The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1907-09-12

sistance to bashful youth, who could
not speak, but who could sheepisnIy
push a motto into willing little
hand.
Don't cry, Ada, my darling, you will
make yourself ill again." entreated
the distracted mother. "Ill send to
town" and then stopped. Whom
could she send?
At this critical moment l stepped
up and cheerfully offered my
reckless young services. l would
drive Whitesox over-why, had 1 not
driven him often? l failed to add
that on those occasions 1 had either
been under the eye or by the side of
Jake, the cusser." you know how
kind and gentle he is and he does not
pull an ounce"
The anxious mother hesitated and
we all know what happens when a
woman hesitates. The voice of the
tempter spake with my lips: The
day is so mild and fine I can use that
light one-seated topless trap His
public work is over for the year-so
III t'uC Sdu OuJCCl.
| got the precious notices and turn
ed homeward. All had gone we'll.
Whitesox and l had had one slight
| difference of opinion, and he was a
| bit vexed because l insisted upon let
ting carriage and pair pass us. But
now we were heading for home-the
houses were thinning. l hummed
happily a little tune and laughed to
see his delicate ears tip and turn this
way and that, trying to place the I'M
usual sound. Then from a side lane
there turned into the road "a big bay,
| ugly, scrawny and thin Of name and tail
but trotter for all that. WhitesoX
felt his presence, and | do believe his
quality. | held him gently but firmly
in, and said: STEADY, boy-steady
and waited for the bay to pass. As
he did so, his driver recognized
Whitesox and leaning out challenged
me to a race. | fixed my eyes straight
ahead and lost, apparently, the sense
| of hearing.
|. He was middle-aged, redfacad,
F:;igar brute, and secretly I was
frightened lest he might be in liquor
and crafty cause some accident. He
saw the effort it cost me to keep ny
nervous horse down, and he tried with
cluckings and ger longs to force
him to break bonds. At last he cried
out to me: "Ah, you're a coward
=, h. 81,
Why don't yer drive a goat with gilt
horns, pretty pet'"
My face was like fire-but l kept
steady hands and unseeing eyes. He
drove in closer: That anything call.
ing itself driver would take a dare!
| Chicken-heart!"
WhitesoX was really fretting rather
alarmingly l spoke: Wont you
please go on-this is not race
course"
Nav" he sneered, ''if it was he
wouldn't be on it, the brute! I've got
twenty dollar gold piece here (hold-
| ing out the cOin) that says that fin
nicky Lightfoot can't reach Three
more than that, he can't go half the
distance without breaking his gait
Dashed, discredited, white-footed plat
er!'
1t was too much-besides l could
| not hold him much longer. | gave him
the world let him go. A new heaven
and new earth What brought the
words to me, cannot tell, but they
came separate, distinct, like so many
| blows. Then my thoughts went on.
l may never know about any heaven,
| but this is a new world glorious
world! Power was delicious! Flying
was delicious, too! My muscles, ner-
yes, seemed to be turning TO steel, but
living, thrilling steel! "Die-die,
Whitesox!" l breathed, but get to
Three Rocks first! Fishhawk is ugly
but he's strong! Oh, don't break
DON'T"
Aloud, l pleaded: Steady, boy
| please steady-steady!
That brute of a man heard and
laughed: STEADY? Steady lot!
He'll break in another second"
There were the Rocks ahead, but
my wrists-good heaven, my wrists
we're weakening l could not feel my
fingers any more-wool seemed to fill
my mouth-hot pains stung my eye
balls, and there was the warning
tremble down the satiny flank! 1t
was not l who spoke-I swear it; but
something Independent of me or my
will cried over my lips; "Cuss 'em,
boy: oh, oh, cuss 'em! cuss 'em!" He
steadied. Something threw me for
ward-a flame ran up my back
sparks danced before my eyes, and in
the VOICE of a mad woman, there rang
out on tia air: Eat 'em up, boy! Eat
'em up! Damn him, if you must-but
eat him up!" and he whirled me past
Three Rocks, and went laundering on
a bit beyond, pursued by the cry:
"Lightfoot WHISKY thunder!"
Cooled and apparently sane, we en-
tered the home gates, to find Jake
waiting and watching; and that vain
glorious Whitesox, with a Whitney Of
triumph, thrust his face into the be-
loved breast and-told all. To Jake's
pictorial questioning I pantingly ejac-
ulated: HE was insulted, Jake, chal-
o-d ;pci,lfod NV EiShhawk'S