Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-09-24

better reason to be afraid, all twelve OF
them; for though they had fought their
way game by game, up the teams en-
tered for the polo tournament. they were
meeting the Archangels that afternoon
In the fnal match; and the Archangels
men were playing with half dozen pom
les apiece AS the game was divided into
six quarters of eight minutes each. that
meant fresh pony after every halt. The
Skidars team. even surprising there were
no accidents could only supply one pony
for every other change; and two to one
is heavy odds Again, as Shiraz the
grey Syrian pointed out, they were meet
Ing the pink and pick of the polo-ponies
of Upper India. while they themselves
were a cheap lot gathered, often from
Country-carts. by their masters. who be-
longed to a poor but honest native infan-
try regiment.
Money means pace and weight" said
Shiraz, rubbing his black-silk nose dole
fully along his neat-titting boot, "and
by the maxims of the gam" as | know 1t
-"
"Ah, but we aren't playing the max
inns" said The Maltese cat. Were
playing the game. Just think a stride,
Shiraz We've pulled up from bottom
&c second place in two weeks against all
those fellows on the ground here. That's
because We play with our heads as well
our feet"
ut makes me feel understood and un-
happy all the same" said Kittiwynk. a
mouse colored mare with red brow
band and the cloanest pair OF legs that
ever an aged pony owned. They've
twice cur style. these others"
Kittwynk looked at the gathering and
sighed. The hard dusty Foreground was
lined with thousands of soldiers, black
and white. not counting hundreds and
hundreds Of carriages and drags and dog
carts, and ladies with brilliant colored
parasols. and officers in uniform and out
Of It, and crowds Of natives behind them;
and orderlies on camcls, who had halted
TO watch the game instead Of carrying
letters up and down the station: and ma
tive horse dealers running about on thin
cared Biluchi mares looking for a
chance to sell a few frst-class polo
ponies Then there were the ponies of
thirty teams that had entered FOR the
Upper India Free-for-All Cup--nearly
every pony of worth and dignity, from
Mhow TO Pcshawar, from Allahahad to
Multan; prize ponies. Arabs. Syrian,
Barb. country-bred. Deccanee, Waziri,
and kabul ponies OF every color and
shape and temper that you could imag
Inc. Some of them were In mat rooted
stables. close to the background, but
most were under saddle, while their mas
tiers, who had been defeated in the earlier
games, trotted in and out and told the
world exactly how the game should be
played
1t was a glorious sight, and the come
and go of the little. quick hooves and
the !ncessant salutations OF ponies that
had met before on other polo-g grounds oil
race courses We're enough to drive a four
footed thing wild.
But the Sk!dars team were careful not
TO know their neighbors, though half the
ponies on the ground were anxious &c
scrape acquaintance with the little fell
lows that had come from the North. and
so far. had swept the board.
Lets see said a soft gold colored
Arab. who had been playing very badly
the day before, to The Maltese Cat;
didn't we meet in Abdul Rahman's sta
Die in Bombay, four seasons ago? l wor
the Paikpattan Cup next season, you ma
remember"
Not me-" said The Maltese Cat. po.
ltely. II was at Malta then, pulling q
vegetable cart, l don't race. ! play tn,
game
oh" said the Arab cooking his tai
and staggering off.
Keep yourselves to yourselves" sale
The Maltese Cat to his companions wv,
don't want to rub noses with all thos
goose rumpcd half breeds of Upper India
When we've won this Cup they'll Civ
their shoes to know us"
We shan't win the Cup" said Shira
"Iiow do you foll?"
stale as last nights feed when
muskrat has run over IT," said Polarls
rather heavy shouldcred grey; and tn
rest OF the team agreed with HIM
THE sooner you forget that the bet
ter" said Tho Maltese Cat. cheerful,
They've finished tiffn in the big ten,
We shall be wanted now. II your sad
dies are not comfy, kick. If your bit
aren't easy, rear. and let the sais!es kno,
whether your boots are tight"
Each pony had his sails, his groom
who lived and ate and slept with the an
NAL, and had betted good deal nor
than he could afford on the result of III
game. There was no chance of anythin
going wrong. but to make sure. eac
sails was shampooins the legs Of h
pony to the last minute. Behind III
Saiscs sat as many OF the Skidars' reg
ment as had leave to attend the match
about half the native officers, and hur
dred al two dark, black bearded me
with the regimcntal pipers ncrvously fin.
fring the big, beribboned bagpipes. TT
Skidars were what they call a phone,
regiment, and the bagpipes made tho n;