Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-08-24

small boys when New York has ex-
banded so that Belmont park shall
scarcely be a suburb.
For it was Miller, the boy with the
flying start" who rode more than
3S7 winners in 1896 and broke all
records that had been heard of in
this country or any other. 1t is a mar
velous thing. racing men think, to
be able to bring various horses first
to the wire more than 800 times in
season of summer and winter sport
Considering the different dispositions
of all the horses that the jockey must
ride, their moods, their likes and dis
likes-for thoroughbreds are quite as
notional as petted bellies. of fashion
it is no chi1d's play for an 1S-year-old
boy to beat his rivals so successfully.
Not old enough to vote, but with
the shrewdness of a man of years, it
is estimated that Miller will earn by
his riding this year 100000, and jock
eys are not paid so handsomely as
they were five or six years ago.
Services in Great Demand.
From whom does he receive it?
The Newcastle stable, for which Thorn
as WEIGH is the trainer, has the first
ride for the Newcastle stable if it has
entered horse for a certain race.
James R. Keene has second call for his
services. He is the jockey for the
Keene stable, therefore, whenever Mr..
Keene is racing a horse in some con-
test in which the Newcastle stable
is not competing. If neither of the
stables has a horse for race and an
other owner desires to secure the
services of Miller he may do So
Hence 1t is possible that the youth
may ride in every race in each after
noon of sport at the metropolitan
tracks When the season is finished
in and about New York he may en-
gage himself to ride in California or in
the south, wherever he chooses to To-
cate, so that he is confident Of engage
ments the year around if he cares to
pursue his vocation without rest.
Walter Miller was born in Brooklyn,
of German-Hebrew parentage. 1t has
| been asserted that he is Russian He
brew. His mother, q small, delicately
fee tured woman, with swapping black
eyes and a musical voice, resents this.
My boy" said she, lis of German
blood. We came from Baden, Ger
many He came by his love of the
horse naturally, for all my family are
devotedly fond of horses. / had a
brother, a daring man, who was expert
with horses, could handle them in all
their moods and train them perfectly.
l, too, am fond of horses. There is no
surprise to me that Walter knows
them so well. His father she con-
| tinued, lis not SO much of horseman,
but he is proud of Walters success.
He likes to see his boy do so we'll"
Physical Characteristics.
Miller is a small, well knit, delicate
boned boy, who at first gives the i'm
preston of being understood. A
closer inspection of his physique in
clines one to correct the idea. Look
ing him over carefully from head to
heels, he seems to be compactly built
for his age, and his flesh is distrib-
uted evenly over the framework of
bones. His racial characteristics are
delineated in his facial features.
His height and weight and moderate
manner of walk give the impression
of delicacy, but there is none of it in
his grasp nor in the steel-like hardness
of his biceps. His hands are wonder
fully strong and feel sensitive and full
of vitality to the touch. Perhaps his
hands are the most wonderful part of
him physically. If nature had intend
ed to create a jockey to order it would
have been hard to equip one with
pair of hands that seem so alive as
those of this youngster. Possibly it is
through his hands that he gets in such
close touch with his mounts.
His frame is small and that of
youth, but his face is that of a man
of the thirties in some of its moods.
His eyes show daring and the power
mouth close with the spirit of deter
mination.
He is money maker. He went into
the business of riding race horses for
living because he wanted to acquire
fortune He is rapidly building one
up. He presented his mother with
beautiful home in the Flatbush sec
ton of Brooklyn. 1t is in Westminster
road. and ccst $4,000. 1t is handsome
ly furnished and splendidly main
tanned.
Takes Care of His Money.
He began with the first money he re-
ceived to take his money to his moth
er. He is not a spendthrift, and he
cares little for the 1uxuries of society
His mother took his earnings and in
vested them. They were invested SO
well that she is proud of her work
and admits that his income has been
considerably increased by her pru-
Ia AilIor