Of Garrlsoa served 10 enrich
the phraseology Of the English Ian.
guoge, for a "Garrison finish" IS APP
plicehle now TO more things than u
horse race Walter Miller the lead
ing rides OF the united States at the